Labour candidate who lost Caerphilly by-election to stand again

Martin Shipton

The defeated Labour candidate in Caerphilly’s October by-election will try again to get elected to the Senedd in May, his party has confirmed.

Richard Tunnicliffe became Labour’s candidate in controversial circumstances following the sudden death in August of the previous MS Hefin David.

Jamie Pritchard, then the deputy leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, was blocked from being the candidate because he had tweeted support for Jeremy Corbyn when he was the party’s leader. The move was seen as an example of the Labour hierarchy’s control freakery.

Nation.Cymru received a tip-off from a party source that Cllr Pritchard had been removed from the shortlist of potential candidates. The source told us that if Cllr Pritchard had not been excluded, he would have won the selection contest. Some party members had written his name on the ballot paper in protest, but their votes had been discounted.

After the meeting Mr Tunnicliffe, a children’s publisher, was announced as the party’s candidate.

We contacted Cllr Pritchard, who told us: “I was very seriously affected by the death of Hefin David, who I respected very much and who I knew well. I’ve never thought previously of putting my name forward to stand as an MP or an MS. But a number of people encouraged me to do so in these circumstances, where we’re having to fight a crucial by-election. I decided to apply for the candidacy.

“But at about 8.30 on Friday evening – 14 hours before the selection meeting – I received a phone call from a Welsh Labour official who told me I was being excluded from the shortlist because of some tweets I wrote years ago.

“I didn’t post anything offensive and I’m not going to apologise for tweeting in support of Jeremy Corbyn at a time when he was the democratically elected leader of the party. I also see no reason to take the tweets down, as was suggested to me. These tweets are from years ago, I certainly haven’t tweeted anything in support of Jeremy Corbyn since he ceased being the leader [in April 2020], left the party and stood as an Independent.

“I was at the selection meeting and believe it is likely I would have won if I’d been allowed to stand. I’m frustrated by what has happened, but it’s nothing in comparison with the sense of loss I feel at the death of Hefin. Richard is a lovely fellow and of course I’ll be supporting him in the election campaign.”

X account

We searched on Cllr Pritchard’s X account – formerly Twitter – and found a number of historic tweets in which he referenced Jeremy Corbyn.

On July 22 2015, responding to criticism made of Mr Corbyn by former Prime Minister Tony Blair during the Labour leadership campaign, Cllr Pritchard tweeted: “Jeremy Corbyn wants to see a shift in wealth from the super rich to everyday people. That’s admirable. Blair is wrong.”

On August 2 2015, Cllr Pritchard tweeted: “Please help support Jeremy Corbyn for Leader, add a #Twibbon now!”

On August 10 2015, Cllr Pritchard tweeted to BBC Wales News stating: “Will you feature any pro-Corbyn supporters instead of the usual anti Corbyn regulars? In the interests of balance.”

Also on August 10 2015, Cllr Pritchard tweeted to BBC Wales News, stating: “The media clearly focussing on all opinion anti-Corbyn. Commentary from New Labour figures ten a penny.”

On September 29 2016, by which time Mr Corbyn had won a landslide victory in the leadership election, Cllr Pritchard tweeted about a BBC Question Time programme, stating: “Another biased panel and audience against Corbyn. Week after week.”

On March 30 2018, Cllr Pritchard responded to criticism of Mr Corbyn by Lord Sugar, tweeting: “Absolutely disgraceful attack on Corbyn. Words fail me.”

On September 22 2018, after the Labour Party agreed rule changes on the deselection of MPs and leadership ballots, Cllr Pritchard tweeted: “Nobody can say Corbyn doesn’t compromise. Ridiculous if these modest changes are criticised by the usual suspects.”

On December 23 2018, Cllr Pritchard praised Mr Corbyn’s decision to oppose Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal in a tweet that stated: “Corbyn is right to reject May’s deal. It’s not a matter of no deal v May’s shambolic agreement.”

Also on December 23 2018, Cllr Pritchard replied on Twitter to Labour MP Luciana Berger, who had criticised Mr Corbyn over his stance on Brexit, stating: “Corbyn accused of ‘betrayal’ by the usual right wing Lab MPs for accepting the democratic decision of voters.”

On December 23 2018, Wes Streeting, now the Health Secretary in Keir Starmer’s government, tweeted in criticism of Jeremy Corbyn’s pledge to seek a better Brexit deal if it won power, stating: “Why peddle this myth that Labour would be able to renegotiate a Brexit deal at this 11th hour? How would Labour’s Brexit be any better than remaining in the EU? Our members and voters are overwhelmingly pro-European. This lets them, and our country, down.”

Cllr Pritchard responded: “For every 100 anti-Corbyn tweets from this MP, there might be 1 against the Tories. Somebody might have an agenda.”

Backlash

The party’s decision to remove Jamie Pritchard from the shortlist received a backlash from party members, including from Sean Morgan, the leader of the council, who resigned his post as well as his membership of the Labour Party. He later joined the Wales Green Party, and Cllr Pritchard took over as council leader.

In the by-election, Labour’s vote was squeezed, with many people deciding to vote tactically for Plaid Cymru’s Lindsay Whittle to keep Reform UK out.

Mr Whittle won with 15,961 votes (47.4%), with Reform’s Llyr Powell in second place on 12.113 votes (36.0%) and Mr Tunnicliffe third with 3,713 votes (11.0%).

Following the change in the Senedd’s voting system and the expansion of the Senedd, the old Caerphilly seat now forms part of a bigger “super-constituency” called Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni. Local party members told Nation.Cymru they were frustrated at the time it was taking to get their candidates in place.

One told us: “There are two views on whether Richard Tunnicliffe should be number two on the list in May. Some think he did as well as could be expected in the by-election, that it wasn’t his fault that he lost and that he should be given another chance. Others say members across the new constituency should choose the candidates as part of the normal princess of democracy.”

We asked Welsh Labour to explain the position. A spokesperson said: “Selection for our final list of candidates in Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni will be completed in the first few months of the new year. Alun Davies will be top and Richard Tunnicliffe will be second.”

Mr Tunnicliffe did not respond to our messages.