IT WAS a night of gains for Labour in Caerphilly, as Wayne David not only retained his seat but also increased his majority by more than 4,000 votes.

Caerphilly is Labour hold. #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/qH3MavCbha

— Angharad Williams (@ArgusAWilliams) June 9, 2017

South Wales Argus:

The Caerphilly result was announced just after 2am by returning officer Chris Burns and Labour increased their lead in Caerphilly by 4,627 votes with 22,491 votes compared with the 17,864 votes they received in 2015.

Before the result was announced there was little doubt among the candidates that Labour candidate Wayne David would retain his seat which he has held since 2001. As the results came in from across the country, Labour supporters were glued to the results and they cheered with each seat their party won.

After the declaration Mr David said: “I’m delighted to have won, but I am also extremely pleased to have won with an increased majority too. We fought a very hard campaign here in Caerphilly, as we did throughout Britain and Wales, and I think this is a wonderful result for Welsh Labour.”

He added: “I think people have been disillusioned by the Conservative government, in particular they took a dim view of Theresa May calling a snap general election and people have voted for change. They want to fairness, integrity and honesty in politics and in most people’s view the Conservative party no longer stands for those things.”

However, the Conservatives, who came third in 2015, moved into second place with 10,413, an increase of 3,730 votes.

Candidate Jane Pratt said: “I think this bodes well for the future, I think the whole area is changing and I am delighted with my result. We have people moving into the area from different parts of the country and with the Severn Bridge tolls going people are moving from England and it’s becoming a more prosperous place, so I think it bodes very well for the future.”

Plaid Cymru candidate Lindsay Whittle, who was standing in his eighth general election, received 5,962 votes. He said that he had hoped to come second in the seat, so he was slightly disappointed with the result.

UKIP came second to Labour in the 2015 general election with candidate Sam Gould, who died three days before this election. This year’s candidate, Liz Wilks, received 1,259 votes, a massive decrease of 6,532 which Ms Wilks put down to past voters switching their vote to the Conservatives.

Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate Kay David received 725 votes and Green Party candidate Andrew Creak, who was unable to attend the count, received 447 votes.