Plaid Cymru Wins Caerphilly By-Election Ending Labour's Century-Long Hold

In the recent Caerphilly by-election in Wales, Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, failed to secure a win despite significant efforts, with Plaid Cymru's Lindsay Whittle claiming victory and ending Labour's century-long dominance in the area. Plaid Cymru's win was attributed to a tactical 'Stop Farage' voting campaign, which saw a higher turnout of voters, especially younger ones, rallying to prevent a Reform UK win. Labour's vote share drastically dropped to just 11%, marking a humiliating defeat for the party that had long held the seat. Plaid Cymru emphasized that the result signaled a shift in Welsh politics, presenting themselves as the progressive alternative capable of stopping billionaire-backed Reform UK. Nigel Farage's party came in second, with their candidate Llŷr Powell securing 36% of the vote, while Labour lagged far behind. The election outcome has been seen as a major blow to Farage and Reform UK, underscoring the effectiveness of coordinated tactical voting and the changing political landscape in Wales.