Plaid Cymru Senedd success triggers triple by-election in Wrexham

Alec Doyle – Local democracy reporter

Plaid Cymru’s success in the recent Senedd election has triggered a triple by-election in Wrexham.

Following the election of Wrexham County Borough Council Plaid Cymru Councillors Carrie Harper and Marc Jones to Senedd seats representing Fflint Wrecsam and Becca Martin to represent Clwyd, the authority has announced three by-elections will take place on Thursday, June 18 to choose their successors.

Carrie Harper MS and Marc Jones MS secured their seats in the Senedd as Plaid Cymru finished second in the popular vote under the Welsh Government’s new expanded proportional representation system.

Plaid claimed 18,440 of just over 70,000 votes cast in Fflint Wrecsam, behind Reform UK who secured 25,349. The result saw each party earn two of the six available seats with the Convservatives and Labour sharing the other two.

In Clwyd Becca Martin MS was also elected as one of two successful Plaid Cymru candidates as the party claimed the largest number of seats in the Senedd.

She secured her seat thanks to Plaid’s 22,583 votes from the total constituency turnout of 79,757. Here Reform took three seats with Conservative leader Darrren Millar claiming the final one.

Councillors elected to national office must immediately vacate their seats, hence why there will be three by-elections in Wrexham this summer.

They will take place in Acton and Maesydre, Grosvenor and Queensway Wards on June 18. Anyone wishing to be nominated to stand as a councillor in these wards must make a formal submission by 4pm on Thursday, May 21.