Plaid leader promises better future for Wales

Big Tech / 2 October 2026 Charity calls for data centre safeguards 2 October 2026 Policing / 2 October 2026 Sixth person arrested over RAF Fairford plot 2 October 2026 Healthcare / 2 October 2026 NHS begins offering flu jabs to homeless people 2 October 2026 Human Rights / 2 October 2026 Miliband must ‘do more’ to bring Jagtar Johal home, Campaigners urge 2 October 2026 Wales / 2 October 2026 Striking health visitors take dispute to Plaid conference 2 October 2026 WALES was promised a new future today by First Minister and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth in Llandudno, saying this was not as good as it gets for Wales.

“Because that election wasn’t the end of a campaign, but the beginning of our work to give flight to a nation whose wings have been clipped for too long.”

But he warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham that he would hold him to his promise of “not undermining Wales as a nation,” and not bypassing the Senedd.

“My first meeting with Andy Burnham did leave me feeling positive — here we had an experienced devolutionist who wanted to bring power and people closer together.”

The First Minister said he had written to the Prime Minister asking for a new deal for Wales.

“A new deal to redress the historic unfairness of our fiscal and constitutional settlement and to put Wales on an equal footing with Scotland as a bare minimum.”

Mr ap Iorwerth said he wanted to secure new powers for a purpose and wanted powers over policing and justice, rail infrastructure, the Crown Estate, fiscal fairness and welfare.

He praised emergency workers for tackling this summer’s wildfires across Wales, and said he was convening a summit later this month to bring together fire services and other key partners to discuss improving resilience in a changing world.

But he failed to explicitly mention the trade union movement despite the summit being demanded by the Fire Brigades Union during the summer.

In a section of his speech dealing with electoral promises, he said: “I know that for many, a deep cynicism has taken hold in recent years — a sense of being let down by politicians who say one thing and do another.”

This was a hostage to fortune as striking health visitors demonstrated outside the conference venue, claiming Plaid had promised them it would resolve their dispute over pay and grading while in opposition, but had failed to act in government.

Mr ap Iorwerth was on firmer ground on international issues: “We stand with the people of Gaza against the Israeli government’s heinous genocide.”

But it was on tackling the far right that he received the loudest support in the hall.

“I was sickened by recent scenes at Portsmouth and Dover — intimidating mobs of masked men who breed hatred and feed off fear. Be in no doubt, these are Nigel Farage’s foot soldiers.

“So, my message to Reform is simple — we see you for what you are.”

Wales / 15 September 2026 Oppositions parties react with fury to Plaid's plans to ‘break up the UK’ 15 September 2026 Wales / 15 September 2026 Striking health visitors ask Welsh First Minister if he ‘lied’ when he promised to help end pay dispute 15 September 2026 Wales / 1 September 2026 Plaid Cymru pledge to work with Burnham for greater powers for Wales 1 September 2026 Features / 27 February 2026 Rhun ap Iorwerth: why Plaid’s time has come in Wales 27 February 2026 In the first of a series of interviews with leaders of progressive parties in Wales ahead of the May 7 Senedd election DAVID NICHOLSON talks to Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth