Plaid selects former AM for Senedd by-election
Plaid Cymru has chosen former Assembly Member Lindsay Whittle as its candidate to contest the forthcoming Senedd by-election in Caerphilly on 23 October.
The by-election follows the tragic death of Labour MS Hefin David, whose funeral was held on Monday.
Mr Whittle, who was brought up in Caerphilly and is a long-standing councillor in Penyrheol and leader of the Plaid group on Caerphilly Council, finished a close second to the Labour candidate in last year’s General Election.
He was elected leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council between 1999 and 2004, and from 2008 to 2011. In 2011 he was elected as Assembly Member for South Wales East in the National Assembly for Wales.
Surge
Plaid Cymru has seen its support surge in national opinion polls ahead of next year’s Senedd election, however based on recent polling, Reform could be the favourite to win the by-election, a result that would leave Labour’s Senedd group on 29 seats with opposition parties holding 31.
“The circumstances of this by-election, which arose after the death of Hefin David, are of course tremendously sad and my thoughts remain with Hefin’s loved ones.” Mr Whittle said.
“The people of Caerphilly deserve a passionate local representative in the Senedd. I’m determined to offer a positive agenda, to give this area a fair deal.”
‘Real asset’
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “Lindsay Whittle has a long record of standing up for his community and would be a real asset in the Senedd.
“People locally feel let down and taken for granted by the Labour Government.
“NHS waiting lists remain high. Schools are underfunded. Councils are struggling to deliver essential services.
“On top of the ongoing high cost of living, we’ve seen cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance and increases in National Insurance for small businesses. And Wales isn’t getting a fair deal on funding for public services.
“After 26 years of Labour, people are increasingly unhappy with how Wales has been run. They see overstretched services, wasted opportunities and little ambition and they’re looking for change.
“Voters in Caerphilly know that they can trust Plaid Cymru to put Wales’s interests first every time.”
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If anyone wants to see the lay of the land with Welsh Politics , look at the political betting odds with certain betting, sites that include such bets.
Maybe you can guess who is favourite.
This seat is a sure bet who’s going to win- I’m not sure if the others should even turn up! UK politics is totally bonkers.
Anyway, the reform laugh of the day has to be the reform candidate, for a councillor in Wigan, and running on the premise of ‘shutting down the HMOs’. And owns two HMOs!
The two latest recognised opinion polls (Barn 30Apr) has Labour with 18 seats, Plaid with 30 and Reform with 25 and (FoN 16Jun) puts Labour with 18 seats, Plaid with 27 and Reform with 29. Bizarrely this article states the next national election will have 60 seats when in fact there will be 96 seats up for grabs.
Reform will win. Hope they do. The Lab and PC parties need to wake up to the reality of the political landscape. I hope it will be an utterly twp shyster who will stand for Deform , who will give the voters what they truly deserve and may it open the eyes of the rest of the Welsh electorate to the reality of Reform
I understand your point, but I’d rather be dead than see that happen. There has to be a better way, such as telling people loud and clear that Reform and Brexit are responsible for the issue of small boats, for example. I’ve heard little of that message so far.
If Reform win, Wales dies. And may I say it’s a very brave thing to announce you’d support a foreign party coming in and destroying everything about our culture. You should probably not mention it in public.
No way is this seat a foregone conclusion it’s a proper three party battle. Even the bonkers Electoral Calculus says that
I hope all the electors press all the candidates to explain in detail their ENERGY POLICIES. Demand clear answers with no waffle, no fantasies, no illusions and no false promises.
Realistically, with Labour polling so badly at the moment, the people of Caerphilly need to vote Plaid at this by-election if they want Reform to be defeated.
Plenty of support for Plaid Cymru in Caerphilly. Make it happen people.
It shows what type of low lives Reform they where out dropping their leaflets the same day the buried Hefin David that should tell you what they are could have waited till the following day NO RESPECT
It says a lot about Plaid that they have to rely on a 72 year old was has lost 13 times before to fight this election. With greatest respect to Mr Whittle, but where is the young blood in Plaid in Caerphilly?
Gladstone was 84 when he resigned as PM for the final time.
He’s younger than Corbyn and Trump.
Not sure that’s the point you want to make!