#rhun-ap-iorwerth-ms — Public Fediverse posts

PEMBROKESHIRE: Wales vs Westminster showdown looms over Trump’s ‘space wars’ radar — as anti-DARC campaign asks new Plaid government to block it

When the votes were counted after the Senedd election earlier this month, the campaign against Donald Trump’s proposed deep space radar array in Pembrokeshire suddenly had a very different political landscape to work with.

Plaid Cymru — which voted at its national conference in October 2024 to take action against the Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept (DARC) — is now in government. Rhun ap Iorwerth is Wales’s new First Minister. And one of his first cabinet appointments — Siân Gwenllian as Local Government, Housing and Planning Minister — now places one of the most significant planning decisions in Wales’s recent history directly on her desk.

On 14 May, the campaign group PARC Against DARC formally submitted a request to the new Welsh Government to ‘call in’ the DARC planning application — a mechanism that would transfer the decision from Pembrokeshire County Council to Welsh ministers, putting Siân Gwenllian in the chair for a decision that could set Wales and Westminster on a collision course.

The Ministry of Defence submitted its planning application to Pembrokeshire County Council in April for 27 radar dishes at Cawdor Barracks in Brawdy — a short distance from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only coastal national park in Britain. The dishes would form part of a system to track and identify objects in deep space, giving the US military capabilities it has publicly described as a tool for dominating space.

The public window to submit objections to Pembrokeshire County Council closes on 20 May. That means anyone who wants their voice heard has days left to act.

Campaigners say the numbers are already stark. Of 498 responses received by the MOD during its pre-application statutory consultation, 401 used PARC’s own template objection email. All other responses summarised in the report were also objections. PARC claims this amounts to a credible 100% of recorded public comments opposing the scheme — a figure the MOD has not disputed.

The jobs argument — which Pembrokeshire West MP Henry Tufnell has used to support the project — is also under fierce challenge. The MOD’s own Environmental Impact Assessment concedes that any jobs created would be of “low numbers” and “not significant” in the context of the county’s 49,000-strong workforce.

PARC says the real picture is far worse. The project would require the evacuation of the 14th Signal Regiment from Cawdor Barracks — a unit the campaign says numbers around 600 personnel. Against that, the MOD’s own documents claim just 40 to 60 new full-time jobs. Even at the most optimistic reading, PARC argues that amounts to a net loss of between 340 and 580 local jobs — and that most of the claimed new posts would be filled by US personnel rather than local workers.

The MOD argues the regiment was already planning to relocate by 2028. PARC disputes that too, pointing to a decades-long history of on-off closure plans at Cawdor Barracks stretching back to 2009 — with the regiment declared for closure and then reprieved multiple times. Former MP Stephen Crabb described it in Parliament as a “long drawn-out on-off, on-off discussion.”

Plaid Cymru’s opposition to DARC is well established. In April 2024, Plaid MS Cefin Campbell — who was re-elected for Sir Gaerfyrddin at this month’s election — tabled a statement of opinion in the Senedd opposing the development. Nearly a third of all sitting members signed it. Plaid MP Liz Saville-Roberts also tabled an Early Day Motion against DARC in Westminster.

“Plaid Cymru has a long and honourable history of promoting peace around the globe and opposing militarism at every level,” Campbell said at the time. “We cannot therefore support the construction of DARC and give space to American militarism on our land.”

Even the previous Welsh Government under Eluned Morgan called for a pause to the project in April, citing Trump’s “contempt for our country” as making the US an unreliable partner. Campaigners said at the time it didn’t go far enough — but with Plaid now in the Senedd, they believe they finally have a government willing to go further.

PARC is preparing a 150,000-word formal objection, covering visual impact, wildlife, health concerns, socioeconomic impacts and what it calls the MOD’s “maladministration of public consultations.” The group has been gathering signatures on a petition — which has passed 19,000 — and has clocked up more than 160 news articles covering the campaign since 2024.

Campaigners say the new Planning Minister is heading for a baptism of fire. “The election of the new Welsh Government is a huge and seismic development from our perspective,” PARC said. “We know that the party in control of Wales has a proud history of standing up for the people of Wales and standing for peace.”

The planning application is open for public comment at Pembrokeshire County Council’s online planning portal until 20 May. PARC’s one-click objection tool for residents is available at parcagainstdarc.com/call-it-in.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Planning application lodged for 27 giant radar dishes at Brawdy
Our report on the MOD formally submitting the DARC planning application in April.

Welsh First Minister calls for halt to Pembrokeshire space radar project
Eluned Morgan’s call for a pause — and why campaigners said it didn’t go far enough.

Game of Thrones star urges voters to back Plaid or Greens to block DARC radar
Jerome Flynn’s call to arms ahead of the Senedd election.

SENEDD: South-west Wales politicians take key roles as Rhun ap Iorwerth names his first Plaid Cymru Cabinet

Rhun ap Iorwerth has wasted no time in putting his stamp on the Welsh Government, naming a full Cabinet within hours of being confirmed as First Minister — and going with experience, with politicians from south-west Wales given some of its most significant roles.

The most senior appointment from the region is Sioned Williams, one of the six Members of the Senedd elected for the Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency, who has been named Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Social Justice and Equality. Williams, who served as a Plaid Cymru MS in the sixth Senedd, becomes the second most powerful figure in the Welsh Government — a remarkable rise that places a familiar face from the region at the very top of Welsh politics.

Speaking after her appointment, she said she was “humbled” to have been named Deputy First Minister. “This Government for all is committed to turning promise into immediate action for the people of Wales,” she said, pledging to focus immediately on the childcare offer and tackling child poverty.

Adam Price, who was elected in Sir Gaerfyrddin after returning to the Senedd from third on Plaid’s list, has been handed the brief for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy. The former Plaid Cymru leader, who previously served as MP and then MS for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr before stepping down as leader in 2023, returns to the frontline of Welsh politics with one of the most economically significant briefs in the Cabinet.

Cefin Campbell, who topped the poll in Sir Gaerfyrddin as Plaid’s lead candidate in Carmarthenshire, has been appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education. A former MS who served in the sixth Senedd, Campbell is a well-known figure across the county — his brother Darrel, a teacher at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, was among those caught up in the knife attack at the school in April 2024, an incident that shocked communities across the region.

The three appointments reflect ap Iorwerth’s clear decision to go with experience for his first Cabinet. Williams, Price and Campbell all served in the previous Senedd, giving the new administration a significant bedrock of knowledge and political credibility from day one in government.

The full Cabinet also includes Elin Jones as Cabinet Minister for Finance — a significant appointment given the questions already raised about Welsh Government funding commitments under the new administration, including the 75% funding pledge for the new Ysgol Heol Goffa in Llanelli.

Heledd Fychan has been appointed Trefnydd — the Welsh Government’s equivalent of Leader of the House, responsible for managing the government’s legislative programme and business in the Senedd — alongside her role as Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport.

Other Cabinet appointments include Mabon ap Gwynfor for Health and Care, Anna Brychan for Education and the Welsh Language, and Siân Gwenllian for Local Government, Housing and Planning.

Ap Iorwerth said the Cabinet would have a “relentless focus on doing what’s best for Wales.” He added: “United and filled with talent and experience ready to serve, my government will believe in the art of the possible, working as one team every day to improve the lives of the people of Wales.”

Welsh Labour said it would play an active role in holding the new government to account. A spokesperson said: “We look forward to being an effective opposition, scrutinising and holding the new Welsh Government to account. We’re living in a world with much uncertainty and all governments face challenges. No one knows better than our party that it is a privilege to govern and that immense responsibility now rests on different shoulders.”

Dan Thomas MS, Leader of Reform Wales, offered a cautious welcome while stressing his party’s intention to scrutinise the government. “The people of Wales need this Cabinet to deliver,” he said. “Our NHS, our schools and our economy need urgent change, and while I may disagree with Plaid, we all need them to succeed.”

He added: “We will scrutinise their actions and work to ensure that their attention is on our public services and not Welsh independence.”

With Cabinet now in place, Wales’ first Plaid Cymru government is formally up and running — just 24 hours after ap Iorwerth was confirmed as First Minister in the Senedd on Tuesday, ending 27 years of Labour leadership of the Welsh Government.

More on the new Welsh Government

Rhun ap Iorwerth confirmed as First Minister as Plaid Cymru makes history
How Wales’s first Plaid Cymru First Minister was confirmed in the Senedd.

Sir Gaerfyrddin: Reform and Plaid take three seats each as Labour wiped out
The Carmarthenshire result that returned Adam Price and Cefin Campbell to Cardiff Bay.

Mike Hedges warns Wales could face another election next year
The challenges facing the new minority government from day one.

Plaid Cymru largest party, Reform UK historic breakthrough — the new political map of Wales
The full story of the election that changed Welsh politics forever.

SENEDD: Rhun ap Iorwerth confirmed as First Minister as Plaid Cymru makes history after 27 years of Labour rule

Rhun ap Iorwerth has been confirmed as First Minister of Wales, ending 27 years of Labour leadership of the Welsh Government and making history as the first Plaid Cymru politician to hold the office.

The confirmation came following a vote in the first plenary session of the seventh Senedd, days after Plaid Cymru’s historic election victory last week saw the party win 43 of the 96 seats in the Senedd.

Forty-four Members of the Senedd voted to nominate ap Iorwerth as First Minister — 43 Plaid members plus the support of Wales’ two newly-elected Green MSs, who announced on Sunday they would back the Plaid leader. Reform UK’s Dan Thomas received 34 votes and Conservative leader Darren Millar seven.

Labour’s nine MSs abstained from the vote, as did the sole Liberal Democrat MS Jane Dodds — a decision that effectively settled the arithmetic in the chamber. With no other candidate able to attract more votes than all other candidates combined, ap Iorwerth’s path to the top job was secure.

In his first speech as First Minister, ap Iorwerth told the Senedd: “It is the greatest privilege of my life to be elected first minister in a nation that means so much to me. I’m eager to repay the trust that the people in Wales have placed in us and to achieve the change that people have stated so clearly they wish to see.”

He will lead a minority government, having confirmed last week that he would seek to govern without a formal coalition. With 43 seats, Plaid falls short of the 49 needed for a majority in the 96-seat chamber, meaning ap Iorwerth will need to build support from other parties on a vote-by-vote basis.

The session also confirmed Labour’s Huw Irranca-Davies as the new Presiding Officer — known in Welsh as the Llywydd — with Plaid’s Kerry Ferguson elected as his deputy. The Llywydd chairs Senedd proceedings and is required to remain politically impartial. The previous holder of the role, Plaid Cymru’s Elin Jones, stepped down at this election.

The political landscape ap Iorwerth inherits is dramatically different to any previous Welsh Government. Reform UK came second in the election with 34 seats, Labour were reduced to just nine, the Conservatives won seven, the Greens picked up their first ever two Senedd seats and the Liberal Democrats hold one.

Born in south Wales, ap Iorwerth, 53, grew up on Anglesey and was educated at Ysgol David Hughes before studying politics and Welsh at Cardiff University. A former BBC journalist and married father of three, he entered politics in 2013 when he won a by-election in Ynys Môn.

He took over the leadership of Plaid Cymru in 2023 during a difficult period for the party, after his predecessor Adam Price resigned in the wake of a report finding there was a culture of sexual harassment, bullying and misogyny within the organisation.

Since taking over, he has steadily rebuilt the party’s fortunes — culminating in last week’s historic result. The scale of the victory exceeded most expectations, with Plaid emerging as comfortably the largest party in the Senedd for the first time.

Ap Iorwerth is a supporter of Welsh independence, and has previously said his party would use time in government to make the case for an independent Wales. However he has ruled out holding a referendum during this first term in office.

Welsh Labour’s Mike Hedges has already warned that the new Plaid minority government could face a fresh election as early as next year if it fails to pass its first budget — a significant test for the new administration in its earliest months.

Ken Skates was appointed as interim Welsh Labour leader following the resignation of Eluned Morgan, who lost her seat in the election. Labour now faces a lengthy period of reflection and rebuilding as the official opposition — with just nine seats in a 96-member chamber.

For Wales, the significance of the moment extends beyond party politics. This is the first time since the creation of the Senedd in 1999 that the Welsh Government has not been led by Labour — a shift that marks a fundamental change in the political landscape of the nation.

SENEDD ELECTION: Rhun ap Iorwerth to lead Plaid minority government after historic victory ends 27 years of Labour rule

Rhun ap Iorwerth will lead a minority Plaid Cymru government after the party’s historic victory in the Senedd election brought 27 years of Labour rule to an end.

Plaid won 43 seats in the expanded Senedd — six short of the 49 needed for a majority — with Labour reduced to just nine seats after a catastrophic night for the party.

Speaking outside the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, ap Iorwerth confirmed he would not seek a formal coalition, instead working with other parties on a case-by-case basis to pass legislation and budgets, saying he had spoken with other party leaders and would focus on building stability.

He told reporters he had always believed cooperation would be necessary to “make a reliable difference to the people of Wales,” adding that Plaid would seek what was right for Wales and act with “determination, ambition, and humility.”

“Plaid Cymru is ready to form the next government of Wales,” he told jubilant supporters gathered on the Senedd steps. “We are here as representatives of all of Wales — every community from Môn to Monmouth, from Flint to Tenby, from rural Powys to our bustling cities.”

While a minority government is a first for Plaid, it is not without precedent in Cardiff Bay — Labour itself never won more than half the seats at any Senedd election during its 27 years in power, and regularly governed without a majority.

The party hopes to hold a vote to formally install ap Iorwerth as First Minister on Tuesday, though the process is not entirely straightforward. Before that vote can take place, the Senedd must hold a secret ballot to elect a new presiding officer to replace Elin Jones, who held the post for the outgoing Labour administration.

No formal list of candidates for presiding officer has been confirmed, though Labour’s Huw Irranca-Davies and the Conservatives’ Paul Davies have been among those discussed.

Ken Skates, Member of the Senedd for Fflint Wrecsam, was confirmed on Saturday afternoon as interim leader of Welsh Labour as the party begins to assess its position following its dramatic collapse at the polls. First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat and resigned as Welsh Labour leader on election night.

Ap Iorwerth described the election result as “a momentous piece of Welsh history,” telling the gathered crowd it had been built on a century of belief in Wales’s future. “Throughout our nation people have put their faith in Plaid Cymru in numbers never seen before,” he said.

He said the scale of the victory would change Wales’s relationship with Westminster, adding that no UK Prime Minister would now be able to ignore Wales’s needs. “No UK government, no UK minister, now or in the future, can cast Wales aside or turn a blind eye to our needs and our aspirations as a nation,” he said.

Jubilant scenes greeted ap Iorwerth and the new Plaid Senedd members as they arrived on the Senedd steps to cheers and whistles from hundreds of supporters waving red dragon and Owain Glyndŵr flags — scenes one reporter described as more reminiscent of a returning sports team than a political party.

Among those to greet him was former Plaid leader Leanne Wood, whom he stopped to embrace before addressing the crowd.

He ended his speech by inviting all parties to join Plaid in “an alliance” to pursue the mission on behalf of Wales, pledging the new government would bring “the competence that is needed, the compassion that is needed, the hope that is needed.”

“We will do everything we can to repay the faith that people have put in us,” he said. “We will build this nation every single day.”

Senedd Election 2026 — our coverage

Plaid Cymru largest party, Reform UK make historic breakthrough — the new political map of Wales
Full results and analysis from the night that changed Welsh politics.

Ken Skates appointed interim Welsh Labour leader after historic Senedd defeat
Labour picks up the pieces after being reduced to nine seats.

First Minister Eluned Morgan loses seat and resigns as Welsh Labour leader
A dramatic end to Labour’s era in government.

Gŵyr/Abertawe: Plaid top the poll as Reform UK and Labour also take seats
How Swansea voted in the Senedd election.

Brycheiniog, Tawe a Nedd: Reform UK tops the poll as Lib Dems hold and Labour wiped out
Results from the constituency covering the Swansea valleys.

Sir Gaerfyrddin: Reform UK and Plaid take three seats each as Adam Price returns
Labour wiped out in Carmarthenshire as Plaid and Reform dominate.

Plaid storms ahead as Labour vote collapses in Wales

A YouGov/Cardiff University survey of 2,500 adults across Wales shows Plaid on course to become the largest party in the Senedd for the first time since devolution began in 1999. Reform UK trails narrowly on 30%, while Labour and the Conservatives are tied on 10% each. The Greens rise to 9% and the Liberal Democrats to 6%.

Under the new proportional voting system debuting in May 2026, Plaid would secure 39 seats, Reform 34, Labour 10, Conservatives six, Greens four and the Lib Dems three.

Labour dominance shattered by poll shock

Labour has led every Welsh Government since 1999, but the latest figures show the party reduced to historic lows. Once the dominant force in the Welsh‑identifying progressive bloc, Labour now retains only a fraction of its former support.

Cardiff University’s analysis makes clear this isn’t voters abandoning progressive politics altogether — it’s consolidation. Plaid has absorbed the bulk of Welsh‑identifying support, while Reform has swallowed Conservative backing among British‑identifying voters.

Generational divide drives realignment

The raw data reveals a stark split by age. Plaid dominates among younger voters, winning 37% of 18–24s and 31% of 25–34s. Reform surges among older voters, taking 31% of those aged 55–64 and 30% of those aged 65–74. Labour barely registers across all age groups, peaking at just 10%.

Education tells a similar story. Plaid is strongest among graduates, while Reform leads among those with no qualifications.

Voters say why they’re switching

Plaid supporters overwhelmingly cite “standing up for Wales” as their reason for switching, with nearly half of respondents choosing that option. A further fifth back Plaid tactically as “best placed to stop Reform UK.”

Reform voters are driven by immigration, with 42% saying it is the party’s defining issue. Nigel Farage’s leadership remains a powerful draw, with nearly one in five citing him as the only leader who understands ordinary people’s problems.

What it means for Wales

The poll does not provide constituency‑level figures, but the national trend is clear: Labour’s grip on Wales has loosened dramatically. Even in traditional strongholds, the party’s dominance can no longer be taken for granted.

If these figures hold, Welsh politics faces a generational realignment. For the first time in a century, Labour faces the prospect of opposition or junior coalition status, while Plaid Cymru is poised to lead the Senedd.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Plaid Cymru and Reform UK neck and neck as Labour slumps to historic low
Previous polling showed Plaid and Reform tied, with Labour collapsing to unprecedented lows.

Latest Senedd poll puts Reform and Plaid neck and neck
Analysis of how South West Wales emerged as a decisive battleground in earlier polling.

Reform UK pulls ahead as Plaid slips and Labour edges back
Coverage of Reform overtaking Plaid in a previous survey, with Labour showing slight recovery.

Reform projected to have most Senedd seats
Seat projections suggested Reform leading, but a Plaid–Labour coalition seen as the most likely outcome.

#PlaidCymru #polling #ReformUK #RhunApIorwerthMS #SeneddElection #SeneddElections2026 #WelshConservatives #WelshLabour #WelshLiberalDemocrats #YouGov

New figures reveal Wales set to lose £6bn in rail funding row

Billions lost, investment bypasses rural Wales

Wales is set to miss out on another £1.3–£1.6 billion in transport funding after the UK Labour Government confirmed Northern Powerhouse Rail will go ahead as an “England and Wales” project.

The scheme, designed to link Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, will not include a single centimetre of track in Wales. By classifying it as “England and Wales”, the Treasury avoids triggering Barnett consequentials that would have delivered funding for Welsh rail.

It follows similar decisions on HS2, the high‑speed line between London, Birmingham and Manchester, and East‑West Rail, which links Oxford and Cambridge. Together, those projects have already cost Wales up to £4.3 billion in lost investment. Combined, campaigners say Wales could now be short by around £6 billion.

Scotland and Northern Ireland cash in

While Wales is left empty‑handed, Scotland is set to receive £2.7 billion and Northern Ireland just under £1 billion as a result of Northern Powerhouse Rail.

A Treasury spokesperson said:

“Wales will benefit from £445 million of rail investment over the next decade — the biggest ever funding boost for Welsh rail.”

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has also defended the classification of projects like HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail as “England and Wales” schemes, arguing that Wales benefits indirectly from improved connections across the UK rail network.

Welsh Government stresses cooperation

First Minister Eluned Morgan said:

“We will continue to press for further commitments, including electrification of the North and South Mainlines, which remain vital for Wales’s future.”

She added that the settlement would deliver “significant extra investment in rail infrastructure” and emphasised the need for cooperation between governments.

Opposition parties cry foul

Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts MP said:

“Wales is owed billions from HS2 and now Northern Powerhouse Rail. Labour has failed to address chronic underfunding of our railways, and our communities are paying the price.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth also accused Labour of leaving Wales “short‑changed again” and said the First Minister had “no influence” over her Westminster colleagues.

Lib Dems demand devolved powers

Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster spokesperson David Chadwick MP said:

“This Labour Government is deliberately depriving Welsh communities of billions of pounds in transport funding, whilst expecting a pat on the back for delivering crumbs.

Labour has the power to change the system and stop these funding scandals, but has made its position clear — they are happy for Wales to be left behind, paying for megaprojects in England whilst our own rail and transport infrastructure collapses.”

Mid and West Wales left behind

Local campaigners say the funding gap is most keenly felt in Mid and West Wales, where rail services remain patchy and major projects have stalled.

Carl Peters‑Bond, independent candidate for the new Caerfyrddin constituency in next year’s Senedd elections, said:

“We’re told Wales is getting investment, but Mid and West Wales see none of it. Communities from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth are crying out for rail connectivity, yet billions are being spent on lines hundreds of miles away. It’s a betrayal of rural Wales.

Both Westminster and Cardiff need to stop playing politics and start building the infrastructure our communities desperately need. People here don’t want excuses — they want action.”

West Wales line campaign highlights the gap

The row comes just days after campaigners renewed calls for funding to restore the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth rail line, axed in the 1960s.

As Swansea Bay News reported at the weekend, supporters say reopening the line would transform connectivity across West Wales, boost the economy, and cut car dependency. Campaigners argue that the billions Wales is missing out on could easily fund projects like the Carmarthen–Aberystwyth line, yet instead the money is being spent on rail schemes in England.

Creaking infrastructure, growing anger

With rail electrification stalled and public transport under strain, campaigners warn the funding gap leaves Wales at risk of falling further behind.

The row adds to growing pressure on Labour to explain why Wales is repeatedly excluded from consequential funding, while neighbouring nations benefit.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Fresh cash call to bring back lost West Wales rail line
Campaigners launch crowdfunding bid to reopen the Carmarthen–Aberystwyth line, as Senedd row intensifies.

MP calls for devolved rail powers after £6.6bn project delivers nothing for Wales
David Chadwick MP demands rail powers for Wales after East‑West Rail confirmed as “England and Wales” scheme.

Chancellor’s £445m for Welsh rail investment criticised as “measly”
Rachel Reeves’ pledge of £445m over ten years branded inadequate compared to billions for Scotland and NI.

#CarlPetersBond #CarmarthenToAberystwythRailLink #DavidChadwickMP #EastWestRail #ElunedMorganMS #HS2 #HS3 #LizSavilleRobertsMP #NorthernPowerhouseRail #PlaidCymru #politics #railInvestment #RhunApIorwerthMS #UKLabour #WelshLabour #WelshLiberalDemocrats