PLAID’S Parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd comfortably won Dwyfor Meirionnydd, polling 12,814 votes.


He suffered a reduced majority with 44 per cent of the vote, compared to 51 per cent in 2005 but also saw his vote increase from 10,597 to 12,814 with an increased turnout.


Labour was pushed into third position with Conservative Simon Baynes polling 6,447, an 8.1 per cent increase on his party’s share of the vote.


Alwyn Humphreys for Labour took 4,021 votes, which was a 7.8 per cent fall on the 2005 result and only 500 votes less than the Lib Dems.


Despite his victory, Mr Llwyd (pictured left) railed against his party being denied a voice in the TV leadership debates, blaming the airtime given to the three main parties, for damaging his party’s prospects across Wales.


“It’s a good night in Dwyfor Meirionnydd, but unfortunately not elsewhere,” he said.
"I will be an MP for all of Dwyfor Meirionnydd. I’m here to serve all of you, whatever your political background.


"Tonight has made me proud, and I hope to discharge my duties in Parliament with dignity."


He later added that he was very happy to have won, but also disappointed that Plaid’s vote nationally had been squeezed.


Conservative Mr Baynes (pictured right) said he was was very pleased with his second place.


He said: "This is a step in the right direction and I’m looking forward to future campaigns including next year’s Assembly elections.


"I hope we can govern nationally, and I will be playing close attention to the results for the rest of the evening."


After the result was announced, Labour’s Alwyn Humphreys congratulated his fellow candidates.


During the count he said his campaign had been frustrated by a lack of resources for Labour in the constituency.


Lib Dem Steve Churchman gained 12.2 per cent of the vote with a total 3,538 votes.
"I’m, very happy it’s an improvement and a step in the right direction for us. Clearly the Tories have done well in taking second place from Labour, and we ourselves nearly caught Labour,” he said.


Independent candidate Louise Hughes just lost her deposit polling 1,310 after a spirited campaign - that amounted to 4.53 per cent of the vote, just shy of the 5 per cent needed to keep her deposit.


Frank Wykes, for UKIP polled just 776 votes.