Plaid leader says Senedd election is ‘stark choice’ as campaign enters final week

The leader of Plaid Cymru has said voters face a “stark choice” at next week’s Senedd election, as he claimed the contest has become a direct battle between his party and Reform UK.

Speaking ahead of a campaign event in Pontypridd, Rhun ap Iorwerth said Labour’s long period in government in Wales should come to an end after more than two decades in power.

With polling suggesting a close race ahead of the May 7 vote, both Plaid Cymru and Reform UK are vying to emerge as the largest party in the Senedd.

Mr ap Iorwerth said:

“We have one week left to change Wales for good.

“Labour have had their day.

“The sun is setting on 27 years of missed opportunities and managed decline.

“And the spectre of Reform is causing anxiety and unease among communities already wrangling with those rising totals at the supermarket till and the petrol pump.

“Only Plaid Cymru offers new hope to Wales.

“Only Plaid Cymru has a clear vision and a credible plan to put our nation on a new path towards fairness and prosperity.”

Recent polls have indicated that no single party is likely to secure an outright majority, raising the prospect of coalition talks or agreements between parties after the election.

Mr ap Iorwerth said that if he becomes First Minister, he would seek to find “common ground” with others who share his party’s values.

“The choice between the two futures facing Wales a week today could not be starker,” he added.

“It is a straight fight between Plaid Cymru and Reform.

“So, if you believe in Wales, if you care about our communities, if you value our NHS and want to keep our country free from Trumpian politics, there is only one option.”

The latest YouGov poll for ITV Cymru Wales suggested a tightly contested race, forecasting Reform UK on 37 seats, Plaid Cymru on 36, and Welsh Labour on 12 in the 96-member Senedd.