Reform UK refuses to take part in first Senedd election debate
Martin Shipton
Reform UK has been strongly criticised for refusing to take part in the first broadcast debate of 2026 in advance of May’s Senedd election.
BBC Radio Wales’ Sunday Supplement programme is hosting the hour-long debate at 8am on Sunday January 4.
The debate will be moderated by BBC Wales’ political editor Gareth Lewis.
Five of Wales’ six main parties will be represented on the programme, but Reform UK declined the invitation to take part.
Nation.Cymru asked BBC Wales whether Reform had offered an explanation for its non-appearance. A BBC spokesperson told us: “Reform did not provide an explanation.”
Those participating in the debate will be James Evans MS for the Welsh Conservatives, Green Party Wales leader Anthony Slaughter, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS for Labour, Cllr Rodney Berman for the Welsh Liberal Democrats and Mabon ap Gwynfor MS for Plaid Cymru.
Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru’s Health and Social Care spokesperson, told us: “Reform are seeking to use Wales purely for their own gain, yet their utter contempt towards us demonstrates itself time and again, be it in Farage’s refusal to appoint a Welsh leader, by having no policies or interest in getting to grips with the issues we face, or by refusing to turn up to important debates. Why should people trust a party that is so happy to duck scrutiny?
“The people of Caerffili refused to be taken for granted in this way last year and chose hope over hate when they elected Plaid Cymru’s positive vision over Reform’s damaging rhetoric.
“This May, people can make that choice across Wales and choose a party that will never take our communities for granted, and will always stand up for Wales. That party is Plaid Cymru.”
‘Stepping stone’
A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Reform UK’s decision not to be involved in this debate is further proof that they don’t care about Wales or what is at stake in this election.
“Reform UK have no leader in Wales, they’ve no plan for Wales and are using the people of Wales as a stepping stone for Farage in Westminster.
“While some parties focus on headlines, Welsh Labour is focused on delivery: better public services, fairer opportunities, and a stronger future for every community.”
A spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives said: “It’s very disappointing and concerning that Reform is refusing to subject itself to scrutiny in this way.
“They are a party that is very good at producing glib soundbites, but they are very bad at devising credible policies or solutions for Wales or anywhere else in the UK.
“Serious political parties will relish any opportunity to present their case on a media platform, and to let voters make choices accordingly. It speaks volumes that Reform turns down the first opportunity to take part in a Senedd election debate in 2026.
“For anyone wanting a sensible centre right alternative to 27 years of failure by Welsh Labour, the only party to vote for in May is the Welsh Conservatives.”
A Welsh Liberal Democrats Spokesperson, said:
“Reform UK talk tough online but runs scared when faced with Welsh voters. Refusing to attend the first Senedd election debate, while hiding their candidates, their leader and their policies, is the behaviour of cowards, not a serious political party.
“If Reform can’t say who they are or what they stand for in Wales, people are entitled to ask what they’re hiding. Democracy means showing up. Reform repeatedly chooses to duck.”
We asked Reform UK to explain its non-appearance, but the party did not respond to our message.
Leader debates
Recently we reported how BBC Wales has yet to make a decision on whether Nigel Farage, who will not be a candidate in the Senedd election, should be allowed to represent the party in televised leader debates during the campaign. Opponents of Reform argue that the party is a personality cult built around Mr Farage and that it doesn’t have a potential First Minister candidate with anywhere near the same charisma or debating skills as him.
ITV Wales has already decided that Mr Farage, as a non-candidate, would not be permitted to take part in any debates that it screens.
The election will take place on May 7. So far Reform is the only party not to name any of its candidates.
The final YouGov Senedd election poll for 2025 showed Plaid Cymru in the lead on 33% , Reform UK on 30%, Labour and the Conservatives both on 10%, the Green Party on 9%, the Liberal Democrats on 6% and other parties on a total of 3%.
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Then the mass media should not report anything that deform utter at all until they agree to attend the debate or until after the elections preferably.
Can we just pretend that those-who-must-not-be-named don’t exist? Honestly, sometimes not turning on the news for a day is a massive stress reliever.
We can try but they use social media. They stay connected while we have wool in our ears and eye patches on.
mainly by using bots!
I wonder if a low turnout at elections is partially a response to being bombarded by news media and these mind-numbing American style debates. Most people will have already decided anyway. In Caerffili I think many were voting for their Cymreictod.
The Reform reprobates probably don’t get up early enough to take part in an 8am debate.
Well done ITV for reaching the decision not to allow Farage to take part in debates on the Senedd Elections, given it basically has nothing to do with him as he is not a candidate. Not sure why the BBC can’t easily reach the same decision.
Reform have placed their entire trust in the discontentment they believe the public have and the 5 million they are going to throw at the campaign- filled with lies and division. A belief that will see no Welsh leader, no policies and no participation in debates. It backfired in Caerphilly – hopefully it’ll backfire nationally too.
The problem is Reform UK will claim that the Welsh establishment are out to get them, and unfortunately some people will eat this up. Donald Trump played this strategy in the run up to the Republican primaries and sadly it worked.
The empty chair could have a picture of Nathan Gill since he has never been formally replaced as their leader in Wales.
We could have a video link to his prison cell at HMP Hull, it may show cellmates Bruce and Quentin doing to Gill what Farage and Reform will do to Cymru.
The non attendance may be a sensible strategy for any party.
A significant portion of voters will not follow tv / radio debates and will be more influenced by social media (under 60s), advertising (under 40s) and meeting political parties in person at their doors (most ages).
Labour do have the advantage of supporters to go around Wales and social media (number of supporters / expertise of managing campaigns).
I agree. These “debates” are a joke. Machine politicians repeating party talking points.
Same with the UK media too. Will avoid policy scrutiny at all costs. Don’t quite understand why people don’t analyse their policies regarding the economy, education, NHS etc to show how mad they are but there you go.
Clips from the debates will be shared on socials.
Llyr was shown up last time. BBC host tried to go to a lady and turned out to be the lads mum who waded in some more into to Llyr.
BBC wont be good at this. They never are.
Never mind. Put a tub of lard on his chair. Worked for HIGNFY.
Probably got better policies too.
Where’s Gareth Beer when they need him?
The only reason these clowns have got this far is because of the unbelievable bias of the English media. They faced more scrutiny from the Welsh media before the Caerphilly by election and they totally collapsed. The sooner we become Independent and escape from this lunatic asylum the better
‘Five of Wales’ six main parties will be represented on the programme, but Reform UK declined the invitation to take part.’
First time that I’ve found myself in agreement with the Farageists on anything. Because since they have nothing whatever positive to offer to Welsh voters, there’s no point whatsoever in them participating in the programme.
6 ‘main’ political parties? In Wales? This 1960s tv format has finally died. 2026 election is Wales v England so its not hard to pick the correct team to support. Reform will learn to concentrate on England after May. So we all gain
No response, no appearance and total silence from the thugs of ‘free speech’. They are trying to work out if they can find any answer to a question other than immigracism. I think Farij has found out that Gareth Lewis, the man who tore him apart, is putting the questions, has sh*t himself and ordered his underlings to the bunker.
From a parry that’s disgusting enough to be racist, backwards enough to detest Cymru, dangerous enough to want remove the online safety laws and corrupt enough to employ known abusers then they’re definitely cowardly enough not to appear to answer questions.
This is hardly surprising. The whole discourse of Reform UK counsellors in Wales seems to be about the UK and never specifically about Wales. Of what possible relevance would they be in our country, and what contribution could they make to debates in the Senedd after May? They have few if any Wales-specific policies, except re-opening the coal mines…
They want us to vote for them but they won’t lay out their election platform and won’t engage in democratic debates.
Becoming an elected representative is a privilege and a responsibility, not some inalieable right of those who only wish to govern to exclusively advantage themselves.
Remember this arrogant sense of entitlement at the ballot box in May.
This should be on every Bill Board in Wales, Reform are gutless wind bags with no plan for UK not just Wales.
Reform’s policy platform: “For Wales, see England”.