INDEPENDENT Peter Law (pictured) is now the favourite to win the Blaenau Gwent parliamentary seat, according to a Welsh bookmaker.

Punters backing Assembly Member Mr Law to become Blaenau Gwent MP have made him the favourite to snatch the seat from his former party, according to bookmaker Jack Brown.

Spokesman Karl Williams said before Mr Law threw his hat in the ring last week, they were offering 1/100 that Maggie Jones, the Labour candidate selected from an all-women short list, would win.

In a dramatic turn-around yesterday the rebel became odds-on favourite at 4/5 while Ms Jones stands at evens.

Mr Williams said that after Mr Law declared he would stand as an independent candidate following an operation to remove a brain tumour, the odds of Ms Jones winning fell to 1/6 and then were at 1/3 yesterday morning.

"I'm a little surprised. I know Peter is Blaenau Gwent and he will have the sympathy vote but he has got a 19,000 majority to pull back," Mr Williams said.

"I know he has got some of the unions on his side and his charisma and political stance are going to call in the votes. I think it is going to be tough but we deal with hard cash and the money says Peter is going to take the seat."

Conservative, Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrat candidates are at 33/1. Last night Welsh secretary Peter Hain told the Argus Mr Law's decision to stand against Labour was 'very sad'.

"It's a big disappointment," said Mr Hain.

"It's very sad because we all owe everything to the grass roots members of the Labour party. Not one of us is anything on our own. We only enjoy the privilege of office because of the work of party members.

"I think it's sad to turn your back on the party that put you up there."

Mr Hain said Blaenau Gwent should be 'proud' to have Labour's Maggie Jones as a candidate, who he said was on first-name terms with the Prime Minister and other cabinet members.

However he refused to comment on the news that Mr Law is now favourite with bookies to win what is one of Labour's safest seats.

l The other candidates in Blaenau Gwent are: Dr Phillip James Lee, Conservative; Peter Hugh Osborne, UK Independence Party; Norman John Price, Plaid Cymru; Brian Thomas, Liberal Democrat.