Plaid Cymru pledge to form a government that will stand up for Wales

With just 100 days to go until the Senedd election on 7 May 2026, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has said the vote represents a chance for “positive new leadership” in Wales.

Marking the milestone, Mr ap Iorwerth said Plaid Cymru’s plans for government were rooted in issues affecting everyday life, including the NHS, the cost of living and economic renewal.

His comments come as successive opinion polls place Plaid Cymru in pole position to form the next Welsh Government.

The latest YouGov polling suggests Plaid Cymru is backed by 37% of voters, ahead of Reform UK on 23%. Labour, which has governed Wales in some form since devolution began in 1999, trails far behind on just 10%, now behind the Greens on 13%.

Speaking ahead of the election countdown, Mr ap Iorwerth said: “In just 100 days, people across Wales will be heading to the polls, and communities can vote for positive new leadership that only Plaid Cymru can deliver.”

He said this would mean a government “steadfast in standing up for Wales when we are shortchanged by Westminster”, pointing to what he described as long-standing injustices over funding, rail investment and devolved powers.

Mr ap Iorwerth also said a Plaid-led government would prioritise improving NHS performance, supporting small businesses, creating better-paid jobs and keeping wealth within local communities.

Education and childcare would also be central, he said, highlighting plans for what Plaid describes as the most generous free childcare offer in the UK, alongside a renewed focus on literacy and numeracy.

“That’s the difference a Plaid Cymru government can make,” he said. “Policies which will make a real, genuine difference for so many communities.”

He also reiterated that Plaid Cymru was best placed to prevent Reform UK from gaining influence in Wales, warning that the threat posed by the party was “very real”.

Heated

The comments come amid a heated political backdrop, with the future direction of Wales and the wider UK increasingly in focus.

At the weekend, First Minister Eluned Morgan warned there was a “danger” the United Kingdom could eventually break up if ‘nationalist’ parties gained power across all the devolved administrations.

Appearing on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Baroness Morgan was asked about comments by Scotland’s First Minister, SNP leader John Swinney, who suggested the May elections could spell the “end of the road” for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer if Labour performs badly.

While saying leadership decisions were a matter for Labour’s parliamentary group, the First Minister acknowledged that pressure on the Prime Minister would be inevitable if the party suffered significant losses.

Constitutional consequences

She also warned of wider constitutional consequences, noting that Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill is already First Minister in Northern Ireland and that the SNP could retain power in Scotland.

“I think there’s a real possibility” the UK could break up in future, Baroness Morgan said. “The elections in May could have profound implications, not just for Wales and its public services, but for the whole of the United Kingdom. The danger is real.”