Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Reform UK has unveiled Llŷr Powell as its candidate for the Caerphilly Senedd by-election.

At a press conference held at Caerphilly Social Club on a wet Friday September 12, party leader Nigel Farage entered the concert hall with Mr Powell to loud cheers.

Mr Powell, a Caerphilly resident, is a former press officer with Reform and has held various communication and public affairs roles, so to a certain degree already knows his way around Welsh politics.

Like the other parties, Reform is talking up its chances of taking Caerphilly, the Senedd seat vacated following the sudden death of Labour’s Hefin David.

The party is hoping to score a victory here following a strong performance at the 2024 General Election when Machen resident Joshua Kim – an immigrant from South Korea – stood on an anti-immigration platform.

Mr Kim came third with 20% of the vote behind Labour and Plaid. In the 2021 Senedd election, Reform came last with just 465 votes – a 2% vote share.

By convention, Members of Parliament are expected to notify a fellow MP before visiting their constituency. Caerphilly Observer understands that Nigel Farage did not do so.

According to the Commons Library it is regarded “as very discourteous”, but judging by the buoyant mood of Mr Farage, this was probably the last thing on his mind.

Like US President Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Reform draw the attention of the media, and this was reflected in the number of cameras and journalists in the concert hall of Caerphilly Social Club.

Mr Farage opened the press conference by making a fleeting reference to the passing of Dr David – who he did not mention by name – before quickly pivoting to the recent killing of US rightwing influencer Charlie Kirk. While Mr Farage didn’t mention Mr Kirk by name either, he did describe him as a “close friend”.

After the press conference, details of which can be read here, it was time to move to Reform’s new campaign offices on Cardiff Road.

The smell of fresh paint was evident in the former mobile phone shop – as were boxes of campaign literature, new printers, and of course the all important canvassing maps.

Like Plaid and Labour, Reform is throwing resources at this by-election.

Caerphilly Observer had a sit-down interview with Mr Powell and we began by talking about his relationship with Dr David – the pair, he said, often engaged in online ‘banter’ over their love of rugby after first meeting on the campaign trail in Caerphilly back in 2015.

In 2021 Dr David tweeted him: “I remember seeing you on the telly when watching in the pub. I said to my butty, “bloody hell, that’s Llŷr Powell!” To which he replied, “Who the f*** is Llŷr Powell?”

And that was the question Caerphilly Observer started with.

“I’ve been in politics, or sort of around politics, for ten years doing communications and that type of thing. If you ask my friends, I think you’ll find more of a social butterfly who likes to be out with them,” he answered.

“I love my rugby more than anything. I joined my club’s committee at a young age, because I wasn’t as talented as I thought in my dreams and sadly Gatland never put in the call for me.”

Having left school at 16, Mr Powell went to work in the leisure industry and got interested in politics while saving for a holiday in Magaluf.

“I broke an EU work directive for working too many hours and lo and behold the taxman came after me. I didn’t get any of that money to go on my lads’ holiday. I ended up paying a larger tax bill and getting it back in April. 

“That got me really intrigued as to who was making these decisions – and why were they punishing us.”

A Welsh speaker, Mr Powell left politics just before the 2021 Senedd election and had stints working with Scouts Cymru and Llais Cymru, before returning to work for Reform in Westminster.

He left that role with the intention of being on the party list for the new Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni constituency for May’s Senedd election. When the by-election was called he put his name forward.

So what else is Llŷr Powell about?

“Passions of mine, have always been things around mental health,” he said: “I’ve lost around seven close friends, but friends socially I think I’m up to about 12 funerals I’ve had to attend where they have taken their own life.

“I never want to look in a mother’s eyes again and she asks me the question ‘why?’

“I always will try to champion mental health awareness and speaking out, especially in young men.”

One of Mr Powell’s promises is to improve the local economy and improve public transport. Mr Powell couldn’t name the managing director of Stagecoach South Wales when asked who it was and if he had spoken with him.

“I’ve got to be honest. This was my announcement as the candidate today, I haven’t done any sort of meetings with individuals as the candidate here in Caerphilly.”

He continued: “I think it’s important that I speak to constituents out there on the doorstep right now, so they can tell me what they are feeling. There is no point in me walking to meet with anyone if I don’t know what the real concerns of the people are, that’s why I’m going to be out on the door now for the next campaign trying to meet as many people as possible.”

Mr Powell also said he would focus on bringing new jobs to the area if elected, and said “I want Wales to really start climbing in the tech industry”.

As part of our by-election coverage, Caerphilly Observer has already profiled Labour’s Richard Tunnicliffe and Plaid Cymru’s Lindsay Whittle.

Conservative candidate Gareth Potter will be on Monday. The Liberal Democrats are expected to announce their candidate very soon.

Over the coming weeks in the lead-up to polling day on October 23, we’ll be taking a closer look at the policies of each party and why this election matters.