2025 Caerphilly by-election: The Strange Case of Dr. Missing and Mr. Blame
Lynette Summers
Fri 17 Oct 2025
Update 19 Oct 2025: I’m going to switch off for a few weeks. See: Gone pumpkin pickin’.
🎥 ALL OUT – Penrhiwceiber South Wales during the Miners Strike Christmas 1984 – 1985 [Video link]⭐
Roll up, roll up! Come one, come all! The Caerphilly by-election’s in town!
Attention is on the Valleys right now because everyone wants to know: are we going to stick with Labour; switch to Plaid; or spin to the right. Well, spin that wheel and we shall find out! …Oh, wait, you actually have to cast a vote on Thursday, 23 October 2025—booooring!
Let’s be honest now, right…nobody really gives a shit about the Valleys unless it’s to reinforce some silly stereotype (and, if truth be told, I can also be guilty of that). Well, as a Valleys girl born and bred, I’d like to let you know what life is currently like at the…coal face?
I’m the daughter of a miner who took part in the 1984–85 miners’ strike. From my dad, I learned resilience, fairness, and the courage to stand up for what’s right. And from my mam, I received something just as powerful—unconditional love. I was lucky.
Not everyone’s as lucky—even with good parents, life can be brutally unfair. Perhaps read Brad Evans’ How Black Was My Valley (2024) for context. Evans’ book offers a searing account of poverty, abandonment, and the scars left by the collapse of South Wales’ mining communities and decades of political neglect. (Full disclosure: I haven’t read it yet—but I will!)
Indeed, as an Aberbargoed native, I often tell people—and still do!—that our claim to fame was once having the largest man-made colliery waste tip in Europe. Oh, and that poor tragic soul whose body they used for Operation Mincemeat? He was from here too. I know, right? You’re well jel. I can tell. (Sorry—I know nobody says that anymore, but I don’t know the new lingo. You dig?).
To be fair, we do have a couple of brags (not to be big headed or anything): Bargoed Colliery achieved a world record for coal production in a single shift with 4,020 tons on April 23, 1909. And, not that I knew / know him (though, my cousin David Cole was in his class!), the fab-u-lous Luke Evans hails from Aberbargoed! Isn’t he lush. (Thank you for the positive press, Luke! Fellow Bedwellty comp alum here!).
But enough about this bloody by-election already! Have you heard the best news?! An anonymous donor—I was thinking that it’s probably Elon or that other mega-mean rich dude—has been involved in some high-tech innovation being rolled out to GP surgeries throughout the deprived areas of South Wales. Anyway, to get to the point: we now have doctor’s with the ability to diagnose you over the phone! Ta-da! No need to go into the surgery. Many GP practices will even offer you this as a first option. I mean, who wants to see an actual doctor until you’re at death’s door, right?! Oh, and just to keep your heart pounding (well, we’ll try!), you may not even be able to get any sort of appointment at all—the odds are somewhat similar to the chances of winning the lottery—fun times, baby!
Oh, and there’s more! In the Valleys, our doctors are encouraged to take part in a bit of cosplay. (Nobody can deny it, the Welsh are fun!) It’s bloody great! It means that it feels like you never see the same doctor twice. One week it’s Dr. Who, next week it’s Dr. Overworked. …Ah, wait, it’s always Dr, Overworked!!! (Groan).
Not to forget those loveable clowns—sorry, the policy architects or whatever they call themselves—who have decided that the wealthiest areas of Wales should receive more health funding than deprived areas. I am so grateful for devolution! We are really getting our just desserts now, boys! Tuck in! …Sorry, Blaenau Gwent, I think Cardiff Bay just took the last slice. Nevemind, you didn’t want any anyway, did you.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the weird and wonderful Valleys of 2025!
It’d be funny if it wasn’t true…
Don’t we deserve better?
One thing I will not joke about: despite everything, Valleys people are warm, kind, caring—and yes, often delightfully quirky! Valleys folk have a lot to offer the world.
Finally, with respect for every voice in Caerphilly, I would just like to say: Up the workers! Cymru am byth!
And, remember, the Survation poll for the Caerphilly by-election may have shown dramatic results, BUT the BBC reportedly declined to use it due to its small sample size (501) and exclusion of undecided voters. It was commissioned by Camlas (who the heck are they?!) What is it with all those RED flags about at the moment?!
Anyway, however the vote goes, I know we’ll work it out as a community. We always do.
© 2025 Lynette Summers. All rights reserved.
To the Guardian Opinion desk only — if there’s anything you’d like to use from this post, big or small, please feel free to.
It’s an insider’s piece.
Music is medicine…
…as is nature, inspirational quotes, doing something you love, etc, etc, etc
The following gave me strength during a difficult time recently. Until you can make your own trauma-informed playlist and inspirational quotes, I’m sharing mine. In no particular order:
Lola Young – Messy
Melanie – Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma
Melanie – Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)
John Lennon – Working class hero
The Clash – I’m not down
Gnarls Barkley – Crazy
Stereophonics – Not Up To You, Not Up To Me
Stereophonics – Same Size Feet
Bob Dylan – Talkin’ New York
Bob Dylan – Last thoughts on Woody Guthrie
Bob Dylan – Shelter from the Storm
Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club
Pentangle – Willy O Winsbury
Leonard Cohen – Suzanne
Inspirational quotes from the real deal:
Don’t let the bastards grind you down!
There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson… — Malcolm X
It’s all right to tell a man to lift himself by his own bootstraps, but it is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps. — Martin Luther King Jr.
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. — Dalai Lama
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. — Maya Angelou
I like me — Del Griffith, Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) (check out John Candy: I like me on Prime)
Acknowledgements:
(stop sniggering, I’m just copying what the academics do innit)
Thank you muchly to the lovely Labour campaigner that I spoke to on my doorstep this morning (even though I felt self-conscious because I looked a state, you were very kind and informative—I don’t think your knocking my door at that exact point was accidental, but folk think you’re crazy if you say stuff like that out loud! If you happen to see this, let me know (contact form to come soon) and I’ll attribute you! You absolute star!
Thank you also to, in no particular order:
Isaac and Enid – my little darlings, loves of my life;
Josh Summers – my AMAZING husband, for carrying so much of the weight at home recently while I’ve been unwell;
Raymond Cox – AKA my dad, joke and storyteller extraordinaire;
Colin Cox – my brother, a gentle giant of a man;
Nicola Cox – my sister (she’s madder than me, if you can believe it);
Gracie and Nate – my beautiful, clever niece and my diplomatic, insightful nephew
Sam Hall – I’m so happy that you and Nickie found each other. I love you, brother. “Well, my name it is Sam Hall, Sam Hall…”;
John Paul (JP) and Esther – I think you guys are fab, and I’m looking forward to seeing you this weekend at Gracie’s birthday party;
Dr. Michael Haddock – my friend since junior school – an extremely clever guy, at the top of his game, and still so kind and generous e.g.: Westmead emergency docs travel 1000km to lend a hand
Emma Phillips – I can’t even sum up everything you mean to me. You’re brilliant on so many levels and a real leading light;
Jon Mills – one of the most clever, funny, kind and knowledgeable men I’ve ever known;
Other UWE friends: Claaaaaaaaare, Doro and French Tom
Becks and Emma – sorry for the last minute cancellation. Same time next year? I WILL see inside the Apline Club before this decade is out!
Anne-Marie – for offering me therapy at New Continental prices and for, ya know, just being bloody lovely!;
Debby and Tony Stacey – for being on Josh’s cheerleading squad at a time when he needed it most
Calgary, AB folk – now lifelong friends: Katy, Kailyn, Andrea, Erin
I’m thankful to you all. I love you all.
I’ll stop there, I am getting tired now.
Nicola: “Lyn, who are you talking to?! There’s nobody there!!”
