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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Wales Online
Two more Welsh politicians defect to Nigel Farage's Reform UK
Two more Welsh politicians defect to Nigel Farage's Reform UK The announcement was made as Nigel Farage delivered a keynote speech in Port Talbot Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage speaks at the Plaza on June 9, 2025 in Port Talbot (Image: Getty Images ) Reform leader Nigel Farage has used a keynote speech in Wales to announced that two more Welsh councillors have defected. Speaking in Port Talbot, he announced independent councillors Andrew Barry and David Hughes, both members of Merthyr Tydfil council, have joined Reform UK. They were welcomed to the stage during a speech that has given his first glimpses of policies ahead of the election. Mr Farage said the party would allow coal mining again in Wales and says its long term plan is to "reopen the Port Talbot steelworks". Cllr Barry, who has had the cabinet brief for finance, says he has seen "waste" in the system during his time. He said: "The people making the decisions on those hundreds of thousands of pounds are unelected members of the council. "I see Reform as the only opposition in Wales." You can follow live updates from the speech here. Meanwhile David Hughes, who had previously had the housing and social services brief, spoke of "waste" within councils. "I've come over to Reform because there's so much waste where money is being spent, we need to get into procurement to make sure money is being spent correctly". "It sounds like every Welsh council needs a DOGE," Mr Farage joked. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Article continues below The most recent poll for Wales suggests Reform is in line to take its first seats in the Senedd at the election in May 2026. Its only representation in Wales at the moment is with councillors, but a YouGov/Barn Cymru poll which asked people their voting intention for the Welsh Parliament in May put Reform UK in second with 25% of the vote. Nigel Farage speaks at the Plaza (Image: Getty Images ) 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. In an opinion piece for WalesOnline, the party leader has given his first glimpses of policies ahead of the election. Mr Farage has said the party would allow coal mining again in Wales and says its long term plan is to "reopen the Port Talbot steelworks". The steelworks, owned by Tata, have not closed but its remaining blast furnaces were closed in 2024, with work now ongoing to build an electric arc furnace which will recycle previously-used steel. Thousands of jobs are being lost as part of the change. The Indian-owned company said the blast furnaces were at the end of their operational lives and too expensive to replace. The Port Talbot steelworks were, the company said, losing £1m a day before the blast furnaces were turned off. Reform UK say it would "use Welsh Development Grants to support real industry. We'll redirect economic funding from consultants and NGOs to actual factory floors, machinery, and industrial jobs in places like Llanelli, Shotton, and Ebbw Vale". Nigel Farage speaks at the Plaza (Image: Getty Images ) Nigel Farage has also said the party would also set up "regional technical colleges" for people to have a "path into proper trade". The party would also, it says, stop any building being used for asylum seeker accommodation, end funding to the Welsh Refugee Council and scrap the Welsh Government's "Nation of Sanctuary". It also vowed to set up an Elon Musk style department to cut costs. "A Reform UK Senedd will also save hundreds of millions each year by cutting bureaucracy, waste and bad management." "The establishment of Welsh DOGE will help us uncover where there is woke and wasteful spending and we will make sure those funds are redirected to frontline services," Mr Farage pledges. Article continues below
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Wales Online
Reform UK's Nigel Farage's eight election policies for Wales
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."
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Live updates as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage makes major speech in Port Talbot
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will be in Port Talbot today to give a press conference, laying out his plans for the party in Wales with months to go until a crucial election for his party. The most recent poll for Wales suggests his party is in line to take its first seats in the Senedd at the election in May 2026. Its only representation in Wales at the moment is with councillors, but a YouGov/Barn Cymru poll which 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. In an opinion piece for WalesOnline, the party leader has given his first glimpses of policies ahead of the election. Mr Farage has said the party would allow coal mining again in Wales and says its long term plan is to "reopen the Port Talbot steelworks". The steelworks, owned by Tata, have not closed but its remaining blast furnaces were closed in 2024, with work now ongoing to build an electric arc furnace which will recycle previously-used steel. Thousands of jobs are being lost as part of the change. The Indian-owned company said the blast furnaces were at the end of their operational lives and too expensive to replace. The Port Talbot steelworks were, the company said, losing £1m a day before the blast furnaces were turned off. Reform UK say it would "use Welsh Development Grants to support real industry. We'll redirect economic funding from consultants and NGOs to actual factory floors, machinery, and industrial jobs in places like Llanelli, Shotton, and Ebbw Vale". Nigel Farage has also said the party would also set up "regional technical colleges" for people to have a "path into proper trade". The party would also, it says, stop any building being used for asylum seeker accommodation, end funding to the Welsh Refugee Council and scrap the Welsh Government's "Nation of Sanctuary". It also vowed to set up an Elon Musk style department to cut costs. "A Reform UK Senedd will also save hundreds of millions each year by cutting bureaucracy, waste and bad management. The establishment of Welsh DOGE will help us uncover where there is woke and wasteful spending and we will make sure those funds are redirected to frontline services," Mr Farage pledges. Live updates from the press conference below:
Wales Online
17 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Nigel Farage reveals his vision and promises to Wales
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The 1851 census recorded that more people in Wales were employed in industry than in agriculture, a first for any country, meaning it has the claim to be the first industrial nation. And for a time, Wales was undeniably an industrial powerhouse. Wales once produced almost 60 million tons of coal per year and South Wales alone was the biggest coal exporter in the world. The Cardiff Coal Exchange set the global price for steam coal and Swansea smelted most of the world's copper. Merthyr Tydfil was the world's largest producer of iron and the Port Talbot Steelworks were once the largest steel plant in Europe. Much of that is now gone. Wales's economy lags the UK in jobs, wages & growth and the deindustrialisation of Wales means that GDP per capita is £10,000 less than the UK. For many years Welsh Labour blamed the Conservatives in Westminster for this and, in fact, for all other ills. However, the truth is that Labour are just as much as responsible, if not more so than the Tories. Since the first elections to the then Welsh Assembly in 1999, Labour has been in power in Cardiff Bay for 26 years, the longest term in government of any party in Europe. With Labour now holding office in Westminster, Welsh Labour have no one left to blame. Next May voters in Wales will get the opportunity to vote in the Senedd elections and have the opportunity to not only to pass judgment on Labour's track record but also decide on the future direction of the nation. They can choose from more of the same mismanaged decline from Labour, or they can vote for a party, Reform, that unashamedly wants to see Wales reindustrialise to prosper and grow. Labour closed Wales' only primary steel making furnaces, we want to open them in the long run. We have said and say again that we think it's better to use British coal for British steel than imported coal. Which is why we would allow coal, if suitable, to be mined in Wales as part of Reform's long-term ambition to reopen the Port Talbot Steelworks but we know this will not be quick or easy. A Reform-run Senedd would also use Welsh Development Grants to support real industry. We'll redirect economic funding from consultants and NGOs to actual factory floors, machinery, and industrial jobs in places like Llanelli, Shotton, and Ebbw Vale. We'll also set up regional technical colleges teaching welding, plumbing, robotics, electrical trades, and industrial automation. Every young person who wants to work should have a path into a proper trade. More than that, we will change the way Wales is run. 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. We'd stop the use of any building for asylum seeker accommodation. 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. For WalesOnline's free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here A Reform UK Senedd will also save hundreds of millions each year by cutting bureaucracy, waste and bad management. The establishment of Welsh DOGE will help us uncover where there is woke and wasteful spending and we will make sure those funds are redirected to frontline services. People might say these are lofty ambitions for a party that currently has no representation in the Senedd, but its 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 per cent of the vote. The result in Scotland last week confirmed to us that we if we can do that well in Scotland, then we can win here in Wales. It also made clear that a vote for the Conservatives is a vote for Labour, it's more obvious than ever before that the Tories can't win in Wales. The only party that can end Labour's 26 years of failure in Wales and put the nation on a better path is Reform and I am confident we can do it.
