Plaid Leader talks Reform, healthcare, and change on first stop of national tour
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth chose Wrexham as the first stop on his new national tour last week, kicking off a series of public meetings across Wales ahead of next year’s Senedd election.
Speaking briefly to our sister site Wrexham.com before the event, Mr ap Iorwerth said the “Leaders Tour” focuses on listening directly to people, shaping Plaid Cymru’s vision for government, and providing an alternative to what he described as the “establishment politics” of Labour and the rising Reform party.
When asked about a similar “listening tour” by First Minister Eluned Morgan, which attracted some criticism, he said: “I’m not going to pitch myself versus whatever the First Minister did last year. This is, from my point of view, part of what I do every day in politics, all about listening to people, being in tune with what is important to people.”
He added: “We don’t put together a programme for government for our own sake, we do it because we think there are issues that need resolving, and they need innovative answers to resolve them. All that intelligence comes from the people that we serve.”
Mr ap Iorwerth explained the current tour will visit every constituency in Wales ahead of the May 2026 Senedd election, emphasising that wherever people are, “their views matter and their concerns matter.”
“It is great to be here in Wrexham with the first one today, just before the Eisteddfod as well, a busy summer for Wrexham,” he said. “Wrexham is a big part of our plans for the future of Wales.”
The Plaid leader spoke about the rising popularity of the Reform party, which has increased from around 1% to the high twenties in polls and even leads in some. Asked if the election might become a contest of personalities, such as himself versus Nigel Farage, Mr ap Iorwerth said: “It does seem as if it’s Plaid Cymru versus Reform when it comes to who will take that mantle from Labour as the leading party in Wales.”
He described Labour as “the establishment” in Wales, having led Welsh Government for 26 years, and said there is now a challenge from two parties, though only one is genuinely rooted in Welsh interests.
“Reform is a product of what’s happening in global politics at the moment. They don’t have candidates or a leader in Wales. What we have in Plaid Cymru is a party that absolutely focuses on what’s in our interests as a nation.”
Asked about past criticism that Plaid Cymru both opposes and supports Labour administrations, Mr ap Iorwerth said cooperation is necessary in a political system where no party has ever had a majority.
“There needs to be an element of stability. Otherwise, we have elections every few months and that is not in anybody’s interests.”
He described Plaid Cymru as offering “a different kind of leadership, a new tone, a high level of ambition for Wales, a new level of energy and new and fresh ideas, which we need after 26 years.”
Responding to the contrast between Plaid Cymru’s campaigning and Reform’s well-funded, slick online campaign, Mr ap Iorwerth said Reform receives significant funding from interests like oil and gas companies, but Plaid Cymru focuses on a distinct message and effective grassroots campaigning.
“We knock those doors and we have those conversations,” he said.
Turning to local health issues, Mr ap Iorwerth acknowledged the deep challenges facing the health board and said improvements would not happen overnight, pointing to plans for better cooperation between health boards, workforce sustainability, and increased investment in preventative healthcare.
He said: “I’ve said we will increase the preventative spend year on year. Preventative spend has been cut in recent years by Labour. We are never going to have a sustainable health service if we become an ever less healthy nation.”
Regarding social care funding and local council budget pressures, Mr ap Iorwerth emphasised the need for social care and health to work together with aligned budgets, describing current budget protectionism as unhelpful.
He said: “Unless you can have that step-down facility and you’re properly investing in social care, you’re not going to resolve the problem in hospitals.”
On Plaid Cymru’s calls for fair funding from Westminster and devolving control of the Crown Estate, he acknowledged these are out of Welsh Government’s direct control but said a future First Minister must hold the UK Government to account.
“The very best example recently is the decisions around the comprehensive spending review on rail investment… we have to have a First Minister in Wales who calls that out.”
Finally, on migration, a frequent topic among Wrexham.com readers, Mr ap Iorwerth said Plaid Cymru wants to be a “Nation of Sanctuary” while also having control over visa schemes tailored to Wales’ specific labour needs, especially in social care.
He said: “Plaid Cymru wants to make sure that the resource goes in to make sure we’re able to process people, and decide who genuinely is fleeing persecution and needs to be protected.”
He cautioned against the “weaponising” of migration issues and said Wales has shown tolerance and openness over the years.
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