News

Plaid Cymru retain seat in Ynys Môn council by-election

31 Jul 2026 2 minute read

Ynys Môn County Council Offices. Photo via Google

Martin Shipton

Plaid Cymru comfortably held a seat on Ynys Môn council on July 30, seeing off a by-election challenge from Reform UK.

Jon Paul Taylor won for Plaid with 551 votes (48.5%), ahead of Reform’s Richard John Jones with 446 (39.3%), Conservative Margaret John with 93 (8-2%) and Nick Bounds (Green Party) with 45 (4.0%)

The by-election was caused by the sudden death of the new councillor’s grandfather Ken Taylor, who had held the seat since 2022.

At the time of his passing in May, Ken Taylor was described by Ynys Môn council as having played a central role in the authority’s work, particularly in planning and regulatory matters. He was said to have shown great diligence and careful judgement whilst undertaking his responsibilities as chair of both the Planning and Orders Committee and the Licensing Committee.

A council spokesperson said: “A committed public servant, Cllr Taylor was actively involved in council business and was re-elected as chair of both the Planning Committee and Licensing Committee [in May].

“His contribution and commitment to the communities of the Bro’r Llynnoedd ward and wider Anglesey will be fondly remembered.”

At the last full council election in 2022, two councillors were elected from Bro’r Llynnoedd: Mr Taylor, with 670 votes (25%) and Independent candidate Gwilym Owen Jones with 830 (31%).

Another Independent candidate got 480 votes (18%), while the two Conservatives got 431 (16%) and 298 (11%) respectively. There was no Reform candidate.

The result of Thursday’s by-election will be seen as a relief by Plaid Cymru, which in February lost a seat on the island to Reform.

The far right party’s Celfyn Furlong became the first Reform councillor on Ynys Môn, defeating candidates representing the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and Labour.

Cllr Furlong secured 43.9% of the vote share in the Ynys Gybi ward as the party gained the seat from Plaid Cymru, which got just 25%.

At the time, Plaid insiders played down the defeat, saying that the ward covered Holyhead, not a traditional stronghold for the party, and that the late councillor Trefor Lloyd Hughes had been especially well-known and popular as the president of the Football Association of Wales.

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