“London needs Reform. It is one of the world’s great capitals. Yet these days Sadiq Khan’s London often feels lawless and unrecognisable to Londoners who can no longer afford to live in their own city.” This was Nigel Farage’s pitch to voters in a full-page advert in the County Times, a local newspaper serving Powys, a sparsely populated county in Wales.

The party took out two full-page ads in the paper’s 1 May edition, both of which urged readers to vote for Reform “in London” on 7 May.

“Now we are standing candidates all over London… London will only get the change it needs if you vote Reform UK on 7th May” one of the adverts – a letter signed by Nigel Farage – read.

It is unclear whether voters in the rural county will be concerned about an “unrecognisable” London. However, a recent headline in the County Times read, “Powys public toilets closed after being stuffed with Muller Corner yoghurts”, so voters may have concerns about crime.

Ian Parry, Welsh Labour’s lead candidate for Gwynedd Maldwyn, said: “We placed our own ads – designed by local members, talking about local issues – in the very same edition. What’s the excuse?”

“Reform are either utterly incompetent, or they simply do not care about Welsh issues.”

The devolved parliamentary election in Wales is shaping up as a two horse race between Plaid Cymru – the Welsh national party – and Reform. Labour are likely to be squeezed into third place, while the Green party could enter the Senedd (the Welsh parliament) for the first time.

Powys is the largest and more sparsely populated county in Wales. It will be covered by two new super-constituencies for the election to the Senedd: Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd (mid and southwest Wales) and Gwynedd Maldwyn (northern and central Wales).

Reform are leading in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd while Plaid Cymru are ahead in Gwynedd Maldwyn, according to recent polling by More in Common.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.

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