Labour has become the first party to announce its candidate to challenge Chris Davies at the general election.

Welsh Labour has selected Cardiff-based barrister Dan Lodge, who was an advisor to former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain during the last Labour government, as its Brecon and Radnorshire candidate for the June 8 poll.

The 43-year-old, who grew up in Cardiff, said he wants to prevent Prime Minister Theresa May forming a new Conservative government which he claimed would cut funding for Wales.

Mr Lodge said he wants Britain to remain in the European single market after the country leaves the European Union.

He said: "People are being asked to decide whether or not to give Theresa May the blank cheque she says she wants to strengthen her hand in the Brexit negotiations.

"I suspect she wants a blank cheque to rip up pension commitments and we shouldn’t give her the blank cheque and a thumping majority. She’s approaching Brexit the wrong way. We need to focus on staying in the single market, that’s what’s good for the economy.

"That is the context she wants for the election but for Wales it’s only going to be bad if Theresa May has a blank cheque and there would be savage cuts coming down the line from Westminster to Cardiff.

"Jeremy Corbyn has welcomed the calling of a general election and we are fighting to win it."

Conservative Chris Davies holds a 5,102 majority over the Liberal Democrats who he won the seat from at the 2015 general election.

Mr Davies was unanimously re-adopted as the Conservative candidate by party members five days after the election was called. Labour candidates have been selected centrally due to the short time frame for the election.

Mr Davies has previously said he supported Mrs May calling an election.

He said: "It has been an honour and a privilege to promote our beautiful constituency in Westminster and to see our communities go from strength to strength in recent years.

"The job is not yet over, we have so much more we wish to achieve. Brecon was recently announced as the constituency with the lowest unemployment in Wales and that is a fact I am very proud of. The economy is on the right foot and I believe Theresa May is the right person to lead us forward."