Lindsay Whittle vows to be ‘a voice for Caerphilly’ as he prepares for first Senedd session

Plaid Cymru’s newly elected Member of the Senedd for Caerphilly, Lindsay Whittle, will take his seat for the first time on Tuesday, following a dramatic by-election victory.

Whittle, a long-standing Plaid Cymru councillor, and MS for the the South Wales East region from 2011 to 2016, has pledged to “fight for every community” in the constituency and ensure their concerns are heard “loud and clear” in Cardiff Bay.

Plaid Cymru seized the traditionally Labour seat on 24 October, following the tragic death of Labour MS Hefin David, with 47% of the vote, defeating Reform UK’s Llyr Powell on 36% and Labour candidate Richard Tunnicliffe, who trailed in third on 11%.

The result marked one of the largest swings in the Senedd’s history, signalling what analysts describe as a collapse in Labour support across parts of the Valleys and the emergence of a new electoral contest between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK ahead of the 2026 Welsh Parliament election.

Speaking ahead of his first session, Mr Whittle said the win represented “the greatest honour” of his life.

“People wanted a strong local voice. They wanted real change,” he said. “Over the next six months, I’ll be focused on what really matters — our NHS, the cost of living, improving transport connections, and bringing proper investment back to the Valleys.”

He also accused both Labour and Westminster of “taking Wales for granted” and claimed the result showed voters rejecting “division and empty promises” in favour of “hope and positive change with Plaid Cymru”.

Some political commentators have drawn comparisons between Whittle’s triumph and Gwynfor Evans’ historic 1966 Carmarthen by-election, which propelled Plaid Cymru into the national spotlight.

While the party’s growth has been gradual since then, success is Caerphilly is being interpreted by some pundits as evidence that Plaid could the Welsh Government after next year’s election.