Rhun ap Iorwerth, the charismatic leader of Plaid Cymru, is set to deliver a scathing address at the party’s spring conference in Llandudno, warning that if elected First Minister following next May’s Senedd elections, he will put Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “on notice”. In what promises to be one of the most spirited speeches in recent Welsh political history, ap Iorwerth is expected to lay bare the shortcomings of the current relationship between Welsh Labour and the UK government—a relationship he deems “a lose-lose for Wales.”
Speaking to party members and the wider media gathering in Llandudno this Friday, ap Iorwerth will criticise the policies that, in his view, have hampered Wales’ progress for decades. “The truth is that the establishment wants to stifle, even obstruct, our ambition,” he is expected to declare. The Plaid Cymru leader has long contended that the current state of Welsh affairs is a direct result of a Labour government that is too cautious, too loyal to Westminster, and too unwilling to assert Welsh interests on the national stage.
If elected, ap Iorwerth promises a radical rebalancing of power. He has stated that the new administration would take responsibility for its own actions, diverging sharply from what he terms the “Tory-inspired benefits cuts” spearheaded by Starmer and his chancellor, Rachel Reeves. These cuts, he argues, have made life increasingly difficult for some of the most vulnerable members of Welsh society. “On one hand, Keir Starmer makes life more difficult for the most vulnerable, and on the other, Eluned Morgan doesn’t want the powers that could make a difference to people’s lives,” he asserted in previous comments. The message is clear: under Plaid Cymru’s leadership, Wales would no longer be a bystander in decisions made in London.
Ap Iorwerth has not shied away from drawing comparisons with Scotland. “The SNP has secured more powers and a better deal for Scotland because of their determination to stand up to Westminster,” he said. In his view, the contrasting fortunes of Scotland and Wales are a stark reminder of what can be achieved when a nation is willing to challenge the status quo. By contrast, he criticises Welsh Labour’s cautious approach, which he believes has led to a stagnation that holds Wales back. “We have a Labour First Minister blinded by party loyalty, too afraid to rock the boat, pandering to Starmer, stuck in the middle of the road and failing to move our nation forward,” ap Iorwerth contended.
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Looking ahead, ap Iorwerth promises that if Plaid Cymru wins the Senedd elections, the relationship between Wales and Westminster will be transformed—radically, yet constructively. “Our vision of Wales—open, inclusive and internationalist—is of a nation where decisions affecting its people are made in Wales for the benefit of its people,” he said. His promise is one of both empowerment and accountability. In his speech, he intends to stress that Wales must be seen as an equal partner in a redesigned Britain, rather than a subordinate member of an unequal union.
A central plank of his policy will be the contentious HS2 issue. Ap Iorwerth warns that there will be “no ducking the HS2 issue” from the UK government. He argues that the funds allocated to the high-speed rail project, which he believes are rightfully owed to Wales, should be redirected to better serve the Welsh people. “The UK Government will have to respond,” he warned, setting the stage for a major policy debate that is likely to reverberate across the nation.
In the wake of recent polling that places Plaid Cymru, Welsh Labour, and Reform neck and neck, ap Iorwerth’s speech is expected to energise his party’s base and appeal to voters seeking a bolder approach to Welsh governance. With longstanding grievances against what he sees as an entrenched political order, the Plaid leader is positioning himself as the catalyst for a long-overdue change. His message is a clear call to action: for Wales to stand on its own two feet, to leverage its unique identity, and to insist on an equitable relationship with a Westminster that has too long dictated the terms of its destiny.
