BLAENAU Gwent's Labour parliamentary candidate chosen from a controversial all-women list was officially endorsed by party bosses.
Maggie Jones, 48, an official with public services union Unison, was yesterday confirmed as the candidate by a National Executive Council meeting in London.
Speaking after the meeting, Ian McCartney, chairman of the party, said: "Maggie will be an outstanding fighter for the citizens of Blaenau Gwent, but as important to the wider world she will be a great ambassador in campaigning for more jobs and better services for the local community."
Ms Jones was chosen in a ballot of 17% of the local party after the Constituency Labour Party (CLP) voted to boycott the selection, claiming it was "undemocratic" to use a women-only list.
Following her selection eight of the CLP's nine principal officers said they would stand down.
Assembly Member Peter Law is still threatening to run as an independent and remains the bookies' favourite to take Labour's safest Welsh seat.
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