EIGHT candidates are standing in the new seat of Caerfyrddin in the general election.

Voters will be going to the polls on Thursday, July 4 after prime minister Rishi Sunak announced an early election three weeks ago.

Constituency changes following a Westminster vote mean that the number of Welsh MPs will be cut from 40 to 32; with each constituency containing between 69,724 and 77,062 voters, with the exception of Ynys Mon.

As part of these, a new Caerfyrddin seat has been created, predominantly made up of the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency, as well as parts of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.

Caerfyrddin (in green) has been created, joining areas of Carmarthen East and Dinefwr and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.Caerfyrddin (in green) has been created, joining areas of Carmarthen East and Dinefwr and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire. (Image: Boundary Commission)

The boundary changes see 84 per cent of the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency also being within the new Caerfyrddin boundary, whilst the remaining areas will come under the Llanelli constituency.

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire has been split between two new constituencies, with 60.7 per cent of the area being reclassified as Mid and South Pembrokeshire, and 39.3 per cent as Caerfyrddin.

Jonathan Edwards, who represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr as a Plaid Cymru MP from 2010 to 2020 and as an Independent between 2020 and 2024, has announced he will not be standing for re-election in the new constituency.

Former Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart, who represented the constituency as a Conservative between 2010 and 2024, will be standing in Caerfyrddin this year.

Opinion polls indicate a tight race in the constituency. A YouGov MRP poll released last week is forecasting that Plaid Cymru could win the seat with 26 per cent of the vote, but with Labour and the Conservatives hot on their heels with 23 and 22 per cent respectively.

The prospect of a three-horse race means that this could be one of the most hotly contested seats in the country come election night.

Will Beasley, Nicholas Paul Beckett, Nancy Cole, and Ann Davies (top row, L-R); David Mark Evans, Simon Hart, Bernard Holton, and Martha Angharad O'Neil (bottom row, L-R) are all standing in Caerfyrddin.Will Beasley, Nicholas Paul Beckett, Nancy Cole, and Ann Davies (top row, L-R); David Mark Evans, Simon Hart, Bernard Holton, and Martha Angharad O'Neil (bottom row, L-R) are all standing in Caerfyrddin. (Image: Supplied)

Here is a full list of candidates standing in Caerfyrddin:

  • Will Beasley - Green Party
  • Nicholas Paul Beckett - Liberal Democrats
  • Nancy Cole - Women's Equality Party
  • Ann Davies - Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
  • David Mark Evans - Workers Party of Britain
  • Simon Hart - Conservative and Unionist Party
  • Bernard Holton - Reform UK
  • Martha Angharad O'Neil - Labour Party

Before the election, each of the candidates will outline in the South Wales Guardian why they have decided to stand and what issues are most important to them.