logo
Reform UK's Nigel Farage's eight election policies for Wales

Reform UK's Nigel Farage's eight election policies for Wales

Wales Onlinea day ago

Reform UK's Nigel Farage's eight election policies for Wales
It includes a pledge to resume coal mining in Wales
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage attends a press conference
(Image: Getty Images )
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has given his first glimpse of policies the party will campaign on ahead of the Senedd election in 2026.
These include resuming coal mining in south Wales and changing the order in which people can access social housing. There is also a pledge to "reopen" the steelworks at Port Talbot- although owner Tata has different plans.

Polling suggests that Reform UK will get its first seats in the Senedd at the election next May. The new look Senedd will have 96 rather than 60 MSs as part of sweeping changes.

A YouGov/Barn Cymru poll asked people their voting intention for the Welsh Parliament in May put Reform UK in second with 25% of the vote. They were only behind Plaid Cymru who were projected to get 30% of the vote and ahead of Labour's 18%. You can read that here. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
In an opinion piece for WalesOnline ahead of a visit to Port Talbot, the party leader has given his first glimpses of policies ahead of the election ahead of a speech at noon today (June 9). There are live updates from that here.
Article continues below
Admitting that Reform is starting from a low base with only a handful of councillors in Wales, he says: "It is clear that the people of Wales want Reform. Our growth in Wales has been extraordinary. We now have almost 11,000 members and tens of thousands of supporters. We are winning Council by-elections in Wales with almost 50% of the vote," he writes.
He has also said: "Welsh politics, we're coming to get you". You can read that here.
His policies are:
Article continues below
More coal mining in Wales . Farage says: "We would allow coal, if suitable, to be mined in Wales".
. Farage says: "We would allow coal, if suitable, to be mined in Wales". Reopen Port Talbot steelworks. Farage says that is, "part of Reform's long-term ambition to reopen the Port Talbot Steelworks but we know this will not be quick or easy".
Farage says that is, "part of Reform's long-term ambition to reopen the Port Talbot Steelworks but we know this will not be quick or easy". Redirect funding to factories. He says Welsh Development Grants would "redirect economic funding from consultants and NGOs to actual factory floors, machinery, and industrial jobs in places like Llanelli, Shotton, and Ebbw Vale."
He says Welsh Development Grants would "redirect economic funding from consultants and NGOs to actual factory floors, machinery, and industrial jobs in places like Llanelli, Shotton, and Ebbw Vale." Set up regional technical colleges. The Reform leader says these would teach welding, plumbing, robotics, electrical trades, and industrial automation
The Reform leader says these would teach welding, plumbing, robotics, electrical trades, and industrial automation End funding to the Welsh Refugee Council. He says: "We would end funding to the Wales Refugee Council and scrap the 'Nation of Sanctuary' for asylum seekers and any funding that goes with it."
He says: "We would end funding to the Wales Refugee Council and scrap the 'Nation of Sanctuary' for asylum seekers and any funding that goes with it." Social housing systems waiting change . The Reform leader says: "We will put the interests of the Welsh people first and make sure that local people go to the front of the social housing queue".
. The Reform leader says: "We will put the interests of the Welsh people first and make sure that local people go to the front of the social housing queue". Stop building housing for asylum seekers . Farage says: "We'd stop the use of any building for asylum seeker accommodation".
. Farage says: "We'd stop the use of any building for asylum seeker accommodation". Cut bureaucracy: He says "Reform UK Senedd will also save hundreds of millions each year by cutting bureaucracy, waste and bad management. The establishment of Welsh DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] will help us uncover where there is woke and wasteful spending and we will make sure those funds are redirected to frontline services."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Welsh FM accused of doing ‘nothing' to protect pensioners from winter fuel cut
Welsh FM accused of doing ‘nothing' to protect pensioners from winter fuel cut

Western Telegraph

time14 minutes ago

  • Western Telegraph

Welsh FM accused of doing ‘nothing' to protect pensioners from winter fuel cut

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, called for Eluned Morgan to apologise to the pensioners affected by the change last winter, arguing the Welsh Government should have stepped in to support those in need. Speaking during First Minister's Questions on Tuesday, Mr Millar said the cut had forced vulnerable people to choose between heating and eating. Baroness Morgan, leader of the Welsh Labour Government, said she was 'absolutely delighted' that the UK Government had reversed the cut for many. The payment, worth up to £300, will be restored to the vast majority of pensioners, with anyone with an income of under £35,000 a year now getting the payment automatically. The decision last July to restrict the winter fuel payment to the poorest pensioners was intended to save around £1.5 billion a year, with more than nine million people who would have previously been eligible losing out. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, announced the partial U-turn on Monday, following significant backlash from charities, opposition MPs and the Government's own backbenchers. Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Millar said: 'Yesterday we saw a screeching U-turn on the winter fuel allowance by Rachel Reeves, after considerable pressure from the Conservative Party. 'You will know that over half a million Welsh pensioners were deprived of their winter fuel payments last year, leaving some very vulnerable people with the unenvious choice of having to choose between heating and eating – it's an absolute disgrace. 'You are meant to stand up for Wales but what did you actually do in terms of this winter fuel allowance? You did absolutely nothing.' Mr Millar argued Baroness Morgan should have implemented a Welsh winter fuel payment or stood up to Sir Keir Starmer and demanded the payment be restored sooner. Baroness Morgan responded that she was 'absolutely delighted' that Sir Keir Starmer had listened to pensioners in Wales and across the country. 'I'm really pleased that because we have made representations to the Prime Minister on this issue that he has changed his mind and that will make a difference to hundreds of thousands of pensioners across Wales this winter, in a country where we do have more older people and housing which is more difficult to heat. 'I don't think that it's bad to listen to people and then to make sure that you respond to them.' Baroness Morgan had previously pushed back against the cut, having called for a 'rethink' in early May, saying it was something 'that comes up time and again'. At the time, the Government said there would 'not be a change to the Government's policy'. On Monday, Ms Reeves suggested that the 'stability we've brought back to the economy' meant the Government was able to change the eligibility threshold for winter fuel payments.

New MSP says by-election win can be ‘springboard' for Labour Holyrood victory
New MSP says by-election win can be ‘springboard' for Labour Holyrood victory

North Wales Chronicle

time40 minutes ago

  • North Wales Chronicle

New MSP says by-election win can be ‘springboard' for Labour Holyrood victory

Davy Russell secured a surprise win in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat last week, defeating the SNP candidate there. His victory came despite SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney repeatedly declaring the contest to be a two-horse race between his party and Nigel Farage's Reform. Welcoming Mr Russell to Holyrood, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar insisted that voters in the constituency 'have led the way in the pathway to electing a Scottish Labour government next year'. Mr Sarwar said: 'Next year we are going to remove the SNP from office and we are going to elect a Scottish Labour government.' With the SNP having been in power in Scotland since 2007, Mr Sarwar said voters in the by-election had 'recognised 18 years of failure from the SNP, wanting to change the government here in Scotland' while at the same time also 'rejecting the poison of Reform in the process'. He insisted that Labour's MSPs and 'fantastic candidates' for the May 2026 Holyrood elections would go on and 'demonstrate how we win that election, demonstrate how we improve the lives of people here in Scotland'. Mr Sarwar added: 'The choice facing the people of Scotland is a third decade of the SNP with John Swinney as first minister or a new direction for Scotland with a Scottish Labour government and me as first minister.' Meanwhile, Mr Russell said he was 'honoured and humbled' to have been chosen as the new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. The seat had been held by Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie, with the by-election called after her death earlier this year at the age of 57. Mr Russell said he was at Holyrood to 'fight' for people from the area, saying: 'I have listened to them for weeks and now I am going to take their case forward, so it is the springboard for Scottish Labour to take the reins and be in charge of the Scottish Government come next May.'

Reform's new chairman once called Farage an idiot
Reform's new chairman once called Farage an idiot

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

Reform's new chairman once called Farage an idiot

The new chairman of Reform UK once called its leader Nigel Farage an 'idiot' and criticised comments by him as 'dangerous'. The remarks by Dr David Bull have emerged after his appointment to the role was announced on Tuesday. He replaces Zia Yusuf, who resigned as Reform's chairman last week before rejoining the party just two days later to take up a different senior position. Dr Bull previously publicly disagreed with Mr Farage over comments he made in 2014 about migrants with HIV. He also shared several posts on his Twitter profile criticising Donald Trump, including calling his first inauguration speech in 2017 'awful'. During his time as Ukip leader, Mr Farage suggested HIV-positive immigrants should not be allowed to come to the UK and receive treatment on the NHS. He said it should not be used as a 'global health service' because of a lack of resources. Sharing an article about Mr Farage's comments, Dr Bull wrote: 'Nigel Farage's comments are ill-judged, prejudiced and dangerous. HIV can affect anyone regardless of sex, race and class'. In the post, still visible online, he added: '#idiot #unhelpful'. Dr Bull, 56, is a long-time ally of Mr Farage and has previously held roles in both Reform and its former iteration the Brexit Party. He served as an MEP for North West England between 2019 and 2020. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Yusuf said he was 'hugely excited' that Dr Bull was taking up the role, adding: 'This party is no longer a start-up. 'I think it's gone to a scale-up phase... the reality is what we need now in a chairman is someone who is an incredible communicator, someone who's loved universally across the party... someone who's going to I think do a better job than me at energising volunteers on the front line.' Mr Yusuf added: 'I wholeheartedly congratulate him, and I know he's going to do an incredible job for us.' Meanwhile, Mr Farage said Dr Bull would come to the chairman's role with 'terrific verve, energy, enthusiasm'. He described him as a 'terrific communicator' and said his 'job is not to get involved with the admin, is not to get involved in the tech' but to 'give leadership to that volunteer army out there of people'. Dr Bull's negative comments about Mr Trump, who is close to Mr Farage, included calling him a 'fool' for saying during the 2016 presidential campaign that he wanted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Commenting on the Republican's first inauguration speech in January 2017, he wrote: 'It's…… um….. awful'. He also condemned Lord Mackinlay, the former Conservative MP, for opposing LGBT-inclusive sex education in schools. Sharing an article by Pink News, an LGBT-led media outlet, in 2017, Dr Bull called him a 'total idiot' and said that 'inclusive' sex education 'must be compulsory'. In 2014, Ukip, when led by Mr Farage, proposed banning sex education in primary schools. But Mr Farage said at the time that he had ' never advocated that policy '. Last year, Mr Farage said there 'perhaps' was not a 'straightforward answer' to what age children should be taught about sex and relationships. In May last year, he told GB News that there was 'little doubt that there are some schools that have been teaching very inappropriate material'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store