ECONOMY minister Ken Skates has kept hold of his Senedd seat in Clwyd South.

The Labour cabinet member was able to steer clear of a repeat of the 2019 general election, where the constituency was won by the Conservatives in a shock result.

Mr Skates beat Tory candidate Barbara Hughes by 10,448 votes to 7,535.

It came despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson making a flying visit to a farm in the area where he once stood to be an MP.

Plaid Cymru’s Llyr Gruffydd polled in third with 4,094 votes, followed by Leena Farhat (Liberal Democrats) 730, Jonathon Harrington (Abolish the Welsh Assembly) 599, Jeanette Bassford-Barton (UKIP) 522 and Mandy Jones (Reform UK) 277,

The turnout increased from 40.9 per cent in 2016 to 44 per cent as counting took place at Glyndwr University today (Friday, 7 May) instead of overnight due to the coronavirus pandemic.