FOURTEEN women are in the race to become Blaenau Gwent's next Labour parliamentary candidate, party officials say.
They include former Assembly candidate for Monmouth Sian James, Llanelli Assembly list candidate and former Monmouth parliamentary candidate Cherry Short, and trade unionist Maggie Jones.
The deadline for applicants is November 19.
A controversial all-women shortlist is being used to select the candidate to replace Llew Smith, who stands down at the next general election, in a bid to increase Welsh female representation at Westminster.
The constituency party has boycotted what it calls an "undemocratic" process.
Many members are planning to picket the meeting arranged to introduce candidates to local party members at Ebbw Vale leisure centre on November 21.
AM Peter Law has threatened to run as an independent unless the system is abandoned.
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