A POLITICIAN has made an impassioned plea for “unity” after holding onto his seat in the Senedd.

Cabinet minister Ken Skates was re-elected in Clwyd South today (Friday 7 May), despite seeing his majority over the Conservatives drop slightly from 3,016 to 2,913.

Mr Skates was able to steer clear of a repeat of the 2019 general election, where the constituency was won by the Tories in a shock result, by beating their candidate Barbara Hughes by 10,448 votes to 7,535.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who once stood to become an MP in Clwyd South, paid a flying visit to a farm in the area during the campaign as his party looked to make up ground.

UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and First Minister Mark Drakeford also stopped off in Llangollen as both parties fought hard for the seat.

However, following his victory, Mr Skates called for people from across the political spectrum to work together more after praising the collective effort by the two governments in the fight against Covid-19.

Speaking from the election count at Glyndwr University in Wrexham, he said: “The past 14 months have been utterly horrific for so many people in so many ways.

“But we’ve managed to get through this pandemic largely by working together in unity, not so much against a common enemy, but for a common cause to make sure we save as many lives and livelihoods as possible.

“Just think what we could do in this part of Wales in better times if we work in unity in the years to come.

“Here in the county of Wrexham we’ve performed incredibly well by working together across governments within our communities.”

The voter turnout in the constituency increased from 40.9 per cent in 2016 to 44 per cent as counting took place today instead of overnight due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Social distancing measures were in place at both the count hall and polling stations as efforts to stop the spread of the virus continue.

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.

Despite failing to gain what was seen as a target seat by the Conservatives, Ms Hughes spoke positively of her own campaign.

She said: “I think I’ve done very well and I’m a hard working person.

“I would’ve done an awful lot for the people of Clwyd South and I call a spade a spade.

“Congratulations to Ken – we’re a democratic society and he won and I finished second.”