Reform UK will be denounced as a “one-man personality cult” by Darren Millar, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, in a key speech at the Welsh Conservative Conference in Llangollen on Saturday. The address is expected to draw a sharp dividing line between the Tories and Nigel Farage’s insurgent Reform party, which continues to gain traction in polls.
With the Senedd elections looming next May and the Conservatives struggling to hold ground in Wales, Mr Millar will seek to rally his party by asserting a clear distinction from Reform UK. A recent YouGov poll placed the Welsh Conservatives in fourth place, trailing Labour, Plaid Cymru, and Reform.
“To anyone tempted by Reform, remember this: There is clear blue water between the Welsh Conservatives and Reform,” he is expected to say. “They are a one-man personality cult – we Welsh Conservatives are a united team. They are a limited company – we are a professional political party. And where they offer slogans – we offer serious solutions.”
The phrase “clear blue water” is a direct counter to the “clear red water” once used by former First Minister Rhodri Morgan to describe the ideological gap between Welsh Labour and Tony Blair’s UK party. Mr Millar’s use of the term aims to stake out a similar ideological space — not within a party, but between two separate political movements.
He will acknowledge frustrations shared by many voters, including concerns about immigration, the financial impact of net zero policies, and what he describes as a “woke agenda”. However, he will insist that Reform’s approach — dominated by bombast and populist rhetoric — is not the answer.
“I get the frustration,” he will say. “I share many of your concerns about unsustainable levels of immigration, the impact of net zero on energy bills and jobs, and the woke agenda. But wagging a finger and shouting about these things from the sidelines is easy. Delivering change is hard — and it requires a credible plan.”
Despite his pointed criticism of Reform, Mr Millar declined on Friday to rule out post-election cooperation with either Reform or Plaid Cymru if it meant ousting Labour from power. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “I’ve made it clear I’ll work with anyone to get rid of this clapped-out Labour government.”
His Llangollen speech is one of the last major platforms he will have before the election campaign intensifies. As such, Mr Millar will use the opportunity to unveil a slate of policy pledges aimed at presenting the Welsh Conservatives as a serious alternative to Labour.
Topping the list is a promise to declare a “health emergency” in Wales and prioritise driving down NHS waiting lists. He will also pledge to ban mobile phones in schools, restore classroom discipline, and introduce immediate expulsion for pupils caught carrying knives.
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Other headline proposals include introducing a Welsh winter fuel payment to replace the UK Government’s means-tested version and cutting the basic rate of income tax by 1p, to be funded through departmental efficiencies.
On infrastructure, Mr Millar will promise to “unfreeze” all road projects halted under current policies and impose a moratorium on new cycle lanes until existing roads are “fixed”.
As Reform continues to chip away at the Conservative base in Wales, Mr Millar’s message is clear: the real battle is not just with Labour but for the soul of the right. Whether his attempt to reclaim credibility for the Conservatives resonates with voters remains to be seen, but Saturday’s speech sets the tone for a fierce contest in the months ahead.
