Plaid Cymru‘s Jonathan Edwards has labelled his triumph in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr last night a stepping stone towards next year’s Welsh Assembly election.

Mr Edwards romped to victory with 15,140 votes on a turnout of 70 per cent - an increased majority of 5,599.

Labour’s Calum Higgins came second with 9,541 – the first time Labour has polled less than 10,000 votes in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since the creation of the seat.

Conservative Matthew Paul picked up 8,336 votes while Ukip’s Norma Woodward earned 4,363.

Election night proved a night of mixed emotions for Plaid with the party failing to add to the three Westminster seats it previously held despite optimism it would increase its presence in the House of Commons thanks to the exposure of leader Leanne Wood in the TV debates and the nationalist surge in Scotland which saw the SNP obliterate all other parties north of the border.

Speaking after his victory, Mr Edwards said: “I am confident that the work that Leanne Wood has done in this election will stand Plaid Cymru in good stead in the next Assembly elections.”

He branded Labour – who lost one Welsh seat – “arrogant and self-serving” in Wales, adding that what had taken place in Scotland was coming to Wales.

“The old-style politics of Westminster and the men in grey suits is over,” he said.

“In the last government Labour voted with the Conservatives on the main issues of the day, I am going to London to provide a real alternative to the Tory government.

“What has happened in Scotland is coming to Wales.”

In relation to the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr seat he praised his backroom staff and the Plaid activists.

“We started campaigning for this election on the Monday after the 2010 campaign and this victory is a testament to the work of the team of Plaid supporters, party activists here and my staff in London,” he said.

“The Labour party have thrown the kitchen sink at this seat during this election,” he said.

“They have used all the resources of the Welsh government: there have been more Welsh ministers in Ammanford in the last two weeks than in the past 20 years.

“I would have been happy with a majority of one but to increase our majority is an incredible result.

Mr Edwards also paid tribute to the losing candidates, including Labour’s Calum Higgins, and praised the manner of the campaign.

“This has been the cleanest campaign in the history of this seat,” he said.

“Now I am ready for five years of extremely hard work and I look forward to returning to London to represent my home community.”