Reform UK has won its first councillor on a Welsh council as the party looks to make gains in this year’s Senedd elections.
Nigel Farage’s party has won the Hakin by-election on Pembrokeshire County Council, with Scott Thorley becoming Reform’s first councillor in the independently controlled authority.
The by-election was called after the death of outspoken former councillor Mike Stoddart.
GB News has dissected the result and what it could mean for the major parties going forward into the Welsh Parliament election.
Milford Hakin (Pembrokeshire)
This week’s sole council by-election was held after the death of local journalist turned Councillor, Mike Stoddart.
The by-election made headlines after the Welsh Labour candidate, Nicola Harteveld, withdrew from the contest after her teenage son was verbally abused by two strangers.
Reform UK’s Scott Thorley won the by-election in the ward, with 179 votes, with Welsh Conservative Party Kelvin Taylor in second place on 144 votes.
Independent candidate Lee James Bridges came in third in 106 with Samuel Booth from the Wales Green Party in fourth on 85 votes.
Reform UK’s Scott Thorley came out on top
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Samuel Warden from the Welsh Liberal Democrats was in fifth on 57 votes, with Ms Harteveld still attracting 27 votes for Welsh Labour despite her suspending all campaigning. Independent Derrick Abbott came in last on 11 votes.
A total of 661 votes were cast, with the turnout at 32.7 per cent.
Plaid Cymru did not field a candidate.
It was not the first time Mr Thorley had stood as a candidate for Nigel Farage’s party in Pembrokeshire.
Mr Thorley previously stood in the Prendergast Haverfordwest ward, which was won by Independent Alun Wills, with the Reform candidate finishing in fourth.
Speaking after his victory, Mr Thorley told The Tenby Observer: “It was a massive honour to win last night and I’m more than aware I’ve got some massive shoes to fill in Hakin.
“I’ve already started work this morning and have responded to four residents first thing. People in Hakin just want the basics done right and someone they can reach out with any issues they have; I will be that person.
Reform UK’s candidate in the Caerphilly by-election, Llyr Powell, said: “Voters want change, and Reform UK is ready to deliver it. Vote Reform. Get Reform.
The bulk of Pembrokeshire County Council is made up of independent councillors, with 34 out of the 60 elected not affiliated to any party.
Out of the 34, 19 sit together as the “Independent Group”.
There are 11 Welsh Conservative councillors, nine from Welsh Labour, three from Plaid Cymru and two Liberal Democrats.
Mr Thorley has become the first Reform UK councillor on the ward.
During the 2024 general election, the Mid and South Pembrokeshire seat was won by Labour’s Henry Tufnell, who beat the former Conservative minister Stephen Crabb with a majority of 1,878