04-07-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Welsh Lib Dems defeat Reform UK in Llanidloes by-election
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have secured a narrow by-election victory in Llanidloes.
Fleur Frantz-Morgans, who works for a domestic violence charity, won the seat by just six votes ahead of Reform UK, retaining the seat for the party.
The by-election was triggered by the retirement of long-serving councillor Gareth Morgan, who represented Llanidloes for 52 years.
Ms Frantz-Morgans, newly elected councillor, said: "I would like to thank everyone from across the community who has placed their trust in me to represent them on the council.
"I am looking forward to getting started straight away and ensuring local residents' voices are heard clearly, and that the issues raised with me during the campaign are addressed."
The Welsh Liberal Democrats described the result as evidence that, while Conservative and Labour support is shifting to Reform, they remain able to hold their ground and defeat the party.
Councillor Glyn Preston, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate for Gwynedd Maldwyn (Montgomeryshire and Gwynedd), said: "It is fantastic news that Llanidloes will have another hard-working Liberal Democrat councillor to continue the extraordinary legacy of Gareth Morgan.
"I am looking forward to working closely with Fleur to deliver for the people of Llanidloes.
"As we head into the Senedd elections next year, it is clear that people are fed up with the two old legacy parties.
"Whether it was the Conservatives' awful record of cutting public services over the last 14 years or Welsh Labour's poor handling of the Welsh NHS and neglect of rural areas like ours, people are crying out for change.
"In Montgomeryshire, the Liberal Democrats have a long and proud history of standing up and being a loud voice for our communities, and I look forward to continuing to build on that as next May approaches."
Elsewhere in the vote, Labour finished fifth.
The Conservatives, who previously held both the parliamentary and Senedd seats in the area, saw their vote share drop from 21 per cent to just 7.5 per cent, finishing fourth.
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds MS said: "While Labour and the Conservatives continue to lose support to Reform across the country, the Liberal Democrats are holding our own.
