Caerphilly Senedd by-election announced after death of Hefin David

The upcoming by-election to fill the vacant seat left by the late Labour Caerphilly politician Hefin David has been scheduled for next month. The Welsh Parliament has confirmed that the vote will be held in the constituency on Thursday, October 23rd. Mr. David, who had been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Caerphilly since 2016, passed away suddenly on August 12th at the age of 47.

Welsh Labour will be looking to defend the seat, which they have held since the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999. In the last election in 2021, Welsh Labour secured half of the Senedd’s 60 seats and had already relied on the support of at least one opposition member to pass laws and approve its budget. Losing this seat could potentially complicate the party’s legislative agenda in the Welsh Parliament as they approach the next general election in May.

All major Welsh political parties are expected to participate in the upcoming by-election. Plaid Cymru has already selected their candidate, former Caerphilly council leader Lindsay Whittle, to contest the seat. Whittle, who currently serves as a councillor of the Penyrheol ward, expressed his condolences for the circumstances surrounding the by-election and emphasized the need for passionate local representation in the Senedd. He previously served as an assembly member for Plaid from 2011 to 2016.

The by-election in Caerphilly has been set for October 23rd, 2025, marking the first Senedd by-election since 2018. This will be the fifth by-election held since the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999. Following this by-election, it is anticipated that by-elections will be eliminated under the new voting system for the general election scheduled for May 2026. The funeral for Mr. David took place on Monday afternoon, attended by numerous senior figures from the Welsh political scene, honoring the late politician who was found deceased at his residence in Nelson, Caerphilly county, a day before his birthday

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