Labour chooses ex-Tory for seat

Allan Rogers said he was 'surprised' by the decision

The Labour Party in Wales has confirmed that a former member of the Conservative Association will be its candidate for the seat of Rhondda.

Chris Bryant has been chosen to succeed Allan Rogers, who is stepping down at the next general election.

Mr Rogers said he was "surprised" by the news but declined to comment further.

It has been confirmed that Mr Bryant was once a member of the Conservative Association at Oxford University, during two terms in 1981 and 1982.

Mr Rogers said he was "surprised" by the news but declined to comment further.

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A spokesman for the Wales Labour Party admitted that a complaint had been made by a party member to the National Executive Committee through the party.

But he added the party was fully aware of Mr Bryant's former Conservative activism.

No action would be taken, the spokesman said, because Mr Bryant was already an approved candidate and there was "nothing to investigate".

Mr Bryant has been a Labour party member for 14 years and has served as a Labour councillor and as a party official.

'Disenchantment'

Mr Rogers, a defence and foreign affairs specialist, has held one of the safest Labour seats in Britain.

He was elected in Rhondda in 1983 and at the 1997 general election returned a majority of almost 25,000 votes over Plaid Cymru.

But at the local council elections in Rhondda last year, Labour suffered one of its most shocking defeats of recent years, losing control of Rhondda Cynon Taff council to Plaid Cymru.

Plaid's Geraint Davies also won the Rhondda National Assembly seat.

Mr Rogers will be 70 at the time of the next general election and has previously voiced his disenchantment with the direction the Labour party is moving.