THE full list of candidates for Wales in next month's European Parliament election - if it goes ahead - has been published.

Although the UK Government has maintained it believes a Brexit deal can be secured in Parliament before elections are due to be held next month, preparations are being put in place in case this fails.

Assuming the election goes ahead, voters will go to the polls on Thursday, May 23, to elect Wales' four MEPs.

There are 32 candidates from eight parties standing.

Of Wales' four current MEPs, Plaid Cymru's Jill Evans and Nathan Gill of The Brexit Party, formerly of Ukip, are standing again. Conservative Dr Kay Swinburne and Labour's Derek Vaughan are not standing.

Among candidates are June Davies, who ran in last month's Newport West by-election for the Renew Party. She is standing for Change UK - The Independent Group, following a partnership agreement between the two parties. Deputy leader of Newport City Council Mark Whitcutt is also running for Labour.

Votes are cast through a Proportional Representation list system, the same used to elect regional AMs, where votes are cast for parties rather than candidates. If the party wins more than 25 per cent of the vote, the first candidate on their list will be elected, if they win more than 50 per cent, the first two candidates will be elected, and so on.

Here is the full list of candidates:

Change UK - The Independent Group

1. Jonathan Owen Jones

2. June Caris Davies

3. Matthew Graham Paul

4. Sally Anne Stephenson

Conservative

1. Daniel Stephen Boucher

2. Craig James Robert Lawton

3. Fay Alicia Jones

4. Tomos Dafydd Davies

Green

1. Anthony David Slaughter

2. Ian Roy Chandler

3. Ceri John Davies

4. Duncan Rees

Labour

1. Jacqueline Margarete Jones

2. Matthew James Dorrance

3. Mary Felicity Wimbury

4. Mark Jeffrey Denley Whitcutt

Liberal Democrats

1. Sam Bennett

2. Donna Louise Lalek

3. Alistair Ronald Cameron

4. Andrew John Parkhurst

Plaid Cymru

1. Jill Evans

2. Carmen Ria Smith

3. Patrick Robert Anthony McGuiness

4. Ioan Rhys Bellin

The Brexit Party

1. Nathan Lee Gill

2. James Freeman Wells

3. Gethin James

4. Julie Anne Price

Ukip

1. Kristian Philip Hicks

2. Keith Callum Edwards

3. Thomas George Harrison

4. Robert Michael McNeil-Wilson