Reform candidate pulls out criticising party's selection process'Desperately disappointed for the people of the area that [local] candidates have been leap frogged and forgotten'View Image Reform UK councillor in Merthyr Tydfil Andrew Barry (Image: Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council)A Reform candidate for the upcoming Senedd election has withdrawn and criticised the party's selection process - accusing it of overlooking local candidates. ‌Andrew Barry, a former Independent councillor in Merthyr Tydfil, had put himself forward as one of Reform UK's candidates for the upcoming Senedd election on May 7. Reform's final candidate list in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr is headed by former Conservative Jason O'Connell, a councillor in Torfaen who has been an Independent and a Conservative before joining to Reform. ‌The second name on the list is Gareth Thomas, who previously stood as a General Election candidate for Reform in Merthyr Tydfil in 2024. The third name on the list is Steve Bayliss, who previously stood for Reform in the Pontypridd constituency in 2024.

Source: Daily Mirror March 27, 2026 04:01 UTC