The skies above Caerphilly may have matched the turquoise of Reform UK but it was the green and yellow of Plaid Cymru that dominated the valleys town on Friday morning.
The Welsh nationalists trounced their opponents with a hefty 47% of the vote in a Senedd byelection that was framed by many as a potential “canary in the coalmine” moment for Welsh politics.
Reform failed to live up to the hype and came second with 36% and Labour’s vote – in a constituency it has held for decades – collapsed to a paltry 11%.
It had been expected to be closer between Plaid and Reform, pegged as a 50/50 two-horse race. Both parties threw their weight behind the contest, with their respective leaders, Rhun ap Iorwerth and Nigel Farage, joining the campaign trail earlier this month. Farage pledged to “throw everything” to secure a win.
Outside the Castle Court shopping precinct, Robert Addicott, 61, who has always backed Plaid, could barely contain his joy.
“It’s a fantastic victory for Plaid, just from being the underdog for so many years and now winning in such a Labour stronghold,” said the estates officer who has lived in the town his whole life.
“Reform just didn’t really have any idea about south Wales, or the valleys or Caerphilly in particular at this time,” he said, adding that people were more wary of Reform’s policies than expected, including claims Farage’s party would privatise large swathes of the NHS.
“It was very poignant that only about 2.9% of immigrants live in this area,” he said. “It’s all about immigrants coming into this country, and if they are here, they are welcomed here. But 2.9% doesn’t really affect us within the Caerphilly borough.” The Guardian has not been able to verify this statistic.
Karen Lewis, 58, a technical support manager who has lived in Caerphilly for 39 years, said she voted for Plaid tactically.
“I voted Plaid just because that was the tactical vote to get to make sure that Reform didn’t come to Caerphilly,” she said. “Immigration is absolutely not a problem in Caerphilly, and it would have been so embarrassing if Reform had won. I would have been embarrassed to say I’m from Caerphilly if that had happened.
“We need to be more humanitarian and kinder,” she said, adding she did not want to be “any part” of Reform’s support in the town.
Outside Caerphilly Castle, the imposing medieval fortress that dominates the town centre, the Plaid Cymru candidate Lindsay Whittle celebrated his “historic win” with banner-waving supporters.
“Yesterday, the people of Caerphilly created their own history, and we put Caerphilly firmly on the map,” he said. “I have received messages of goodwill, not only from all corners of Wales, but from Scotland. Can you believe, France? Can you believe, Australia, Spain and Canada?
“And that is a mark of how important yesterday was to Wales, and the world. Because now I believe the world is watching Wales, and watching an emerging nation start to control our lives again.”
Ryan Funnell, 35, an aircraft engineer from Caerphilly, backed Plaid, which once loudly banged the drum for Welsh independence, because he felt it was the only party that had “the best interests of Wales at heart”.
Reform was a “one track” party focusing only on immigration, he said. “Just seems to be all they’re talking about.
“I don’t think it’s an issue, especially not out here. And I think people should be free to go where they need to go.”
Whittle will not have long to settle into his new role as a member of the Senedd. The next full elections of the Welsh parliament will be held on 7 May next year and campaigning has already begun.
• The headline of this article was amended on 24 October 2025 to correct the spelling of Plaid Cymru.
