Starmer humiliated as Reform surge hands key seat to Welsh nationalists

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"Plaid Cymru have won a key seat in the Senedd after a Reform UK surge allowed Welsh nationalists to snatch the traditionally Labour seat away from Sir Keir Starmer's party. Lindsay Whittle, a long-standing councillor in the Penyrheol ward and leader of the group on Caerphilly Council, won the seat with 47.38 per cent of the vote. In second place was Reform UK's Llyr Powell on 35.9 per cent, while Welsh Labour's Richard Tunnicliffe came third with just 11 per cent in a humiliating defeat for the party. The election marks the first time in history that a Senedd by-election has exceeded 50 per cent turnout. Labour has run the Welsh parliament since the devolved administration was first established in 1999 and Caerphilly has been one of its strongholds. But opposition parties hoping to form the next Welsh government have run fierce campaigns in the South Wales constituency, with many seeing this week's byelection as a bellwether for the Senedd election next May. Mr Whittle received 15,961 votes, up almost 19 per cent from the 2021 result in the constituency and representing a swing from Labour"

The Independent highlights coverage across reproductive rights, climate change and Big Tech, citing investigations like Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC and the documentary 'The A Word'. The outlet emphasizes parsing facts from messaging and requests donations to sustain on-the-ground reporting and balanced interviews, while refusing paywalls so journalism remains accessible and funded by those who can afford it. In Caerphilly, Plaid Cymru won a Senedd by-election with Lindsay Whittle on 47.38%, Reform UK's Llyr Powell on 35.9% and Welsh Labour's Richard Tunnicliffe on 11%. Turnout exceeded 50% for the first time in a Senedd by-election, and Whittle's 15,961 votes represented an almost 19% increase from 2021, signaling a swing away from Labour.

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