EditorBRIDGEND: Youngest-ever councillor quits Reform, then independent — and has now joined party that wants to abolish the Senedd and bring back the death penalty
A Bridgend councillor who made history as the county’s youngest ever elected member has announced he is joining Restore Britain — a party that advocates abolishing the Senedd, large-scale deportation, banning the burqa and niqab, and holding a referendum on restoring the death penalty.
Owain Clatworthy, 21, who represents the Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr ward on Bridgend County Borough Council, posted a letter to his constituents on social media on Friday announcing the move. He said the decision came after “much prayer and careful thought.”
It is his third political home in the space of a few weeks. Clatworthy was elected to the council last year as a Reform UK candidate, winning by just 30 votes in what was a closely fought contest. He was also selected to stand as a Reform candidate in the Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg constituency in the upcoming Senedd election — though he was placed at the bottom of the party’s regional list.
In March he quit Reform, accusing the party of “poor internal decision-making” and a “lack of discipline.” He said he had been placed at the bottom of the list despite having previously been offered positions in several other constituencies. He also gave a forthright interview to a podcast in which he claimed Reform’s vetting process involved being assessed by “arrogant young councillors from England” and alleged he had been “bullied” by a party figure, adding that there was “a lot of backstabbing, a lot of drama” within the organisation.
Just two weeks ago, Clatworthy said he wanted to sit as an independent — telling constituents it “isn’t about politics, it’s about our community.”
That position lasted a fortnight. In Friday’s letter he explained his change of heart, writing: “Since serving as an independent councillor, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how I can best use my time and energy to deliver real change, and I’ve come to realise that I can’t do that effectively on my own. Real change needs a strong and organised movement, people pulling in the same direction with the courage to act, and I believe Restore Britain is building exactly that.”
He added: “My faith as a Christian calls me to act with honesty, compassion and boldness, even when it’s difficult. That’s why I’m joining Restore Britain.”
Restore Britain was launched in February by Rupert Lowe, the Great Yarmouth MP who was elected to Parliament for Reform UK in 2024 before leaving the party amid a public dispute with Nigel Farage. The party has attracted criticism from across the political spectrum, with some commentators describing it as far-right. Its stated policy positions include large-scale deportation, a ban on the burqa and niqab, and a binding public referendum on restoring capital punishment.
Lowe has also been a vocal critic of Welsh devolution. In August last year he called for the Senedd to be scrapped entirely, saying “scrapping the entire Welsh Assembly would be a positive move for Britain” — a position at odds with the views of the overwhelming majority of Welsh MPs and MSs across all mainstream parties.
Clatworthy’s letter also touched on grooming gangs, the cost of living, housing and border security, saying: “Protecting the innocent must always come before political correctness, and I support real action and accountability on this.”
His political journey has been a turbulent one even by the standards of a career that is barely a year old. As Swansea Bay News has previously reported, Clatworthy’s departure was one of several blows to Reform’s Senedd campaign in Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg, with three of the party’s six regional candidates having quit ahead of the May 7 election. It later also emerged that weeks after his election victory, Clatworthy had reportedly approached the council’s ruling Labour group about joining them — saying he couldn’t stand Farage.
He had spent over £400 on Reform’s vetting process to stand in the Senedd election before his departure from the party.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Bridgend chaos: Three of Reform’s six Pen-y-bont Senedd candidates have quit and nobody knows who’ll replace them
Clatworthy’s exit was one of several departures that threw Reform’s Senedd campaign in Bridgend into disarray.
Reform beat Labour by 30 votes in council by-election
How Owain Clatworthy first won his Bridgend council seat for Reform UK.
More Reform UK coverage from Swansea Bay News
All our reporting on Reform UK’s candidates, campaigns and controversies across the region.
NewsletterTF
The Mirror: News, Sport, Celebrity & Entertainment
Kentish Fran 🇪🇺
Lazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈
Opinion | The Guardian US
