Plaid Cymru unveils Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd candidates ahead of 2026 election

Emily Price

Plaid Cymru has confirmed its team of candidates for the new Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd Senedd constituency ahead of the 2026 election.

The party is aiming to return a strong group of Senedd Members to represent Neath and the East of Swansea, the Swansea Valley and south Powys next year.

It comes following a major opinion poll that put Plaid Cymru on course to become the largest party in the Senedd – ahead of Reform, Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

Reforms

From next year the Senedd will increase from 60 Members to 96 with fewer and larger constituencies created by pairing up Wales’ 32 Westminster seats into 16 super constituencies.

The changes backed by Labour and Plaid Cymru will see votes cast for political parties instead of individual candidates.

Current South Wales West regional Senedd Member Sioned Williams will top Plaid’s list for the new Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency.

Williams grew up in the Gwent valleys and previously worked as journalist for BBC Wales.

She was a community councillor for Alltwen and chair of cilybebyll community council  before being elected as Member of the Senedd in the 2021 election.

Williams said: “Serving my home area for the last four years in the Senedd has been a huge honour, and I am delighted to have been selected as the lead candidate of a strong and dedicated Plaid Cymru team for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.

“Plaid Cymru stands for a better Wales –  a fairer Wales, greener and more equal Wales –  and I am proud every day to be part of that mission.

“And while I think Plaid Cymru have very successfully held the Welsh Labour Government to account and advocated for our values and policies during this Senedd term, it is now time for us to lead the government, because there is so much inequality to challenge, so many services to defend, and too many communities, like ours, being left behind.

“We are a team who are rooted in our local communities, who will always put the needs of Wales first, fighting for the fairness and the real change that people in this area, who have already shown that they had enough of being ignored by the UK parties, say they want to see.”

‘Change’

Neath Port Talbot County Councillor for Trebanos, Rebeca Phillips, will also stand on Plaid’s list for the Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency alongside Neath based community activist Andrew Jenkins and Justin Horrell – a councillor for Abercraf on Ystradgynlais town council

The team say they are pledging to deliver “the real change” that people across Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd are “crying out for”.

Rebeca Phillips, said: “It has been an enormous privilege to have served Plaid Cymru and the residents of Trebanos for the last 13 years.

“Since the creation of our Senedd, the Labour party has dominated and as a result our health service is on its knees, education standards are falling and our public services are suffering.

“We in Plaid Cymru know that we can, and must, do better. I hope that the people of Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd will put their faith in us – the only credible party that will always put Wales first and ensure that our area is strongly represented in the Senedd.”

Andrew Jenkins said: “Whether waiting in line at the school gates or the bus stop, people tell me they have had enough of being ignored  or forgotten about by this Welsh Labour Government.

“Working within this fantastic team of community champions, I will take the message out across Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd that a Plaid Cymru Government will deliver the real change our communities want, need, and deserve.”

Support

IT consultant and Abercraf Councillor Justin Horrell said: “Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd is a vast and diverse constituency, but one united by a need for change. I look forward to campaigning as part of this strong team across the area to earn people’s support and bring Plaid Cymru’s message of fairness and ambition to every community.”

Plaid Cymru could become the largest party in the Senedd in next May’s elections with current polls predicting 30% of the vote, ahead of Reform UK on 25%, Labour on 18% and Tories on 13%.

Shadow cabinet secretary for health and Brecon and Radnorshire MS James Evans will stand for the Tories in the new Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd super constituency.

Evans was born and raised in Brecon on his family’s farm.

He has a passion for the outdoors, agriculture and protecting the valuable role that industry plays in the constituency he represents.

The Senedd’s only Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds will be her party’s lead candidate for the seat.

The Lib Dem leader was key to the Welsh Government’s recent pledge to ban greyhound racing in Wales after she struck a budget deal with Labour.

Dodds was born and raised in Wrexham but now lives in Hay on Wye with her husband.

Welsh Labour have yet to announce their list of candidates for the Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency.