Faith-led campaigner Michelle Beer becomes county’s first Reform councillor

REFORM has pulled off a major political upset in Carmarthenshire, winning the Lliedi by election with over 42 percent of the vote and unseating Labour in one of its long-held strongholds.

Michelle Beer, a graduate of the Bible College of Wales and an active figure in local faith communities, was elected on Thursday (May 29) as the new councillor for Lliedi, becoming the first Reform UK member on Carmarthenshire County Council. Her victory represents not just a significant local result, but a potential shift in Welsh political sentiment.

The final result was:

• Reform UK (Michelle Beer): 42.6 percent (568 votes)
• Labour (Andrew Bragoli): 23.4 percent (312 votes)
• Independent (Sharon Burdess): 8.7 percent
• Plaid Cymru (Taylor Reynolds): 8.0 percent
• Conservative (Richard Williams): 7.0 percent
• Independent (Alison Leyshon): 6.5 percent
• Liberal Democrat (Jonathan Burree): 3.1 percent
• Gwlad (Wayne Erasmus): 0.7 percent

The Labour vote collapsed by nearly 35 percentage points compared with the 2022 election. The Conservatives also saw their share fall by almost 9 points. Reform UK had not stood in the previous contest and surged straight to the top of the poll. No Independent candidate from the previous election stood again.

Michelle Beer, who campaigned actively with the Llanelli branch of Reform UK, focused her message on localism, accountability, and traditional values. Her campaign, described by supporters as energetic and community-driven, included regular doorstep conversations, local prayer gatherings, and public expressions of faith.

She is married to Gareth Beer, a Kidwelly Town councillor and former Reform UK general election candidate in Llanelli. Michelle served as his campaign manager and has been closely involved in the party’s regional growth.

During the campaign, she reflected on her time at the Bible College of Wales and her continued involvement in local worship meetings in Kidwelly. Her social media posts frequently referenced prayer, unity, and a desire to bring moral clarity to politics.

The significance of the result is considerable. Lliedi is a historically Labour-voting ward in an area where the party has traditionally been dominant. Reform UK’s breakthrough will raise concern within Welsh Labour ranks, particularly as dissatisfaction with the Welsh Government grows over issues such as NHS performance, the economy, and transport policy.

The result also points to a broader trend. With Reform gaining support across working-class communities in both England and Wales, the party is beginning to challenge the old political order in parts of the country once considered safe territory for Labour.

This by-election result may not alter the overall balance of power in Carmarthenshire, but it has clearly altered the political conversation. For Reform UK, it is a toehold in rural west Wales. For Labour, it is a wake-up call.

The question now is whether the shock result in Lliedi is a one-off—or the first sign of a larger realignment.