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ITV News
22-05-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Eluned Morgan to ask Keir Starmer to 'start coughing up' to make up for Wales shortchanges
First Minister Eluned Morgan says she will ask Prime Minister Keir Starmer to 'start coughing up' to make up for areas where Wales has been shortchanged when the two leaders meet on Friday. Baroness Morgan is in London ahead of a meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions being hosted by Sir Keir. It will be the first time she has formally met her fellow Labour leader since setting out a list of concerns in her 'Red Welsh Way' speech earlier this month. In that speech, she said she would 'call out' what she thought were mistakes by the Labour UK Government, saying: 'When Westminster makes decisions that we think will harm the Welsh communities, we will not stay silent." She had also called for her UK colleagues to reconsider cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners. On Wednesday this week, the PM announced a U-turn which will see more pensioners become eligible for the payment. The FM's speech came on the same day as the latest Barn Cymru poll for ITV Cymru Wales which suggested that Labour could fall to third place at next year's Senedd election. The poll showed Labour gaining 18% share of the vote, with Plaid Cymru coming first and winning 30% while Reform UK would come second with 25%. All that will be in the background when Eluned Morgan and Keir Starmer meet on Friday, 23 May. In an interview ahead of that meeting, she told ITV: 'I'll obviously be taking that opportunity to really push the case for those things that I outlined in my Red Welsh Way speech, making sure that we get a fairer deal on things like the railways and coal tips and other issues that are absolutely top of my agenda, where we think we've been hard done by in the past and we want them to make up for it." When asked if that would make the meeting a difficult one, she said: 'Let's see how it goes. But the spending review is coming up. "That's the opportunity for them to make a difference. I'll be pushing that case. I know lots of people pushing the case at the moment, but my job is to stand up for Wales and that's what I'm doing.' She repeated her claim that Wales has been shortchanged under 14 years of Conservative-led UK Government but added that now it falls to her party in power to change things. 'They've had a bit of time to bed in now, so we want some action and that's what I'll be pushing for. They've had a year, more or less. Now's the time for them to start coughing up for us.' The FM met Welsh Labour MPs at a dinner in Soho on Wednesday, with some signs of tension between them. We understand that some MPs had been upset by her Red Welsh Way speech and wanted to reassure her that they were doing their part. The meeting was described as a "bit fraught", although another source insisted that though differences were aired, the night ended with hugs and kisses. Eluned Morgan insisted that it was a happy get-together, saying: 'I spoke to lots last night and they understand and they reassured me that they're making the case as well.' But with a year to go to a difficult election, is now the time to ruffle feathers? 'Look, we were fine last night," she said. "I spoke to lots of MPs last night. They understand that we're under pressure. They understand that there is a need for the UK Labour government to deliver for Wales as well.'
ITV News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Nigel Farage says Wales is now Reform UK's 'priority' ahead of Senedd election next year
Nigel Farage has said Wales is now the priority for Reform following the party's recent success in local elections in England. He also confirmed he will not be the leader in Wales but will kick off his party's Senedd election campaign until a candidate has been chosen. In an extended interview with ITV Cymru Wales' Sharp End programme, the Reform leader said the goal is now to win the most seats in the 2026 Senedd election, taking place in May next year. It follows last week's Barn Cymru poll by ITV Cymru Wales and Cardiff University which predicted Reform would come second if an election were held today, behind Plaid Cymru and ahead of Labour. Reform turned their rising appeal into tangible results earlier this month when they took control of 10 English councils, as well as winning a by-election and installing two mayors. Polling suggests Reform's success was largely from Conservative supporters shifting their vote, but Mr Farage said they are hoping to bring across Labour voters too. "I've got evidence from strong Labour areas in England that on May 1, what happened was people were motivated to go out and vote Reform, turnouts were higher than people thought they were going to be," he said. "What we have do in Wales is to say to people, if you really, really want change, you've got to vote for that change, and it's up to us to articulate clearly what that vision is." In the lengthy interview, Mr Farage discussed how Reform would scrap key Welsh Government policies if they formed the next government such as the 'Nation of Sanctuary' plan, default 20mph speed limits, and a target for one million Welsh speakers by 2050. Watch the full interview on tonight's episode of Sharp End on ITV1 at 10.45pm.
Wales Online
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Welsh Labour falls to third in poll as voters say 'they haven't got a clue'
Welsh Labour falls to third in poll as voters say 'they haven't got a clue' A new poll has shown Labour could fall to third in the Welsh Parliament with Plaid Cymru taking the most seats and Reform UK in second place. The Conservatives would fall to fourth (Image: PA ) A new major poll suggests that Labour is heading towards its poorest performance in the history of devolution, potentially dropping to third place behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK in the next Welsh Parliament elections. Wales Online readers have been debating the issue in our comments section. Released on the eve of the Senedd election anniversary, which will occur on 7 May 2026, the Barn Cymru poll by YouGov for ITV Cymru Wales and Cardiff University indicates a grim forecast for Labour, with their predicted share at just 18%, trailing behind Plaid Cymru's 30% and Reform UK's 25%. Should these figures translate into actual votes, Plaid Cymru would emerge as the largest party with an estimated 35 seats, while Reform UK could secure around 30 seats. Labour would be left with 19 seats, and the Conservatives, who are currently the second-largest party, would fall to fourth place with nine seats. The Lib Dems are expected to gain three seats. The data reflects a shift in support away from Labour towards Reform UK and other left-wing parties, highlighting a general dissatisfaction with both the UK and Welsh governments. It also reveals that traditional Labour voters may opt for Plaid Cymru during Senedd elections. Reacting to the poll results, First Minister Eluned Morgan described them as a "serious wake up call" for her party. She emphasised the gravity of the situation, saying, "That is a wake up call if ever we've seen one. It is a serious challenge for us. It's a serious challenge for UK Labour and I think it means that we all need to think very seriously about delivery on the things that matter to the people of Wales." Dr Larner of Cardiff University's Welsh Governance Centre described recent polling as a "substantial shift" from what has been seen previously. He noted that while polls are only snapshots, they do indicate a trend across the UK. Article continues below Commenter Felix core says: 'We do not need an English nationalist party, Reform, in charge of the WELSH Senedd.' Busa1 thinks: 'The Welsh Labour Party has virtually destroyed Wales during the years since being put in power, all they seem to care about is getting rid of all industry, planting trees and wasting our money on the huge white elephant of Cardiff airport.' Dm68 agrees: 'Labour 'have to deliver on the things that matter to the people of Wales'. Trouble is, it is blindingly obvious to everyone that they haven't got a clue what the people of Wales want!' EUandMe thinks: 'I'll vote for any party that allows me to choose a candidate rather than a party. And if the party also promises to abolish the extra waste in the Senedd then that would be a bonus.' Deankb states: 'I fully expect Labour to have a terrible election in Wales. For far too long, they've taken the electorate for granted. Their decision to cease all road building comes from a party that obviously doesn't commute to work very often. Having said that, I would never, ever vote for Farage. Brexit has been a disaster for the UK, despite Nige telling us we'll be free of the EU & will be drowning in all the extra cash coming our way. He has no plan for the NHS, or education, or anything.' Dm68 pleads: 'For goodness sake don't vote for Plaid. They are Labour in disguise and have shored them up on numerous occasions including the disastrous 20mph.' Jeff2509 replies: '20mph is working to save lives and money. How is that disastrous?' Alex Peters asks: 'If Labour cared about saving lives, why did they take the Winter Fuel Allowance off pensioners?' Gar880 retorts: 'They made it means tested rather than universal. Is there a conversation to be had about the threshold to qualify? I believe so. Also that wasn't Welsh Labour that brought in that specific policy. You don't even know what you're raging against.' 1anj thinks: 'Change is great news. Just what the country needs.' Ironside states: 'I'll be staying home come the next WAE. None of them are worth voting for. None of them will do anything to improve Wales. They will all say they'll do this and that just to get your vote but will never deliver. I've been around long enough to realise what they say and what they are two different things.' Ethel the Frog writes: 'We need a serious look at independence.' PJ372 disagrees: 'Independence would absolutely ruin us, we have no currency of our own, no industry, no army or defence, the list goes on.' Diane1711 points out: 'Don't forget, we had over a decade of Tory ruling and all the money has gone to those who didn't need any more in the first place! They made a mess of all of it, including the NHS and, unfortunately, it's going to take Labour a long time to put things right.' How do you think Wales will vote at the next elections? What do you see as the future for Wales? Have your say in our comments section. Article continues below
ITV News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Plaid Cymru tops ITV Wales poll: A seismic shift which could see Rhun ap Iorwerth as FM
Welsh politics is entering new and unexplored territory. Next May's Senedd election is already going to usher in huge change: more Senedd members and a new voting system which effectively stops any party winning a majority. ITV Wales' poll shows that it could also lead to more dramatic, political change. If it were to become reality, figures suggest the most likely outcome would be a government led by Plaid Cymru, as a minority government doing individual deals to pass legislation and budgets, or in some kind of formal arrangement with Labour and/or the Lib Dems and Greens. This would be seismic. No Welsh Government has ever been led by any party other than Labour since devolution began in 1999. Plaid Cymru has been in government here in Wales before but only as a junior partner. Even given the immense difficulties that running a minority government would bring, the prospect of Rhun ap Iorwerth as First Minister of Wales would be a change few expected to see. Many will see echoes of what happened in Scotland in 2007, when Alex Salmond led the SNP in a minority government with only 47 of the Scottish Parliament's 129 seats. Not only did his vulnerable government survive but the SNP thrived and went on to win a majority in 2011. A Plaid Cymru-led government would also put independence for Wales on the agenda. Salmond's minority government and subsequent victory directly led to the 2014 referendum in Scotland. Could there be a Welsh independence referendum in 2033? The poll suggests that it wouldn't be impossible to envisage an alternative scenario which would see a government led by Reform UK with the support of the Conservatives. There are huge barriers to such an outcome, given Reform's inexperience, Conservative divisions and the fact that it would still probably be a minority government with four other parties who would not countenance working with it. Unlikely, then, but not impossible. For Labour it would be a huge psychological blow. After dominating politics here in Wales for more than a century and leading every Welsh Government since devolution began, it would be devastating. Not only that, but it would cause untold damage to Sir Keir Starmer's UK Government. To lose such a stronghold, as Labour once did with Scotland, would feed into the arguments of opponents who accuse Labour of taking its heartlands for granted and failing to repay the lifelong loyalty of Labour voters here in Wales. It would bolster, too, the arguments of those within Labour who think Sir Keir is leading the party in the wrong direction. Losing Wales could cost him his job as leader and prime minister. This is a poll, it's a snapshot of opinion and a year is a long time in politics. But the Barn Cymru poll from us at ITV Cymru Wales in partnership with Cardiff University and YouGov has been tracking the views of Welsh voters for a decade. This one shows potential dramatic change ahead of us in 2026 and shows what the parties are fighting for. The prizes - and the risks - couldn't be bigger.
ITV News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Labour support collapses as Plaid Cymru and Reform battle it out for Senedd election — ITV poll
Labour support has slumped to a historic low in Wales with Plaid Cymru and Reform UK battling it out to be the biggest party at the 2026 Senedd election, according to an exclusive ITV Cymru Wales opinion poll. The Barn Cymru poll, conducted by YouGov for ITV Cymru Wales and Cardiff University, has revealed that Labour's predicted vote share - 18% - would be their worst result since the advent of devolution if replicated at next year's Senedd election. The poll shows a large increase in Plaid Cymru's vote share, which climbs to 30%, while the support for Reform has also continued to surge to 25%. Senedd voting intention: Plaid Cymru - 30% Reform UK - 25% Labour - 18% Conservatives - 13% Liberal Democrats - 7% Green - 5% Other - 2% Dr Jac Larner, from Cardiff University's Welsh Governance Centre, said: "This poll represents a substantial shift from previous Welsh polls and as always carries the health warnings of a single poll. "However, the results support a broader pattern emerging throughout the UK - both Labour and Conservative parties are experiencing substantial erosion of support, though flowing in different directions, resulting in a newl fragmented four-party political landscape in Wales." How would these poll results translate into Senedd seats? "Modelling indicates Plaid Cymru would emerge as the largest party with approximately 35 seats, followed closely by Reform UK with 30 seats," Dr Larner said. "If these polling figures were replicated in an actual election, Labour would secure 19 seats, while the Conservatives would hold nine seats and the Liberal Democrats three seats. However, it's important to note that 10 of these projected seats fall within a very narrow margin of error (less than 2%), meaning even minor shifts in vote intention could produce a substantially different Senedd composition." Tensions between Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan and Welsh Labour MPs have been mounting in recent months, with the FM telling the party's Westminster representatives they need to do more to stand up for Wales. Meanwhile, the Labour-run UK Government's recent cuts to benefits and winter fuel allowance have been widely unpopular across the country and have been difficult politically for Welsh Labour to defend against attacks from opposition parties. In a speech marking one year to the 2026 Senedd election, Baroness Morgan insisted she 'will not stay silent' if the Westminster leadership make 'decisions that we think will harm Welsh communities'. Sir Keir Starmer's popularity continues to fall among Welsh voters, with ITV's Barn Cymru poll revealing that the majority think he is doing a bad job as prime minister. We asked: How well or badly do you think Keir Starmer is doing as the prime minister? Voters said: Very well 3%; Fairly well 24%; Fairly badly 26%; Very badly 36%; Don't know 11%. Eluned Morgan could argue her party's unpopularity comes largely from UK Government decision-making. However, the poll revealed just 23% of those who answered think she is doing a good job as first minister. 43% said she is performing badly, while 34% didn't know either way. Labour in an 'increasingly precarious position' The Labour party in Wales is not primarily losing former supporters to Reform UK, but instead experiencing more substantial defections to other progressive parties, Dr Larner says. He added: "The evidence parallels trends seen in England. In the Welsh context, Plaid Cymru emerges as the principal beneficiary, currently enjoying some of their strongest historical polling numbers. This shift reflects not only current dissatisfaction with both the UK and Welsh governments, but also builds upon a long-established pattern wherein Labour's Westminster voters frequently show preferences for Plaid Cymru during Senedd elections. "Labour finds itself in an increasingly precarious position, as even a modest additional shift of their voters toward Reform UK could trigger snowballing seat losses given the narrow margins in several constituencies. "Plaid Cymru remain well-positioned in this fragmented landscape, poised to capitalise on both anti-incumbent sentiment and their established role as the progressive alternative to Labour in Wales, with a distinct national identity appeal that neither Reform nor the Conservatives can match." The Conservative Party suffered a wipeout in Wales at the last UK General Election and the Senedd voting intention poll puts them in fourth place, with just 13% of the vote. New Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar has yet to make his mark, with the majority of those polled not knowing if he is performing well in the role. Just 10% said he is doing well, with 37% saying he is doing badly. Dr Jac Larner says these results represent one of the Conservatives' poorest showings in Welsh polling over the past two decades. He added: "Their traditional support base continues to migrate significantly toward Reform UK at both Senedd and Westminster levels. "Reform UK will undoubtedly be encouraged by achieving their strongest ever performance in a Welsh opinion poll (exceeding even the Brexit Party's previous high watermark of 23% in 2019). These figures suggest Reform UK is positioned to establish itself as the predominant right-of-centre party appealing to the British-identifying bloc of the Welsh electorate." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch's popularity has drastically fallen over the last five months, with the majority (52%) of those polled saying she is doing a bad job. Just 15% think she is doing well, while 32% don't know either way. ITV Cymru Wales' survey also asked how those polled would cast their vote in a Westminster election, with Labour making losses to the benefit of Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. Westminster voting intention Plaid Cymru - 24% Reform UK - 24% Labour - 20% Conservative - 13% Liberal Democrats - 9% Green - 7% Other - 2%
