CANDIDATES battling to be Swansea West's next MP have been highlighting their links to the city.

One candidate has rubbished claims he has just come to the city to be elected, after he was criticised by rivals this week.

However, none of the Liberal Democrat, Conservative or Labour candidates were born in Swansea, or even grew up in the city.

On a visit to the city this week, Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne criticised Labour's decision to nominate former MP Geraint Davies as candidate for Swansea West.

Mr Bourne said: "Labour has a carpet bagging candidate who lost his seat in Croydon."

However, Mr Davies said his family went back four generations in the city, and his decision to live in Swansea came long before a decision on who Labour's candidate would be.

Mr Davies said: "I have been back for five years.

"What brought me back was my eldest daughter was going to high school, and we wanted our family to grow up in Wales.

"We came here for family reasons in 2005. We came here so my children could grow up knowing their grandmother."

Mr Davies added that the selection process took place in 2007.

He said: "The selection process was one of the most competitive in Wales. It would be a brave thing to move here on the assumption I was going to selected."

Study

Lib Dem candidate Peter May said he had lived in Swansea since 1987 after moving to the city from north west London to study.

He said: "I have lived in Swansea West for a quarter of a century. I have been here all my adult life."

Originally from Hounslow, councillor Kinzett first came to Swansea to study at the city's university in 1994.

"When you live in London under the Heathrow flight path, the wonders of the Gower peninsula, Swansea Bay and the beautiful green spaces — the whole natural environment — are such a pull.

"It is a very open and welcoming place."

In recent years, councillor Kinzett has been accused of spending more time in London than Swansea — a charge he refutes.

He said: "The registered office is in London, but I haven't been working out of London. I have to attend meetings in London, but so do many people.

"I don't work and live in London.

"I have lived in Swansea for the past 16 years. I have served on the police authority. I have been a member of the council from 1997 to 1999, and from 2004 onwards, and have been the leader of the Conservative group on [Swansea Council] since 2007."