Darkin, who runs an architectural practice in Llanelli and currently leads the Labour group on the town council, said he was “excited” to be approved by the party’s Welsh Executive Committee and is now on the panel of potential candidates.
“As a dedicated member of our community, I believe in the power of collective action and the importance of representing our local interests at the national level,” he told party members. “With your support, we can work together to create a brighter future for Carmarthenshire.”
The announcement comes amid a major shake-up of Welsh electoral boundaries. The new Sir Gaerfyrddin super-constituency will elect six Members of the Senedd under a fully proportional voting system, replacing the previous single-member seats of Llanelli and Carmarthen East and Dinefwr.
A familiar face in Llanelli politics
Darkin has led Llanelli Town Council since 2022, overseeing a significant expansion of Labour representation—from five councillors to 15—and delivering on the council’s manifesto pledges within two years. His leadership has been marked by investment in green spaces, community centres, and biodiversity projects, including the launch of a park keeping service and tree planting initiatives across the town.
He previously chaired the Llanelli Labour Party and stood as a Westminster candidate for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, achieving the party’s strongest result in the seat since 1997. He also served as an adviser to the Welsh Government on building regulations and has campaigned on housing and health issues, including local access to NHS services.
Darkin’s recent media presence has included vocal opposition to proposals for relocating a drug rehabilitation centre to a Llanelli retail park—a move he described as “inappropriate” and “poorly thought through”. His comments sparked criticism from some councillors and community groups, who called them “disappointing and reckless”.
He has also weighed in on a naming dispute over the new Bigyn Community Centre and has welcomed plans for a dramatic new development in the town centre. In his professional capacity as an architect, Darkin drew up the plans for the proposed £3m “Y Linc” regeneration scheme, which would connect Eastgate to Market Street by replacing vacant buildings with new restaurants, apartments, and office space. He described the project as “close to his heart” and part of a wider vision to revitalise Llanelli’s public realm and attract recognisable brands to the area.
As President of the Llanelli Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Darkin has also been a driving force behind the town’s official bid for city status, launched earlier this year. The campaign aims to position Llanelli as Carmarthenshire’s first city and Wales’s eighth, with Darkin arguing that city status could help attract investment and shift public attitudes.
“We want to change people’s attitudes to celebrate our town, not run it down,” he said at the launch event at Llanelly House. “Our businesspeople don’t tend to be fickle with their money and they see this drive as essential for the future.”
Labour faces tough terrain
Darkin’s candidacy comes at a time of growing pressure on Labour in Carmarthenshire. Lee Waters, the current Labour MS for Llanelli, has confirmed he will not seek re-election. Waters, who served as Deputy Minister for Climate Change, was the architect of two of the Welsh Government’s most controversial transport policies: the default 20mph speed limit on residential roads and a moratorium on new road building.
Waters, a former chief executive of sustainable transport charity Sustrans Cymru, championed active travel and environmental reform throughout his tenure. But the rollout of the 20mph limit in September 2023 sparked widespread backlash, with more than 460,000 people signing a petition calling for the policy to be scrapped. Waters survived a vote of no confidence in the Senedd, but faced sustained criticism from motorists, business owners, and political opponents.
He later confirmed he would step down from his transport role, citing the personal toll of public abuse and online harassment. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said: “Over the last 15 years I’ve spent far too much time on Twitter… When I leave my transport role in a fortnight I’ll be deleting my account. Elon can shove it up his X.”
Waters’ departure leaves Labour without an incumbent in Llanelli, and with Reform UK and Plaid Cymru both gaining ground, the party faces a competitive race in the new six-member constituency.
Reform surge redraws the map
Recent polling published by Swansea Bay News shows Reform UK surging across South West Wales, with the party now polling neck-and-neck with Labour and Plaid Cymru. Reform’s support is concentrated among older, non-graduate voters and is particularly strong in Carmarthenshire, where they placed second in several Westminster constituencies.
Under the new electoral system, fragmentation matters. Each of the 16 new Senedd constituencies will return six MSs, with parties ranking up to eight candidates per area. Labour would likely need to secure one or two seats in Sir Gaerfyrddin, meaning Darkin would need to be listed first or second to have a realistic chance of election.
Plaid Cymru names lead candidate
Plaid Cymru has already confirmed its team of candidates for Sir Gaerfyrddin, with Cefin Campbell, current MS for Mid and West Wales, named as the party’s lead candidate. Campbell is Plaid’s spokesperson for education and a champion for rural communities, with a long track record in Carmarthenshire politics.
He is joined on the list by Nerys Evans, author of the Prosiect Pawb report, and Adam Price, the former party leader and current MS for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr. With Plaid likely to secure two seats in the six-member constituency, Price’s third-place ranking may signal the end of his Senedd tenure.
Ken Owens rules himself out
One name that had been floated as a possible Labour candidate was Ken Owens, the former Wales rugby captain and Carmarthen native. Owens had been rumoured to be considering a Senedd bid following his retirement from international rugby and appearances at Labour campaign events.
However, he has since ruled himself out, telling party members at the Welsh Labour conference that speaking at the event would have made his grandparents “prouder than playing for his nation.” Owens said he was proud to support First Minister Eluned Morgan but would not be standing for election.
What’s next?
Party selections for the new Senedd constituencies are expected to intensify over the coming months, with candidates needing to secure top positions on regional lists to stand a realistic chance of election.
Darkin’s bid will be closely watched—not just for its local significance, but for what it signals about Labour’s strategy in a region where its dominance is no longer guaranteed.
With Reform rising, Plaid consolidating, and Labour facing internal and external challenges, the race for Sir Gaerfyrddin is shaping up to be one of the most competitive contests in the 2026 Senedd election.
