Our former Welsh leader 'betrayed us,' says Reform candidate

A HIGH-PROFILE Reform UK candidate, who previously worked for a politician who made pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament, has labelled his former boss's actions as “abhorrent” and “a betrayal”.

- BRANWEN JONES

Llyr Powell, the Reform UK candidate in this month’s Caerphilly Senedd by-election, served as a constituency caseworker for Nathan Gill during his tenure as an MEP Gill, from Llangefni, Anglesey, the ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales, recently admitted eight counts of bribery spanning December 6, 2018, to July 18, 2019.

Mr Powell has since come under scrutiny for his own links to Gill. In an interview with ITV Wales’ national correspondent Rob Osborne, the Reform UK candidate firmly denied any knowledge of Gill’s misconduct.

Mr Powell said: “I'd imagine it's not something someone broadcasts. It’s abhorrent, to take money off a foreign state when you're an elected member there to represent the people.

“I found it a complete and utter betrayal, and I can understand why voters are angry at Nathan on this. It’s deeply upsetting to hear and see that someone who called himself a patriot betrayed us”.