What’s at stake in the Caerphilly by-election?

We’re talking to the residents of Caerphilly about what it’s like being at the centre of Welsh - and British - politics.

Transcript

00:00I think so. I think so. I think it is a definite indicator of what's going on in the UK, an

00:08indicator of what's going to happen in the general election in a couple of years' time.

00:12Cofillia is the talk of politics in Wales at the moment, and the talk of the town here

00:15is the upcoming by-election. It's set to be historic, not just because it's the first

00:20of its kind for some time in Wales, but also because it could have a lasting impact on

00:24how the full Senate election will take place next year.

00:27The by-election was called after the sudden death of Heaven David in the summer, the long-standing

00:33Senate member for the area, and now it's been all eyes on who's set to replace him.

00:39Politics has become more and more divisive across Wales and the rest of the UK in recent years,

00:44so we're going to see a clear of the parties and take a look at what the people of Cofillia

00:48have to say about the issues here.

00:51Yeah, because me, I've never really voted before, but looking at the effort that's been going

00:57on, it's even for people like me out to vote. Do you know what I mean? Apart from I've never

01:00been interested in voting. It's only because my vote is needed that I'm going to vote.

01:05The reason I don't vote and haven't since I was in my early 20s, I'm now 66, is because

01:14even in those early days, I had absolutely no faith in the whole political system in this

01:22country. Ultimately, whoever wins this by-election, whoever wins the next general election, in my

01:31experience over these years, although I haven't voted, nothing will change.

01:36I'm so proud of Wales being a nation of sanctuary myself. I'm really proud of them and all the

01:42work that's gone on for the Ukrainians here in Cofillia. We should be proud of ourselves

01:46for the welcome we give to people and how they've been integrated here in Cofillia.

01:51And obviously, that's why people are interested in it here, because it has greater impacts in

01:56the rest of the UK. Specific local issues, people are talking about the 20mph zone and stuff

02:01like that. I think there's a lot of promises that are going to be made. There's a lot of

02:08rhetoric that's not really helpful. I think the people are worrying about.

02:12Partitions lie, don't they? They tell you what you want to hear. Like I said, they're supposed

02:16to be building all these houses and investing in the NHS. I think the power then, it's all

02:21changing. Nothing's ever as simple as it is. When you make a change, it's usually a winner

02:25with a loser. So, yeah, I think, I don't know, what you do with your leaflets that come through

02:31the door, I dare mine up. But some people read them, some people believe it, some people

02:37don't believe it, some people are sceptical. I don't know, I'm sceptical. I just think

02:41they tell you what you want to hear, but there's a bile action on. Once you're in power, things

02:45are different. I can't even get an appointment to talk to them, no. It's like, I try to ring

02:49them, I'm on phone for three hours, and then when I do, then scare food to them, they're like,

02:53I bring back in the morning for routine appointment.