THE leader of Monmouthshire council has been picked as the Conservative Senedd Election candidate for Monmouth.

Cllr Peter Fox was formerly selected as the party’s candidate for the constituency, a seat currently held for the party by Nick Ramsay, this evening.

Speaking ahead the selection at a Monmouthshire council meeting on Thursday, Cllr Fox was congratulated by the leader of the council's Labour group, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni.

Cllr Batrouni said: "Congratulations Peter Fox. Look forward to hearing who the new leader of the council will be."

Cllr Fox did not respond to the comment at the meeting and has been contacted.

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Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Batrouni claimed that, although the candidate has yet to be formally selected at that point, it is a "dead rubber".

"It's a foregone conclusion," he said. "I look forward to seeing who they pick as a new council leader."

Cllr Fox, who represents Portskewett ward, has served as leader of Monmouthshire County Council since 2008.

He was previously the deputy leader for five years, with responsibility for education.

The Welsh Conservatives and Cllr Fox were contacted for comment.