THE Labour party will have to find a new candidate to fight its main target seat in North Wales.

This follows a decision by Mary Griffiths Clarke to relinquish her position as the party’s Parliamentary candidate for Arfon, blaming ill health and an intention to focus on her legal career.

Ms Griffiths Clarke came within 92 votes of capturing Arfon for Labour in 2017, and was hoping to succeed this time around in her bid to unseat Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams who’s been in Parliament since 2001.

Last year she was selected to fight the seat once again, but in a message posted on social media on Monday, she wrote: “I have decided to step down from politics on health grounds to focus on my legal career and campaigning for better access to justice and equality.

“I wish you (Labour) all the best.”

In response, a spokesman for the Arfon Constituency Labour Party (CLP), said: “Arfon CLP respect Mary’s decision and wishes her all the best in her legal career.

“We know how passionate she is about Access to Justice. Pob lwc yn y dyfodol.” (Good luck in future).

The party branch has confirmed a new candidate should be in place by November 12, with an all-women’s shortlist set to be implemented.