Reform UK wins Llangennech by-election, securing second seat on Carmarthenshire County Council

The party celebrated the result with a jubilant post on its Llanelli campaign page:

“Reform Wales is on the march! Carmelo Colasanto – Reform UK – Llangennech. We did it, we did it! We WON! Team effort, thank you each and everyone for your support, across Llangennech & the Bryn, Llanelli and beyond! Love it!”

Carmelo Colasanto secured 694 votes, ahead of Plaid Cymru’s Richard Talog Jones (489) and Labour’s Jordan Sargent (380). The by-election was triggered by the death of long-serving Labour councillor Gary Jones, who had previously won the seat with 981 votes in 2022.

The result follows Reform’s breakthrough in Lliedi earlier this year, where Michelle May Beer won a landslide victory. With two seats now taken from Labour in the Llanelli area within three months, Reform’s momentum in Carmarthenshire is becoming increasingly difficult for opponents to ignore.

By-election Results: Llangennech

County Council

• Reform 🏴 – 694
• Plaid Cymru – 489
• Labour – 380
• Liberal Democrats – 26
• Conservative – 14
• Gwlad – 6

Community Council

• Reform 🏴 – 663
• Plaid Cymru – 513
• Labour – 388
• Liberal Democrats – 27
• Gwlad – 7

Labour vote collapses, Plaid falls short

Turnout stood at 39.37%, considered relatively strong for a local contest. Plaid Cymru campaigned heavily in the ward — historically a stronghold for the party — but the haemorrhaging of Labour votes proved decisive.

Cllr Alun Lenny, Plaid Cymru cabinet member for resources, said:

“It’s a very disappointing result for Plaid Cymru, but it’s absolutely devastating for Labour. We lost 100 votes from the last council election in 2022, but Labour lost 600.”

The result reflects a broader trend seen across South West Wales, where Reform UK has consistently outperformed expectations in recent polling. Labour has made modest gains in some areas, but continues to struggle in key wards where Reform is consolidating support.

Senedd implications and rising pressure

The Llangennech result has sparked concern among Plaid Cymru strategists ahead of the 2026 Senedd elections. The party is aiming to win three seats in the newly formed Sir Gar super-seat, a target seen as critical to returning former leader Adam Price, who is currently third on the regional list.

Former MP Jonathan Edwards warned that Reform’s success in Llanelli could make that goal increasingly difficult:

“To win the election nationally, three seats in Sir Gar would be useful. A return of only two seats could be nationally significant. All the momentum, even west of the Loughor, seems to be with a populist right-wing British nationalism.”

Reform’s rise — with one notable exception

While Reform UK continues to gain ground across South West Wales, the party’s performance in Baglan last month stood out — not for success, but for its absence. Labour comfortably held the seat, with Reform slipping to third place.

The party’s candidate, John Bamsey, was notably absent from the count — reportedly on a foreign holiday during polling day. The lack of local engagement was widely criticised and may have contributed to the poor showing.

By contrast, Reform’s victories in Lliedi and now Llangennech have been marked by active campaigning and strong voter turnout. The Baglan result is increasingly seen as an outlier, rather than a sign of waning support.

Critics of Reform UK continue to question the party’s long-term stability and leadership.

Cllr Lenny added:

“Reform are on a roll at the moment, but it’s a party built around one man, Nigel Farage. We’ve already seen signs of tension in Reform, and I expect there will be more. Sooner or later it will unravel as people find out more about what they stand for and as they observe the chaos in the English councils they now run, including one led by a teenager.”

With growing pressure on Labour and Plaid Cymru to respond, and Reform UK continuing to attract disaffected voters, the political landscape in South West Wales is shifting — and fast.

Related Articles

• Reform UK wins Lliedi by-election, taking seat from Labour
• Labour holds Baglan as Reform slips to third
• Plaid Cymru targets Sir Gar super-seat ahead of 2026 Senedd
• Adam Price positioned third on regional list for 2026

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