Plaid Cymru candidate was a member of Reform UK until April 2025

Martin Shipton

Plaid Cymru has refused to discuss how it came to be fielding a candidate in a council by-election who was a member of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party until April this year.

Carol Ann Falcon is standing for Plaid in Cardiff council’s Trowbridge ward on September 18.

The by-election was caused by the resignation of Labour councillor Chris Lay, who has moved to England for work reasons.

Cardiff council has published the list of seven candidates who will be standing. In line with a recently introduced requirement that candidates must declare if they have been a member of another political party in the last 12 months, Ms Falcon has a statement against her name that says: “Reform Party 06/01/2025 – 01/04/2025.”

‘Shocked’

A political source who drew her previous membership of Reform to our attention said: “I was shocked to read the statement of nominated people for the Trowbridge by election. The Plaid candidate was a member of the Reform party until April 2025 – only four months ago.

“We can all agree that it’s important to change people’s minds, but to go from a Reform member to a Plaid candidate is a huge jump. I cannot think of another political example of such a quick conversion from a far right Brit Nat party to a left wing Welsh Nationalist party.

“As the Trowbridge by-election is likely to be a small turnout, a small vote could take it.”

We asked Plaid Cymru and, via the party, Ms Falcon a series of questions:

Why did she join a far right Brit Nationalist party in the first place?

When did she become a member of the socialist Welsh Nationalist Plaid Cymru?

Have her political views really changed completely in four months?

What vetting took place to ensure Ms Falcon’s views are now aligned with Plaid?

Has a decision been taken to allow Ms Falcon to be a Plaid candidate despite her only joining the party very recently (what is the usual qualifying period?) and at what level in the party was this decision taken?

We gave Plaid a deadline of 6pm on Monday August 25, but we did not receive a response.

‘Appalled’

A Plaid Cymru source who did not wish to be named said: “I am appalled to learn that the party is putting forward a candidate who was a member of Reform so recently.

“The two parties are poles apart on so many issues that it’s difficult to understand how someone could have made such a conversion, certainly in such a short space of time.

“They should be explaining what has happened rather than simply try to pretend there’s nothing to see,”

A spokesperson for Reform UK said: “I don’t know anything about this person, but it does seem like a remarkable transformation.”.

A Labour source said: “It is extraordinary that Plaid Cymru are fast tracking Reform members to be candidates in our capital city. It’s more proof that the best way to stop Reform at next year’s Senedd election is to vote Welsh Labour.

“All political parties carry out thorough due diligence checks on candidates to ensure they have shared values. It is possible that this individual’s political beliefs have changed completely in the last few weeks but it does seem unlikely. In circumstances like these Plaid should at least be willing to answer some basic questions about the selection process.”

Following the publication of our story Carol Ann Falcon released a statement via Plaid Cymru. She said:“I was a member of Reform for a brief period earlier this year in particular circumstances, but it quickly became crystal clear that their values do not align with mine.

“Plaid Cymru’s values of fairness, community, and social justice are my values and I believe they offer the best path forward for Trowbridge and St Mellons. Labour are already running scared of a strong local voice here, and I am proud to represent my community in line with Plaid Cymru’s progressive values.

“What really matters is that my community deserves a strong local voice. This election is about my community’s future, not distractions.”

Anti-poverty charity

Ms Falcon is a trustee of an anti-poverty charity called Here For Good, based in St Mellons, Cardiff, part of the Trowbridge ward. Its website states: “Our vision is a safe, connected, thriving community. Our projects include: St Mellons Pantry (a community-led project tackling food insecurity); Pantry Garden (wildlife-friendly community food growing space); Wellbeing Workshops with local schools; Friendship & activity groups e.g. Crafty Chats, Diamond Art Club, Stay & Play, Nature Club; St Mellons Mutual Aid Fund; Step Out Scholarship Fund.”

It’s the second time in four days that Plaid Cymru has refused to comment on a story relating to one of its candidates. On Friday August 22 the party wouldn’t discuss the fact that Neil Roberts, who stood for Plaid in Cardiff council’s recent Grangetown by-election, and is a Senedd candidate in the Caerdydd Penarth “super constituency” works for a pay day loan company that charges interest of up to 93.8%.