A rebel candidate standing as an Independent in one of Labour's safest seats recorded a dramatic victory today in the British election.
Peter Law, who quit Labour last month in protest at all-women shortlists, overturned a Labour majority of almost 20,000 to win Blaenau
His victory represents a remarkable political upset in Labour's heartlands and a personal comeback for a man diagnosed with a brain tumour just weeks before the election.
Mr Law (57) is a former Minister in the Welsh Assembly and member of the Welsh Labour executive who found himself an increasingly isolated figure within the party.
He lost his job as environment minister in late 2000 and after the 2003 Assembly elections his fellow Labour AMs blocked his bid to become the deputy presiding officer (speaker) of the Assembly.
He voted against the Labour whip on issues ranging from top-up fees to the construction of the £106 million Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. Mr Law was also a fierce critic of the decision to use an all-women shortlist to select Labour's candidate in Blaenau
Mr Law had announced he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and would not stand, but two weeks later,
after hospital treatment, he said he would be contesting the seat after all.