Pro-Russian bribery scandal overshadows Reform Candidate in Caerphilly by-election

The Caerphilly Senedd by-election has been rocked by revelations that Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales and one-time Member of the European Parliament, has pleaded guilty to bribery offences linked to pro-Russian statements. The fallout is placing Reform’s candidate, Llŷr Powell, under growing scrutiny.

Gill’s Guilty Plea

Gill admitted at the Old Bailey to eight counts of bribery, covering the period December 2018 to July 2019. Prosecutors said Gill accepted payments in return for delivering pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament and writing articles for the media that promoted Russian interests.

The investigation began after Gill was detained at Manchester Airport in 2021 under counter-terror legislation. Messages on his phone revealed agreements to receive money in exchange for political interventions. He is due to be sentenced in November.

Powell’s Connection

Powell, a communications and public affairs professional, was unveiled earlier this month as Reform UK’s candidate for the 23 October Caerphilly by-election. A Welsh speaker who has lived in the constituency for several years, he is campaigning alongside Reform leader Nigel Farage.

What makes his candidacy controversial is that he once worked for Nathan Gill. According to Reform UK, Powell’s employment with Gill ended in December 2017 — before the period in which Gill committed the offences. Party officials insist this timeline proves Powell had no involvement.

Political Fallout

Opponents, however, are not letting the matter rest.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said:

“We thought that Nigel Farage would put his own interests before Wales, but now it turns out he’ll put Russian interests before Wales too. With Reform Caerphilly candidate Llŷr Powell a former employee of Nathan Gill’s, the people of Caerphilly have a right to know – what did he know about this case?”

Plaid Cymru representatives have also called for Powell to provide full clarity about his past association with Gill.

Reform UK has dismissed the criticism as “desperation” from rivals, stressing that Powell’s employment ended long before Gill’s misconduct.