Shocking Spray-Paint Slur: How 'F* Off Home' Message Rocked Reform UK After By-Election Loss?

With Plaid Cymru's Lindsay Whittle claiming a historic upset amid Labour's collapse, the 'f**k off home' graffiti, swastika-daubed posters, and backlash over immigration rhetoric have amplified cries of political intimidation and far-right smears in this Caerphilly by-election shocker.

The Vicious Vandalism: Unpacking the Caerphilly Office Attack

White spray paint on the shutters of the office reads 'Now u can f*** off home,' captured in photographs that exploded across social media on 25 October 2025, mere hours after the by-election results. The vandalism occurred one day after Plaid Cymru's triumph, where Reform UK candidate Llyr Powell secured 12,113 votes—36 per cent of the ballot—but trailed winner Lindsay Whittle by 3,848.

Campaign materials suffered further: swastikas appeared in poster corners, Powell's face was crossed out with 'RACISTS!' scrawled over the Welsh dragon, capping a fortnight of nocturnal door-knock intimidations and round-the-clock security. Investigative journalist Will Hayward documented on X: 'Following a by election last week which Reform lost someone has written "now you can fuck off home". Reform had made immigration a key issue in by election.'

Gwent Police were approached for comment. No arrests have been reported, as locals in the former mining town reeled from the escalation tied to Reform's push for its first Welsh breakthrough.

Reform UK's Fierce Backlash: Powell and Farage Condemn the 'Dark Tricks'

Llyr Powell voiced gratitude at the count: 'I am grateful to every voter who went to the ballot box and voted Reform - despite the fear and attacks that have been put against them by the other parties.' He condemned the 'very dark' tactics, including midnight assaults on his home and armed guards at headquarters: 'They attacked my door in the middle of the night. At the office, we had to have security there. There were a lot of things that went on in this campaign that was very dark.'

A party insider predicted: 'They'll hate it when we win here in May,' eyeing local polls. A Reform spokesman told GB News: 'We're absolutely determined to show the extreme left that violence and intimidation have no place in our democracy. Reform represents the views of a huge proportion of decent, hardworking Welsh people, and we will not be silenced.'

Nigel Farage, who campaigned heavily, warned that Keir Starmer's rhetoric 'directly threatens the safety of our elected officials and campaigners', framing the slur as part of broader hostility amid ex-Plaid leader Leanne Wood's 'far-right' labels.

Ripples in Welsh Politics: From By-Election Fallout to Senedd 2026 Battleground

Plaid Cymru's Lindsay Whittle, standing since 1983, hailed her victory—built on Labour's nosedive from 13,289 to 3,713 votes—as a 'reset'. Party leader Rhun ap Iorwerth declared, 'The message from Caerphilly is clear: Wales is ready for new leadership, and Plaid Cymru is leading the way.'

Whittle warned Labour: 'You are on your way out after 100-plus years,' urging them to 'get back to the drawing board'. The result, with Labour's vote collapsing from 13,289 in 2021, signals a seismic shift, as First Minister Eluned Morgan acknowledged the 'bad result' but pledged to 'come back stronger'.

Farage attributed Plaid's edge to Labour's 'total collapse' and Whittle's popularity, yet Reform's 36 per cent haul positions it as a contender in the Senedd 2026 race. The spray-paint slur and prior intimidations risk deepening divisions, with critics decrying far-right accusations against Reform's immigration focus as fuel for the toxic atmosphere in this Welsh politics hotspot.