Welsh community rejects Reform and Farage in landmark by-election
Martin Shipton
Reform UK was sent packing by a Welsh-speaking community when it stood a candidate in a county council by-election.
Nigel Farage’s party had high hopes of winning Thursday’s election at Llanddarog in Carmarthenshire, bussing in dozens of activists in the belief that they could oust Plaid Cymru from a ward it had held for years.
But Plaid’s candidate Shone Hughes won a comfortable victory, gaining 397 votes (57.1%)
Bernard Holton of Reform was second with 145 votes (20.9%), six ahead of Welsh Conservative candidate Richard Williams with 139 votes (20.0). Wayne Erasmus of Gwlad was bottom of the poll with 14 votes (2.0%). There was no Labour candidate.
Turnout was 41.25%, seen as not bad for a council by-election.
Resignation
The election was caused by the resignation of former councillor Ann Davies, who was elected MP for the new constituency of Caerfyrddin in last July’s general election.
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “Whether it’s a local election in Llanddarog or the Senedd election next year, the people of Wales have the chance to vote for positive change with Plaid Cymru.
Having campaigned alongside Shone Hughes this week, I’m delighted that the warmth and respect shown towards him by residents on the doorstep was reflected in the result last night. He joins a strong cohort of hard working Plaid Cymru councillors.
“The people of Llanddarog clearly rejected those who shout a lot and stand for little.”
‘Boasting’
Cllr Alun Lenny, who chairs Plaid Cymru,’s constituency party in Caerfyrddon, said: “Reform threw everything including the kitchen sink at this by-election. They were very keen not just on taking the seat from Plaid, but on taking the ward previously represented by Ann Davies. They were boasting that they would be able to win control of Carmarthenshire County Council at the next council election in 2027.
“Ten days or so ago I saw a photograph of about 30 Reform campaigners with Llanddarog church in the background. Ann Davies said she only recognised one of them. We don’t know whether they came from other parts of Wales or from England.
“Most of the people in the ward – which as well as Llanddarog includes Llanarthne and the National Botanical Garden of Wales – are Welsh speaking, although its demographic overall is quite diverse.
“Obviously I’m delighted that Shone, the new councillor, won so convincingly. He was a strong local candidate. It would be very interesting to know whether recent geopolitical events also played a part in the result. I think Farage has been very foolish to hitch his wagon to Trump, who as polls show is enormously unpopular in Wales and the rest of Britain.”
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Bendegedig
You showed them the door. Bendigedig
Da iawn chi, etholwyr Llanddarog! ~ Well done, voters of Llanddarog!
Great that Plaid won. However this is an altogether expected result in a Plaid heartland. It should be concerning that a far-right English nationalist party got 20%. I’m sure Reform are pleased with this result.
I suspect most of the Reform vote came from incomers.
Please don’t kid yourself. I’m sure their vote is a mix. The important thing is that they’re a minority in the west.
I think you’re largely right. In fact, 57.1% of the vote for PC is larger than the percentage of the vote Liz Saville-Roberts got in Dwyfor Meirionnydd at the general election! An excellent result for PC.
From my limited experience I would say there are plenty of home grown britnats and others who would rather vote for Reform than anyone else, my area traditionally swings between Tory or Lib Dem, unfortunately Reform are making inroads and neither of the other parties appear to be doing anything to change peoples minds,
It seems that Plaid is holding its vote. Reform is gaining from the other parties particularly from Labour and Conservative who have already loss the trust of many people in Wales through their own policies and actions within Wales and in the UK. We have got to show that voting Labour is no guard against Reform or any other fascist group taking over Wales and removing our freedoms and right to exist as a Welsh nation. Plaid needs to continue to reach out to all cultures in our Welsh nation. More people speak English but that does not exclude us… Read more »
Gwynt teg ar ei ôl!
Paid â dod yn ôl!
The vote went as expected in the Plaid heartland but a contrast to recent vote in Torfaen that overturned a sizeable Labour majority to Reform it is those Labour areas that could spell trouble for Labour and Wales.
I take no cheer to see a far-right English nationalist party successfully taking seats and votes anywhere and from anyone in Wales. Sadly there is zero evidence that Plaid are picking up any votes in Labour heartlands which they must do to win next year and that should be keeping Plaid’s leadership up at night.
Recent polls for the 2026 Senedd election suggests Liebour are losing votes to Plaid & Reform.
Plaid’s share of the vote has dropped from 84% to 57% in three years, meanwhile Reform have gone from nowhere to second place and 20% of the vote. Yes, Plaid won comfortably, but I suspect the Reform camp will be celebrating the result more than the Plaid camp. If Reform can do this well in a rural Welsh-speaking community like Llanddarog, they will decimate Labour in the Valleys.
It’s a shame that nation.cymru prefer to write an article patting Plaid on the back than put the result into context.
What you fail to point out is that in the 2022 council election, Ann Davies only had one opponent to fight against, and that was only a LibDem opponent, and we all know how weakly they perform in Wales these days, so barely any competition at all.
The fact that the racist wife beater party got any votes at all in Wales is actually pretty frightening.