Campaigning councillor Lindsay Whittle has been chosen as Plaid Cymru’s candidate for the Caerphilly constituency in the UK General Election, expected in 2024.
Lindsay, who has been a councillor for 46 years and leads the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly County Borough Council, said: “I want to thank members in the constituency for once again showing their confidence in me.
“These are tough times for people with the higher fuel and food costs and now Labour-run Caerphilly Council has made the situation for many worse with a 7.9% council tax rise – the third highest in Wales. This is a time the council should be supporting people, not thumping them with a big increase in their bills.
“I know how much people are struggling because I volunteer in a foodbank and we are receiving increasing requests for help in a country that is supposed to be among the richest in the world. Westminster is not helping Wales.
“As someone who was on the dole for seven months, I’m also very concerned that many people are unable to get well paid jobs. That needs to change.”
As a former housing manager in Cardiff, Lindsay said that he was concerned about the difficulty many people, particularly the young, are having in getting on the housing ladder.
“I know Caerphilly council is building small numbers of new homes in places like Trecenydd and Trethomas but really the surface is only being scratched.”
Lindsay has campaigned vigorously against the development of new housing on greenfield sites in the Caerphilly Basin, including in Hendredenny, in his own ward, arguing that development should take place wherever possible on brownfield sites in the constituency.
“Labour has had its chance in Caerphilly over decades and what has been achieved? Our area needs change and I would be that person at Westminster.”
In the 1980s Lindsay supported striking coal miners during the long and bitter strike and has been at the forefront of dozens of various campaigns helping thousands of constituents over the years in his role as a councillor.
He was also the leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council from 2008-2011, a post he served in for a second time, after previously leading the authority between 1999 and 2004. He was a member of the then National Assembly for Wales between 2011 and 2016, representing the south-east Wales region.
He is chair of the governors for his old school, Cwm Ifor Primary in Caerphilly, where he also volunteers and chair of the Aber Valley Heritage Group. Lindsay is a fervent rugby fan, although in despair at the current state of the game in Wales
His selection has to be approved by the party’s national executive.
Showing 1 reaction
Sign in with
Sign in with Facebook Sign in with Twitter