Nigel Farage has expressed his confidence in Reform UK’s potential to be a major player in the upcoming Senedd election, scheduled for 2026. Farage, the leader of Reform UK, stated in an interview with Newyddion S4C that his party is aiming to make a significant impact in the next Senedd election. He criticised the devolution vote in 1997 as a “one-sided referendum” that had a narrow majority of 7,000 people. Farage highlighted that the issue lies not in devolution itself but in the execution of it. He pointed out the Labour Party’s long-standing presence in Wales, Plaid Cymru’s gradual progress, and the temporary surge of the Conservative Party in 2019. Farage confidently proclaimed, “there’s no question about it, Reform is a serious contender in those Welsh elections in two years.”
In the general election held in July, Reform UK garnered 223,018 votes in Wales, representing 17% of the total votes cast. Despite being the second-largest party in terms of vote share in 13 constituencies in Wales, none of Reform UK’s candidates secured a seat. Labour won 27 seats, Plaid Cymru secured four, and the Lib Dems clinched one seat out of the 32 available. Farage’s optimism about Reform UK’s prospects in the Senedd election contrasts with the party’s performance in previous elections.
Reform UK’s growing support in Wales indicates a shift in the political landscape, with Farage targeting the Welsh Parliament as a focal point for his party’s ambitions. With the next Senedd election looming, Farage’s aspirations for Reform UK to make significant headway in Welsh politics has set the stage for an intriguing political landscape in the coming years.