MEET the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Clwyd East, the new Westminster constituency which will include Prestatyn and Ruthin.

Becky Gittins, a former Ysgol Merllyn and Mold Alun pupil, is from Bagillt. 

The 29-year-old now lives in Pentre Halkyn with her husband and dog Mabel.

Becky said she "often jokes" that her family are "exotic" as they stretch from Prestatyn to Connah’s Quay.

She has a large extended family in North Wales and feels "deeply rooted to the area’s history" with family having worked at the Point of Ayr Colliery, Courtaulds and British Steel.

Speaking what it means to her to be selected as Parliamentary Candidate for Clwyd East, Becky said: "It means a huge amount to me to be standing to represent the community where I was born, raised and live. I want to be a part of bringing about the positive change that the country so desperately needs.

"I have had thousands of conversations with local people across Clwyd East and I feel I have a good grasp of the issues which matter to them.

"The number one concern that people are raising with me is the cost of living crisis. From Prestatyn to Llangollen, people are struggling to keep up with rising costs. 

"I feel being a local girl is important. It means that I am embedded in our communities and understand our challenges, history and culture.

"I want to take that knowledge and fight for our area in parliament."

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Becky said her interests in politics was discovered as a sixth former at Alun School.

"I cared greatly about my community and the untapped potential of local people and our area; I realised that politics can be a way to change things for the better," she said.

Becky has worked in the charity sector and trained as an accountant before moving to a career as a trade union negotiator within the civil service.

She moved away from her home town for university and attended the University of Warwick in Coventry.

She served as a councillor in Coventry and was responsible for tackling youth violence and knife crime in the city.

She resigned from her position last year so she could move back to North Wales with her husband.

Becky said: "I was struck by how similar the issues facing people in Coventry and North Wales were: the cost of living crisis caused by poor economic management and chronic underinvestment in public services.

"Clwyd East is my home and I would be a passionate advocate for our area.

"I want to be an effective voice for the area, driving real change for our communities."

The new constituency, which will includes the towns and surrounding areas of Llangollen, Ruthin, Mold, Holywell and Prestatyn, will come into being at the next general election.