WITH just four weeks until the General Election on May 6, ALISON SANDERS looks at who will be fighting for the seats in the Gwent constituencies.

THERE are 36 declared candidates so far for Gwent in this year’s General Election with many of the MPs elected in 2005 standing again.

The nomination process will open at 9am on Wednesday, April 14 and would be candidates have until 4pm on April 20 to get their nominations in.

The full list of candidates for each constituency will then be published at 5pm by the returning officer.

People can currently declare themselves as a candidate but can not be nominated until Wednesday.

The declared candidates for Blaenau Gwent include Nick Smith for Labour, Liz Stevenson for the Conservatives, Matt Smith for the Liberal Democrats, Anthony King for the BNP, Rhodri Davies for Plaid Cymru and 2005 elected seat holder Dai Davies, Independent.

There are five declared candidates for the Monmouth constituency which includes 2005 seat winner David Davies.

Also in the running are Hamish Sandison for Labour, Martin Blakebrough for the Liberal Democrats, Jonathan Clark for Plaid Cymru and Stephen Millson for the Green Party.

There are also five declared candidates for Islwyn including Chris Evans, Labour’s candidate to replace Don Touhig who is standing down.

Daniel Thomas is standing for the Conservatives, Asghar Ali for the Liberal Democrats, Steffan Lewis for Plaid Cymru and John Voisey for the BNP.

In the Newport East constituency, Labour’s Jessica Morden will stand again alongside Dawn Parry for the Conservatives, Fiona Cross for Plaid Cymru, Keith Jones for the BNP and Newport City Council deputy leader Ed Townsend for the Lib Dems.

Paul Flynn will stand again as the Labour candidate for Newport West. Other declared candidates include Matthew Williams for the Tories, Torfaen county councillor Veronica German for the Lib Dems, Jeff Rees for Plaid Cymru, Pippa Bartolotti for the Green Party, and Timothy Windsor for the BNP.

The Torfaen seat has nine declared candidates.They include Labour's Paul Murphy, Jon Burns for the Tories, David Morgan for the Lib Dems, Rhys ab Elis for Plaid, Owen Clarke for the Green Party, Jennifer Noble for the BNP and Torfaen county councillor Fred Wildgust standing as an Independent.

UKIP was unable to confirm its declared candidates for Gwent last night.

Gwent MPs elected in the 2005 General Election: Newport East - Jessica Morden, Labour, with a 6,838 vote majority; Newport West - Paul Flynn, Labour, with a 5,458 vote majority; Torfaen - Paul Murphy, Labour, with a 14,791 vote majority; Blaenau Gwent - Dai Davies, Independent, with a 2,484 vote majority in the by-election; Islwyn - Don Touhig, Labour, with a 15,740 vote majority; Monmouth - David Davies, Conservative, with a 4,527 vote majority