Summary

  • Voters in Caerphilly are due to decide who will be their new Member of the Senedd (MS)

  • A by-election will be held on 23 October following the sudden death of the constituency's MS, Hefin David

  • All of the main parties are fielding candidates in the election, and six took part in a live televised debate on Wednesday evening

  • They clashed over immigration, possible closures of libraries, problems in the NHS and trust

  • The debate has now ended but stay with us for all the analysis and reaction

  • You can find out more about the candidates here

Caerphilly by-election candidates state their case

Live Reporting

Edited by Miriam Barker

  1. Who is Plaid Cymru's candidate?

    Lindsay WhittlePlaid Cymru

    Lindsay Whittle was born in Caerphilly town, he lives in Abertridwr, was raised on the Penyrheol council estate and attended Cwm Ifor Primary School.

    A councillor for Penyrheol since 1976, he was Caerphilly council leader from 1999 to 2004 and 2008 to 2011, and has been Plaid Cymru group leader on the council since 2022.

    From 2011 to 2016 he was a South Wales East assembly member, as Senedd politicians were previously known.

    You can see the profiles and policies of all eight candidates on the BBC website here.

  2. Who is Welsh Labour's candidate?

    Richard TunnicliffeWelsh Labour

    Richard Tunnicliffe has lived in Caerphilly with his wife Lynda for 26 years and they raised their three sons in the town.

    He has worked as an accountant and financial analyst and runs a publishing company with his wife, specialising in Welsh translations of popular children's books.

    He was encouraged to become more active in the local party by late Senedd Member Hefin David, who was mentoring him to be a candidate in next year's Senedd election at the time of his death, which has prompted this by-election.

    You can see the profiles and policies of all eight candidates on the BBC website here.

  3. Who are the by-election candidates?

    The full list of nominees are:

    • Liberal Democrats: Steve Aicheler
    • Gwlad: Anthony Cook
    • Greens: Gareth Hughes
    • Conservatives: Gareth Potter
    • Reform: Llyr Powell
    • UKIP: Roger Quilliam
    • Labour: Richard Tunnicliffe
    • Plaid Cymru: Lindsay Whittle

    We'll give you a brief profile of the candidates in subsequent posts, and you can see the profiles and policies of all eight candidates on the BBC website here.

  4. How can you vote in the Senedd by-election in Caerphilly?

    Voting in the by-election will be like any other Westminster or Senedd first past the post election.

    Polling stations will be open on 23 October from 07:00 BST to 22:00.

    The deadline to apply for a proxy vote was 17:00 BST on 15 October.

    The count will take place overnight and there will be coverage of the result on BBC TV, radio and online.

    White poster with "polling station" and the Welsh translation, "gorsaf bleidleisio" written in block capitals on it in black ink. The poster is tied to grey railings outside a community hall.

    Voters in Caerphilly will head to the polls on 23 October

  5. By-election prompted by Senedd politician's death

    Hefin David in the SeneddGetty Images

    Hefin David, a Labour Member of the Senedd for Caerphilly, died in August

    The by-election was called after the sudden death of former Labour member Hefin David.

    The 47-year-old, who had been Member of the Senedd (MS) for Caerphilly since 2016, died suddenly in August.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called him a "powerful voice for the people of Wales".

    And first minister and Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan said he was an "outstanding politician" who would be "greatly missed".

    The father of two girls, his partner was Cynon Valley MS Vikki Howells, the minister for further and higher education in the Welsh Labour government.

  6. What is the Senedd by-election in Caerphilly?

    BBC Wales' Terel Edmunds tells us why a by-election is happening in Caerphilly.

  7. Analysis

    Is this the most significant Senedd by-election in history?

    Gareth Lewis
    BBC Wales political editor

    The Bedwas Workmen's Hall and Institute illuminated by purple and turquoise lighting. There are podiums on the stage for each political candidate. A theatre stage and curtains sit just behind the screen which has a digital display saying: BBC Your Voice, Your Vote

    The Bedwas Workmen's Hall and Institute will host tonight's by-election debate

    What a setting it is for a political debate this evening. They don't make buildings like this anymore.

    Bedwas Workmen's Hall and Institute has been standing for 102 years, and in that time, Caerphilly has always returned a Labour MP or MS.

    Could it be about to witness change?

    National polling suggests Plaid Cymru and Reform are vying with Labour for the lead at next year's Senedd election.

    Could what we see next week be an indication of what is to come?

    Could the debate be a taste of not only the battleground in Caerphilly, but across Wales next year too, when the nation goes to the polls in the Senedd elections?

  8. Coming up... the Caerphilly by-election debate

    We're now just a few hours away from the BBC's Caerphilly by-election debate - between six of the eight candidates looking to become the constituency's Member of the Senedd (MS) for the next six months.

    You can follow along with us here for all the latest from the debate, as well as analysis and reaction.

    You can also watch live by clicking play at the top of the page when the debate starts at 19:00 BST, as well as on BBC One Wales, on the BBC News channel, iPlayer and Radio Wales.