Obituary: Hefin David MS

David Taylor

Hefin Wyn David, the Welsh Labour politician who represented Caerphilly in the Senedd, died yesterday evening on 12 August 2025, just hours before what would have been his 48th birthday. His sudden death has sent shockwaves through Welsh politics.

Born on 13 August 1977 at Caerphilly Miners Hospital, Hefin grew up in Penpedairheol, near Bargoed.

He embodied the working-class intellectual tradition of the South Wales valleys. After Heolddu Comprehensive School, he studied Politics and Economics at Cardiff University, then European Policy, before completing teaching qualifications at the University of South Wales and eventually a PhD from Gloucestershire on small business employment.

He lectured at Newport from 2002 to 2008, then at Cardiff Metropolitan until 2016. His academic work took him to Germany, Greece, India, and China.

Global outlook

I had fascinating conversations with him about these experiences – you could see how they’d opened his mind and enriched his understanding of the world. That global outlook never left him, even as he remained utterly rooted in the valleys.

He was elected to Caerphilly Council in 2007 for St Cattwg ward and later chaired the Policy and Resources Scrutiny Committee, a role in which he saw himself as a critical friend of the Labour leadership, unafraid to challenge when principle demanded it.

Having tried for selection in neighbouring seats and made a name for himself within Welsh Labour, he was the obvious successor to Jeff Cuthbert when the Caerphilly Senedd candidacy became available in 2016.

In the Senedd, Hefin served on the economy and culture committees, led cross-party groups on universities and Long Covid, and became one of five commissioners responsible for running the institution – this role required the support and confidence of the whole Senedd, which spoke volumes about the respect he commanded across party lines.

Independent thinking

He wasn’t a rebel – loyalty to Labour ran deep – but in a group not known for independent thinking, he stood out. His intellectual honesty may have cost him politically. If he’d done more to toe the line, ministerial office might have beckoned – many felt he was knocking at the door – but compromise could have meant abandoning that authentic, thoughtful approach that made him so valuable.

Hefin loved his two daughters, Holly and Caitlin, and his politics were shaped by his experience as their father.

With Caitlin being autistic and having learning disabilities, he knew exactly what families go through trying to get the right support. That’s why the Welsh Government asked him to write a report in 2023 on how to help young people with additional needs get into work.

He threw himself into housing issues too, battling the ‘fleecehold’ scandal where developers were charging residents extortionate fees for basic maintenance.

His small business research background meant he grasped the economic pressures on valley communities better than most politicians, while his time teaching abroad gave him a broader view of what was possible.

Hefin wore his heart on his sleeve and was tireless in his determination to deliver for Caerphilly. He lived in the constituency where he was born and raised and remained deeply connected to his community as school governor and trustee of Caerphilly Miners Centre.

Tributes

His sudden death leaves a hole that won’t easily be filled. Hefin showed you could be deeply partisan yet earn genuine respect across party lines. The tributes flowing from across the political spectrum tell their own story. He proved academics needn’t talk down to people, that politicians could wear emotions openly, and that valleys boys could reach corridors of power without forgetting where they came from.

For his family, friends and colleagues, losing Hefin is devastating. The man who fought so hard for others was clearly fighting battles of his own that we may never fully understand. What we can say is that his legacy – his work, his advocacy, his dedication to constituents – will endure long after immediate grief passes.

He is survived by his partner Vikki Howells, MS for Cynon Valley, and his children Holly and Caitlin, as well as his parents and sister.

Despite sharing a surname with former Caerphilly MP Wayne David, they were unrelated – though both shared deep commitment to serving their communities.

David Taylor is a former Welsh Labour special adviser