What is plaid cymru?

Plaid Cymru, meaning the Party of Wales, is a centre-left Welsh nationalist party that supports independence for Wales and promotes the Welsh language. Founded in 1925, it won the most seats at the May 2026 Senedd election and now leads the Welsh Government as a minority administration.

Plaid Cymru was founded in 1925 to protect Welsh language and culture. It won its first Westminster seat in 1966. It campaigned for devolution and helped win the 1997 referendum that created the National Assembly, now the Senedd. Between 2007 and 2011 it governed Wales in coalition with Labour. It also backs a bilingual Wales and stronger Welsh-medium education. It wants more powers too.

At the May 2026 Senedd election, the first using closed-list proportional voting for an expanded 96-seat Senedd, Plaid won 43 seats. Reform UK won 34 and Labour, which had led every Welsh government since 1999, fell to nine. Plaid formed a minority government, and its leader was elected First Minister on 12 May 2026 with Green support. It needs other parties' votes.

Plaid's policies include long-term independence for Wales, fairer funding from Westminster, the Welsh language, public services and tackling child poverty. It also wants control over the Crown Estate in Wales and more powers over justice. It held four seats at Westminster after the 2024 general election. Plaid also wants a fairer funding formula, replacing the Barnett formula for Wales, and devolution of rail infrastructure.

Led by Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid runs a minority Welsh Government after winning 43 of 96 seats in May 2026. Platform: cut NHS waits, universal childcare, fairer funding and more powers for Wales, with independence a long-term aim.

Key pledges

• Open 10 new surgical hubs for operations such as hips, knees and cataracts
  Open 10 new surgical hubs in Wales, dedicated to planned operations such as hips, knees and cataracts.
• Add 100 GPs this Senedd term and appoint a minister for public health
  Add 100 more GPs in Wales over the Senedd term and appoint a minister just for public health.
• Universal childcare: 20 free hours a week, 48 weeks a year, for children aged 9 months to 4
  Every child aged 9 months to 4 would get 20 hours of free childcare a week, for 48 weeks of the year.
• Free school meals for secondary pupils in Universal Credit households, with no income limit
  Secondary pupils in families on Universal Credit would get free school meals, whatever the family income.
• Pilot a £10 a week child payment for under-6s in low-income families, and seek the powers to extend it
  Trial a £10 a week payment for children under 6 in low-income families, and ask for the powers to roll it out.
• Cap annual rent rises at the lower of wage growth or inflation, and end no-fault evictions
  Annual rent rises would be capped at wage growth or inflation, whichever is lower, and landlords could not evict without a reason.
• Raise public spending with Welsh suppliers from 55% to at least 70%, via a new development agency
  Raise the share of Welsh public sector spending that goes to Welsh firms from 55% to at least 70%, through a new development agency.
• No rise in Welsh income tax under current powers; seek the power to set Welsh tax bands
  Welsh income tax rates stay the same under current powers, but Wales would seek the power to set its own tax bands.
• Devolve policing, justice, rail, the Crown Estate and benefits such as Carer's Allowance
  Move control of policing, justice, rail, the Crown Estate and some benefits like Carer's Allowance from Westminster to Wales.
• Replace the Barnett formula and secure about £4bn of HS2-related funding for Wales
  Replace the Barnett formula with funding based on need, and get about £4bn for Wales linked to HS2 spending in England.
• No independence referendum this term; set up a National Commission to prepare a White Paper
  There would be no vote on Welsh independence this term. A national commission would draw up a detailed plan.
• The UK should rejoin the EU single market and customs union
  The UK should rejoin the EU single market and customs union.
• Put new power lines underground where possible and ban large lattice pylons for 11kV to 132kV lines
  New power lines would go underground where possible, and large lattice pylons would be banned for 11kV to 132kV lines.
• Net zero in Wales by 2040
  Wales would aim to reach net zero emissions by 2040, ten years ahead of its current legal target of 2050.