Reform by-election candidate claims ‘election interference’ is disrupting his campaign

Emily Price 

A foul-mouthed Tommy Robinson-supporting by-election candidate has claimed his Reform campaign in Risca-East is being disrupted by “election interference and underhand tactics”.

Darren Crandon took to social media at the weekend to complain about how he has been treated in the run up to the November 19th vote in the Caerphilly council ward.

Crandon has come under scrutiny since announcing his candidacy after Nation.Cymru uncovered social media posts showing his support for anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson.

In posts on X, Crandon described himself as an “admirer” of Robinson, whom he praised as being “in touch with the public”.

Crandon was also exposed as a prolific social media troll who, under the pseudonym “Brunte” on X, has a history of routinely targeting journalists and politicians with explicit insults and aggressive language.

In several posts published online, he lashed out at female Members of Parliament branding them “thick as shit”.

In other posts, he called for “Fuck Mark Drakeford” to be sung in football stadiums in Wales and sent a Scottish MP a comment branding him an “absolute pr*ck”.

When former Health Secretary Matt Hancock posted a photo of himself receiving the Covid jab in 2021, Crandon commented: “Bet that’s not the first pr*ck you have had.”

Labour officials made calls for Reform  to block Crandon from standing in Risca East.

The Reform hopeful issued a statement insisting he would not apologise for his “admiration” of Tommy Robinson, claiming his support for the far-right figure dated back several years.

However, Nation.Cymru found a social media post published just a few months ago in which Crandon described Robinson as a “breath of fresh air”.

In a post to Facebook at the weekend, Crandon complained that standing for Reform UK had come “at a personal cost” to him.

He claimed “anonymous attempts” were being made to drag his family and his wife’s workplace into his controversies.

Crandon wrote: “The level of election interference and underhand tactics throughout this campaign has been staggering.

“I knew standing for election would come with its challenges, but I never expected it to go this far, including anonymous attempts to involve my family’s personal lives and even my wife’s workplace.

“It tells me that challenging the established political order brings its own pressures.

“But I won’t be intimidated, I won’t be silenced and I certainly won’t be walking away.”

Nation.Cymru asked Caerphilly County Borough Council whether Crandon had lodged any formal complaints or raised official concerns about alleged interference in the Risca East by-election.

The council did not respond to our questions.

In the comments beneath Crandon’s Facebook post, he received a message of support from disgraced former Senedd staffer and failed Reform election candidate Martin Roberts.

Roberts wrote: “Stick at it”, adding a fire emoji to the message.

The controversial party figure was recently caught on hidden cameras using offensive racist language in a widely viewed ITV documentary.

The programme featured an undercover reporter canvassing for Reform UK alongside Roberts during the high-profile Caerphilly Senedd by-election in 2025.

Footage showed Roberts using racist slurs such as “dar*ies” and “four-door saloon, c**n”.

He later claimed he was trying to be “humorous and informal” but said he accepted and regretted using language he described as “inappropriate”.

Roberts was hired as a caseworker by Reform’s Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr MS Jason O’Connell in June.

After the documentary aired, O’Connell confirmed Roberts no longer worked for him.

The Risca East by-election takes place on November 19th. Candidates are listed below:

Marcus Kyle Leonard – Labour, Tracy Barrington – Green Party, Ceithin Llewellyn Dennes – Conservatives, Brandon Ham – Plaid Cymru, Peter John Heathcote – Independent, Darren Crandon – Reform UK.