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Reform branded 'insensitive' over campaign mail to Caerphilly residents on day of late MS's funeral
Emily Price
Reform UK has been branded "insensitive" after residents in Caerphilly received a letter signed by Nigel Farage urging them to vote for his party on the same day mourners gathered for the funeral of Senedd Member Hefin David.
The letter told locals of how Welsh Labour had "failed" them on jobs, the NHS and immigration.
It included a survey asking respondents to support Reform UK by putting up campaign posters and garden boards or by delivering party leaflets.
The campaign material - signed off with the printed signature of Reform's leader Nigel Farage - also included details of how to donate money to the party.
The mail-out included a return envelope with a Caerphilly address printed on the front.
It arrived through the letter boxes of residents on the day hundreds of people gathered for the funeral of the late Hefin David.
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'Dedicated'
The Caerphilly Labour MS described as a "dedicated public servant" was found unresponsive at his home in Nelson on August 12.
It was later confirmed at an inquest hearing that the 47-year-old was found hanging the day before his 48th birthday.
The father of two was first elected as an MS for Caerphilly in 2016 and was re-elected for the seat in 2021.
He was also a Caerphilly councillor for a decade.
On August 18, the Senedd’s speaker - Elin Jones - formally declared Mr David's Caerphilly constituency seat vacant.
A by-election is expected to be held within the next three months.
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'Crass'
Welsh Conservative politician Richard John branded Reform's campaign letters "crass" adding that other parties had paused campaigning following news of Mr David's sudden death.
He said: "It is incredibly insensitive that on the very day Caerphilly came together to pay its respects to Hefin David, residents were receiving political mail from Reform UK asking for poster sites and donations.
"While every other mainstream party has shown respect by pausing campaigning, Reform UK appears to have chosen to press ahead with a mass mail-out, using the address of a new high street office to push a cynical agenda.
"This should be a clear red flag for local people. Reform UK’s behaviour is crass and disrespectful and shows they are more interested in fuelling Nigel Farage’s personality cult than standing up for the people of Caerphilly."
We asked Reform UK why the party hadn't paused campaigning in Caerphilly as other parties had following the news of Mr David's death.
We did not receive a response.
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