'A fantastic victory' Plaid voters celebrate as Reform UK fails to live up to the hype

The skies above Caerphilly may have matched the turquoise of Reform UK, but it was the green and yellow of Plaid Cymru that dominated the valleys town yesterday morning.

- Jamie Grierson

The Welsh nationalists trounced their opponents with a hefty 47% of the vote in a Senedd byelection that was framed by many as a potential "canary in the coalmine" moment for Welsh politics.

Reform failed to live up to the hype and came second with 36% and Labour's vote - in a constituency it has held for decades - collapsed to a paltry 11%.

It had been expected to be closer between Plaid and Reform, pegged as a 50-50 two-horse race. Both parties had pulled out all the stops, with their respective leaders, Rhun ap Iorwerth and Nigel Farage, joining the campaign trail this month. Farage vowed to "throw everything" to secure a victory.

Outside the Castle Court shopping precinct, Robert Addicott, 61, who has always backed Plaid, could barely contain his joy. "It's a fantastic victory for Plaid, just from being the underdog for so many years and now winning in such a Labour stronghold," said the estates officer.