New poll shows majority of people support efforts to increase use of the Welsh language
A new poll has revealed a large majority of people approve of efforts to increase the use of the Welsh language.
The YouGov opinion poll, which quizzed 1312 adults in Wales between the 13th – 20th of January 2025, found 67% approve of efforts to increase the language’s usage, while just 20% disapprove.
Among those who can speak Welsh, nine in ten (92%) approve of efforts to expand the language’s usage, but 63% of those who can’t speak Welsh are also supportive.
Just one in five Welsh people (20% of those surveyed) disapprove of those efforts.
Political divide
The study has also revealed a clear political divide in support of the Welsh language.
Support is widespread among those who vote for left-of-centre parties, with 95% of Plaid Cymru and 73% of Labour voters approving of efforts to increase the usage of Welsh.
Disapproval is more common among those who vote for right-of-centre parties, with Reform UK voters tending to approve by a smaller margin (52% to 34%) and Conservatives being roughly evenly split 45% to 48%.
Enthusiasm for further promotion of the language is more mixed, with just a third of respondents (32%) believing that the efforts to encourage Welsh usage have not gone far enough, compared to 36% who see the current levels being about right.
Just one in five people (21%) feel promotion of Welsh has gone too far.
Support for the idea that the right balance is currently being struck is stronger among those who do not speak Welsh, where the 36% who feel promotion of the Welsh language is ‘about right’ outnumber both the 27% who feel things have not progressed far enough and the 24% who believe the promotion of Welsh has gone too far.
Welsh speakers, feel there is still a need for more measures to promote the language, with 60% believing that Welsh language promotion has not gone far enough, roughly double the 32% who feel things are ‘about right’ as they are.
Bilingualism
The poll also shows strong support for bilingualism in public information, which is mandatory for public sector bodies and some private sector organisations (such as utilities providers).
Three-quarters (73-76%) of those questioned believed al types of information polled, from council publications to signs in shops, should always be presented in both English and Welsh, while one in five (19-20%) feel the information should solely be given in English.
Seven in ten people (72%) say it at least somewhat important for children in Wales to learn Welsh in schools, compared to just a quarter (25%) who say it is not very important or not important at all.
Even among Conservative and Reform UK voters, a small majority (54%) say it is important for school children to learn Welsh, though this is less than the 80% of Labour voters and 96% of Plaid Cymru voters who say the same.
Welsh people also tend to see the Welsh language as more important for children to learn than a foreign language, with 45% seeing learning Welsh as preferable, compared to 35% who see it as more important to learn a foreign language. Those who cannot speak Welsh, however, are evenly divided (39% vs 39%) over which is more useful to learn.
Responding to the polls findings, Sian Howys, deputy chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, with responsibility for campaigns said:”The support for the language by the people of Wales needs to be matched with action from government, from regulation to education.
“The Welsh Language Measure 2011 was supposed to transform Welsh language services but so much of its potential is yet to be realised, and the Welsh Language Commissioner needs to take its regulatory role much more seriously.
“We also need to look urgently at extending the Standards to the private sector, so that people can receive services in Welsh from banks, utilities and retailers. In education, the Welsh Language and Education Bill currently going through the Senedd is a great opportunity to create real change, to transform our education system so that, in future, it’s not just the fortunate minority that leave school speaking Welsh, but every child living in Wales.
“Unfortunately, the Bill as it stands does little more than reinforce the status quo. On Welsh language policy across the board, it’s time for the government to wake up and catch up with the people of Wales. We need action now.”
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. . . a “Croeso i Gymru” ddylai fod gyntaf ar yr arwydd hefyd!!
Fel siradwr newydd, dw i’n meddwl basai un o’r dull gorau i hyrwyddo tyfiant yr iaith : dechreuwch bob sgwrs yn Gymraeg.
Dyma Gymru. Normaleiddio’r disgwyliad o’r Gymraeg a pheidiwch â chymryd yn ganiataol nad yw pobl yn gallu siarad Cymraeg.
Let us support Cymraeg now, because if Reform UK do well at the Senedd Election there will be kickback from Farage and Tice towards promoting our indigenous language. Like the NHS, education and culture will feel the pinch from the London-based Reform leadership.
I suspect that as the Senedd election approaches, Reform will absolutely present themselves as zealous defenders of devolution and, indeed, of Welsh identity in general. But that will be only because they view achieving the best possible results in Wales next year as a prelude and a preparation for their campaign to maximize success in the next Westminster election in four and a half years time. They hope that a good result in Wales next year will aid them in portraying themselves as – at last! – a mainstream political party when the UK-wide one comes around. But you can… Read more »
Obviously they targeted people in mid & north Wales and they didn’t show the people how much money is being wasted each year on these efforts. A true calculation would be on the trend of millions of pounds each and every year. The costs of translation, not to mention all the needless items printed at huge cost – 99.9% of which is never even looked at. The waste is simply staggering, it’s just public money wasted to the inbreed assembly’s pals. Put the question fairly, do you think £50m would be better spend on public services, or providing bilingual services… Read more »
The real way to grow a language..is to have more children. In Ireland they have a million speakers and only 60 000 first language speakers. Indigenous Wales is in demographic collapse and the only growth is immigration.