David Jones was an AM for just over six months

David Jones, 51, has become the prospective parliamentary candidate in Clwyd West, six months after stepping down as an AM for north Wales.

To win the parliamentary selection he beat five other candidates, including a current Conservative AM, Alun Cairns, who represents south west Wales.

Mr Jones, a solicitor, was an AM between September 2002 and last May's election, when he voluntarily stepped down.

He went to the assembly to replace Rod Richards, the controversial former leader of the Welsh Tories who resigned to deal with personal problems.

If Mr Jones won Clwyd West, it would be the second time he would replace Mr Richards, who used to represent Clwyd West in parliament.

It used to be regarded as a safe Conservative area, but since boundaries were changed and it became Clwyd West, it has been held by Labour at both Westminster and the assembly in recent years.

Mr Jones will try to overturn the 1,115 majority of Labour MP Gareth Thomas.

At the 2001 general election the Conservatives ran Labour a close second in Clwyd West.

The Tories, won 12,311 votes, or 35.6%, to Mr Thomas' 13,426, or 38.8%.