Welsh election is referendum on Starmer’s premiership, says Farage

The Senedd election will be a referendum on Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, Nigel Farage has said.

Speaking at Reform’s Welsh manifesto launch on Thursday, the party leader said the vote in May would “end Labour dominance” in Wales.

Reform and Plaid Cymru have topped recent opinion polls in Wales, where the devolved government has been led by Labour since it was first established more than two decades ago.

Mr Farage told the event in Newport: “May 7 will end Labour dominance in Wales and in particular the Valleys.

“And, if we get this right, we will get rid of the worst Prime Minister any of us have seen in our lifetimes.”

He added: “It’s a Welsh election, but I’m afraid, whether you like it or not, it doubles up as a referendum on Keir Starmer’s premiership.”

At the launch on Thursday, Mr Farage and Reform’s Wales leader Dan Thomas unveiled policies including scrapping the default 20mph speed limit and ending Wales’ status as a Nation of Sanctuary.

The plan was introduced in 2019 to provide support for refugees and asylum seekers, including help accessing health services and advice on integration, with a large proportion of the money spent supporting Ukrainian refugees.

Mr Farage confirmed that a Reform-led Welsh government would have a bespoke scheme for Ukrainian refugees in Wales.

He told journalists after the conference: “The Ukrainian situation is different. These people are genuine refugees.

“You will see with Ukrainians, you will see with genuine refugees, this country has always been very welcoming.

“That isn’t the objection. The objection is to those across the English Channel.

“And many of these things are not just about money, they’re about symbolism and they’re about who you’re putting first.”

Mr Thomas added the party would “put Wales first” by “spending taxpayers’ cash in Wales” after abolishing foreign aid and “prioritising Welsh people for social housing” alongside an end to the use of migrant hotels.

The party has also committed to keeping the NHS free at the point of use, alongside promises to cut waiting times and upgrade hospitals.

Mr Thomas outlined a number of areas in which he said Wales was “going in the wrong direction”, including education, the NHS and the cost of living.

He said: “This is not inevitable, it is the result of political failure.

“For more than a century, Labour, propped up by Plaid Cymru in recent years, have dominated Welsh politics.

“The Conservatives have claimed to be the alternative.

“All have failed to deliver what Wales needs.”

Mr Farage said there would be a published list of costings for the manifesto.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “This is a Tory manifesto in Reform clothing with billions in unfunded promises, thousands of job cuts, and no commitment to keep the NHS out of private profiteering hands.

“Cuts with Reform, ‘expense issues’ and ‘efficiencies’ with Plaid Cymru – both will not be honest about how they would pay for their wish lists.

“Welsh Labour is the only party serious about delivering fairness you feel.”

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage and his Welsh deputy decided to spend most of their speeches talking about issues outside of Wales, with their focus solely on getting their leader into 10 Downing Street and not on how to improve the lives of the people of Wales.

“Reform’s plans, from the devastating economic and human cost of their immigration policies, their climate change denial, to their uncosted finances, would be a disaster for Wales.

“In this election, our nation faces a stark choice – real plans to improve public services with Plaid Cymru, or empty promises and chaos with Reform.”