CEREDIGION’S current MP will fight to retain the seat in June following the shock announcement of a snap General Election.

Liberal Democrat Mark Williams retained the seat for the third time in 2015, with a majority of over 3,000 and more than a third of the vote in Ceredigion, and has confirmed that he will be standing again following Theresa May’s surprise announcement that a snap election will take place on 8 June.

Meanwhile a Plaid Cymru spokesperson said the party had many capable and hardworking individuals who are willing to stand up for our communities and Ceredigion, and we will be moving forward immediately to select a candidate.Mr Williams said: “Yes I will be standing. We had a procedure put in place in case of an early election and I was selected. I will have a confirmation meeting in due course.”

While Mr Williams said he had thought an early election might be called, he said the timing of the announcement just weeks before council elections was a surprise.

He said: “I had a bit of a hunch that she may make an announcement after the council elections in May, so the announcement now is a bit of a surprise.

“The intention, I think, is to wind up Parliament at the end of next week, although that’s only through the grapevine.

“I’ve historically said I enjoy elections as it’s a chance to get out and meet the constituents and you get judged on your record.

“It’s quite clear why she’s done this. The Labour Party is a shambles and she’s said she’s worried about the majority in Parliament, as she should be.”

Mr Williams added that he was hopeful the Liberal Democrats would have an improved performance in the June election after the disappointment of the 2015 election.

He said: “This is our opportunity to change the direction of our country - to keep us in the world’s largest single market that Welsh industry relies on, and to avoid a disastrous Hard Brexit.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats will be campaigning for Wales and Britain to be open, tolerant and united, and this is the opportunity for people across the country to vote for these values and for a positive future for everyone, against the damaging policies of this Conservative Government.”Richard Owen, the chair of the Plaid Cymru Ceredigion constituency committee, said: "Theresa May has gone back on her word regarding the election, obviously putting the interests of Conservatives before anything else."We are very concerned that the voice of Ceredigion and Wales has been completely ignored in the Westminster Government's dogmatic pursuit of a hard Brexit, an outcome which would be disastrous for the economy of the county and Wales."We in Plaid Cymru have many capable and hardworking individuals who are willing to stand up for our communities and Ceredigion, and we will be moving forward immediately to select a candidate for the forthcoming Westminster election."Plaid Cymru will fight this election in Ceredigion on the basis of putting the interests of our economy first, and all the public services we hold so dear. We need a strong Ceredigion voice in Westminster more than ever."Only Plaid Cymru, the Party of Wales can provide that voice."Dinah Mulholland, the campaigns coordinator for the Ceredigion Labour Party, said: "We are now in the process of selecting a candidate and we will let you know as soon as the selection has been made."