News
Formal complaint to Returning Officer as Reform is accused of lying about Nation of Sanctuary
Martin Shipton
Leading members of the Ukrainian community in Caerphilly are making a formal complaint to the official running the seat’s Senedd by-election, alleging that Reform UK is lying about the Welsh Government’s Nation of Sanctuary programme.
Reform has put the Nation of Sanctuary scheme at front and centre of the far right party’s campaign to win its first seat in the Senedd, seeking to smear Labour and Plaid Cymru as the architects of the programme.
[mid-content-banner]
Leaflet
This week Reform has been distributing a leaflet in the constituency which states: “Only Reform opposes Labour and Plaid’s £55 million Nation of Sanctuary scheme for asylum seekers.”
However, the vast majority of the £55m has been spent not on asylum seekers, but on refugees from Ukraine who have been fleeing Putin’s brutal invasion of the country. Most of the refugees are women and children.
Yuliia Bond, who spoke this week of how Reform’s xenophobic campaign had made Ukrainians feel they weren’t wanted and should return to their war-torn homeland, said she was outraged by the party’s leaflet.
In a Facebook post she wrote: “Just received this leaflet through the door in Caerphilly: '£55 million Nation of Sanctuary scheme for asylum seekers" - is a False Statement.'
“Official figures (Welsh Government, 2025). Total spending under the Nation of Sanctuary programme (2019–2025): almost £55 million. Of this, over £45 million (almost 85%) was used to support Ukrainian refugees. That figure is for the six years. The Welsh Government’s annual budget is £22.4 billion, which means £45 million is nearly 0.04%.”
Ms Bond went on to describe the difference between asylum seekers and refugees: “Asylum seekers are individuals who have applied for protection and are awaiting a decision.
“Refugees are individuals who have been granted protection.
“The Ukrainian arrivals are Individuals who came to Wales under Ukraine schemes fleeing the war, since 2022. They are not classed as asylum seekers.
“Therefore, describing the Nation of Sanctuary as ‘£55 million for asylum seekers’ is misleading and untrue.
“We will be filing a formal complaint to the election authorities regarding this false statement, as it constitutes disinformation in campaign material.”
[lower-mid-content-banner]
Criminal offense
Ms Bond said the complaint would go to the election's Returning Officer Ed Edmunds, who is also the chief executive of Caerphilly County Borough Council.
Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, it is a criminal offence to make a false statement about a rival candidate with a view to gaining electoral advantage.
Ms Bond said: “Our community of refugees is very grateful for the support we have received from the people of Caerphilly, but Reform’s concentration on the Nation of Sanctuary programme is making many feel they are not welcome here.”
Plaid Cymru’s by-election candidate, Cllr Lindsay Whittle said: “I’m absolutely outraged by this. It is gutter politics. I hope people will rise above that: when they go low, we go high.
“I fully support the formal complaint to the Returning Officer. We have to be accurate in what we say as politicians - this sort of behaviour is why people don’t trust politicians.
“It’s a very sad day for me and it makes me very cross. It wasn’t that long ago when hundreds of people in Caerphilly had flags in literally every street to welcome Ukrainian refugees from Putin’s brutal war. There were flags in the windows and children were drawing the Ukrainian flag and putting them up on display.
“What’s going on now is very poor indeed and it’s just not acceptable.”
'Provoke anger'
Ms Bond said: "The leaflet's wording was designed to provoke anger and gain votes. If it had stated the truth - that the funding was primarily to support Ukrainian families fleeing war - it would not have generated the same reaction.
"That's why this kind of language is harmful and manipulative, especially during an election."
We invited Reform candidate Llyr Powell to comment, but he did not do so.
The by-election is due to take place on October 23.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Get more trusted Welsh news
Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.