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Conservative leaders will not rule out deals with Reform and Plaid in Wales

By Emily Price
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (left) and leader of Plaid Cymru Rhun ap Iorwerth taking part in a BBC Election Debate Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Conservative Party leaders have not ruled out doing deals with Reform UK or Plaid Cymru following next year’s Senedd elections in Wales.

Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, and Darren Millar, her Welsh counterpart, have kept the option of working with other parties to form the next Welsh government on the table.

The Conservatives are preparing for the Senedd election in May next year, which will be the first held under a new proportional voting system.

While Ms Badenoch previously ruled out working with Reform at a UK level, she has not objected to local coalitions.

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Welsh Conservative Conference

Speaking to the PA news agency at the Welsh Conservative Conference in Llangollen on Friday, the party leader declined to rule out working with Plaid or Reform in Wales.

She said: “I keep getting asked about coalitions and deals, and I don’t answer that question, because I think once you start talking about coalitions and deals, what the public hears is a ‘stitch-up’.

“I need to say what the Conservative way is, what our offer is, let’s wait until the election before we start talking about coalitions and deals.

“We’re not stitching anything up. What we’re doing is working as hard as we can for the people of this country.”

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National interest

Mr Millar, in a separate interview, added: “I’ve made it clear that I will work with anybody in the national interest to get rid of this clapped out Labour government, that is what I am prepared to do, because it’s in the national interest to see the back of them.

“I am determined to get the Conservatives into government in Wales. That is my mission.”

The comments come as the party faces a difficult race in Wales, with a recent YouGov poll putting the Welsh Tories in fourth place on 13% at the next election, behind Plaid Cymru, Reform UK and Labour.

Mr Millar said the polling had motivated him to “work my socks off” to win back voters.

He said: “I think that if we can enthuse people, put some hope in their hearts, demonstrate what we would do as a credible alternative government, and if they consider the options available to them.

“There’s no point in voting Plaid, there’s no point in voting for the Liberal Democrats, because all they’ve done it prop the Labour Party up and who on earth would take a risk with Reform, it’s a limited company, not a political party, without any credible, realistic policies.”

He added: “I’m determined to get as many seats in that next Senedd as possible, and it is perfectly possible for us to be the largest party in that Senedd, I believe, under the new voting system.

“And that’s what I’m determined to do.”

Last week, Plaid Cymru’s leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, ruled out working with Reform to form the next Welsh government and said he could not see a “formal relationship with the Conservatives”

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12 comments

Alwyn

First time Kemi Badenoch hAs shown any interest in, or said anything about, Wales. We might as well not exist as far as she’s concerned

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Baxter

When Labour took the blame for the global oil crises in the 70s, the Cons milked it for decades. The Cons should expect the same back at them for their self-inflicted economic sanctioning.

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Y Cymro

Highly unlikely Plaid Cymru would ever do a deal with such a far-right English imperialist party that wants to not only abolish our Senedd Cymru since its inception. That wants desperately to control and privatise our Welsh NHS through the back door. A party who arrogantly refused point blank to devolve powers requested by our democratically elected Welsh Government, who had a mandate by the way, unlike them in Wales, to fulfill promises made in their manifesto. What about your party's refusal to devolve Policing and Criminal Justice system to our Senedd, a power enjoyed by the other nations including England but not Wales. What about the 2017 devolution afforded to Scotland to create a national bank holiday to celebrate Saint Andrew but not to Wales. We were Britain's first Christians , have the oldest Celtic church, who have have celebrated Britain's only native saint since 1120AD. Remember how the Tories cynically dissolved the Welsh Government Trade Union Act (Wales) 2017 passed by majority in our Senedd protecting striking workers. I do. What about how you stole Welsh Government Structural Funding admin powers. Also our EU Brexit powers that should have come back to Wales that were part of areas already devolved like Agriculture etc... How during the height of the Covid pandemic again when your then cabinet bypassed the Senedd by putting 300 asylum seekers in a disused ex-Army camp with not enough PPE supplies only then to remove them and charged the rate payers in Pembrokeshire the cost. Due to stealing the Senedd admin power cynically handed out funding that should have gone to to deprived communities favouring Tory voting & red wall constituencies, most who normally wouldn't have qualified for aid. You then effectively created a competition putting region against region , constituency against constituency, so that they fought over money like two beggars over a bone. Sorry Kemi Badenoch. But your Conservative party is toxic. Anyway, your time in the sun will soon by over as the knives are already being sharpened by the shadowy extremists in your party to remove you and install that political pillock Robert Jenrick. So vote Reform in Wales, get the Conservative party. Vote Conservative, get more of the same with Reform. They and you are one and the same party. Cut from the same cloth. It's like putting glitter on a Tory turd. Still a turd. I suggest those who care vote Plaid Cymru next May 2026. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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Llyn

After a Lab/Plaid and Reform/Tory coalition a Plaid/Tory looks most likely. Sadly with the rise of Reform not sure Plaid can be so choosy as to rule out a coalition with the Tories. Obviously all this is for after the election.

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Y Cymro

Any Plaid agreement or coalition, God forbid it, with the Welsh Conservatives would be a momentous mistake on 2010 Liberal Democrat proportions. There would have to be very exceptional circumstances. You know. Hell freezing over. And what any coalition has it to do with Kemi Badenoch? Best she stayed on her turf and stayed off ours. Keep off our grass. Whose the Tory leader in Wales? Her or Darren Millar. I take it you have been following recent rumblings in the Welsh Conservative party? What would Darren Millar offer First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and a Plaid Cymru Welsh Government? Very little. They have nothing in common. In my opinion. They would be a Tory Trojan horse continually briefing their English masters in London while undermining Wales from within. The Welsh Conservatives would certainly not support the same right afforded to Scotland in 2014 with an independence referendum. Although no referendum would occur in the first term, this confirmed by Rhun ap Iorwerth. Look, the Welsh Conservatives didn't want any increase of Senedd members from 60 to 96, although we're happy to see PM Rishy Sunak cut 8 MPs from Wales and England increase England's tally by 10, meaning we have 32 MPs and England 542 MPs. And only recently it was revealed a split in the Welsh Conservative party about anti-devolution candidates being not happy about Darren Millar's begrudging acceptance of devolution. So if the Tories &:Reform had their way they'd abolish our Senedd Cymru and Wales would return to being seen and not heard. Is this what you want? And less we forget. Plaid Cymru led went into coalition with a minority Welsh Labour government in 2007 with the "One Wales Agreement" because they had a shared value. Both were pro-devolution. Don't forget. Thanks to Plaid as part of the "One Wales Agreement" was a legislative power referendum their reward. The Welsh Conservatives didn't want it, although they accepted the result only through gritted teeth. But since have become entrenched in their opposition to further powers to the Senedd. This is why Wales should for once vote a majority Plaid Cymru Welsh Government and not make the mistake of embracing those who seek to harm our hard fought Senedd democracy in turn Wales, because they will.

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In reply to Y Cymro

Llyn

What would be better for Wales. A Reform/Tory coalition or a Plaid/Tory coalition? Any Plaid supporter would be out of their minds if they'd prefer the former.

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In reply to Y Cymro

Rob

Quote: Any Plaid agreement or coalition, God forbid it, with the Welsh Conservatives would be a momentous mistake on 2010 Liberal Democrat proportions. There would have to be very exceptional circumstances. You know. Hell freezing over. The difference is Rhun ap Iorweth would be the First Minister, and his face would be the recognition of Welsh politics. It would be the Welsh Tories who would be the junior partner like the Lib Dems were in the early 2010s. Quote: Don’t forget. Thanks to Plaid as part of the “One Wales Agreement” was a legislative power referendum their reward. The Welsh Conservatives didn’t want it, although they accepted the result only through gritted teeth. But since have become entrenched in their opposition to further powers to the Senedd. Not true. The Tories under Nick Bourne and David Melding were very much in favour of legislative powers, It was under R2D2 Davies when they reverted back to the hard line unionist outlook. I'm not a tory voter but I would rather they had momentum than Reform.

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Undecided

Reform are most unlikely to take power as the polls stand (and given who will/won’t work with other parties). However, Farage may perversely be doing Wales a favour by opening up a debate on the future model of the NHS. We can’t carry on pumping more and more money into the current model whilst the service actually deteriorates to the point of collapse. There will soon be no money left for anything else.

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Jeff

Cons will make a deal with the devil to get power. Then we all suffer. Kemi went very quiet after meeting Vance when musk attacked two Labour MP's. Orders received and it will filter to the leaders in Wales.

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Nobby Tart

I’m still fully expecting RT to be a Reform member in time for next years elections.

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Annibendod

Funny he says that because I don't think there's any point voting Tory because they are fanboys/girls for the economic & constitutional structures choking the life out of Cymru. As for coalitions Plaid candidates are trying to put as much distance between the party and the Reform-Cons as possible. They're not keen on any formal arrangements with anyone to be honest. There's an acceptance that you work with whom the Welsh electorate elects, but that will be case by case, looking for common ground on our policies if we are in a position to form a government.

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Rob

If the Welsh Tories can take votes away from Reform then how is that not a bad thing? I would much prefer centre-right voters ticking a cross for the Tories under Darren Miller than for Reform UK. Furthermore if a combined Plaid+Tory+LD seat share is enough to form a government, then that gives Plaid bargaining power against Labour.

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Replying to Baxter Cancel

When Labour took the blame for the global oil crises in the 70s, the Cons milked it for decades. The Cons should expect the same back at them for their self-inflicted economic sanctioning.

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