THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

How Wales voted at the 2026 Senedd election - YouGov Key takeaways Last month’s election to the Senedd was a dramatic conclusion to more than a century of Labour dominance in Welsh politics, with Plaid Cymru emerging victorious and Reform UK also making substantial gains. With such a seismic recolouring of the Welsh politics map, decades-old voting patterns have been erased. By reanalysing the data behindour pre-election MRP, whichsuccessfully forecast the results of last month’s vote, we can breakdown how Wales voted by all the key demographic and political divides to uncover the new shape of Welsh politics. In common with other recent elections in Britain, age proved to be a key dividing line in the 2026 Senedd election with younger voters being more likely to vote for Plaid Cymru and older voters leaning more towards Reform UK. Among the under 30s, Plaid Cymru took 60% of the vote, roughly four times the level of support that Reform UK managed among the youngest Welsh voters (14%). Rhun ap Iorwerth’s party also leads among those in their 30s and 40s, while Welsh voters in their 50s are divided between the 31% who backed Plaid Cymru and the 34% who favoured Reform UK. The la…

Reform in the Senedd: Four weeks on - nation.cymru Brenig Davies Plaid Cymru’s emergence as the largest party was undoubtedly the most important outcome of the 2026 Senedd election. Reform is the focus of this article for a different reason. Its arrival as the Official Opposition represented one of the most striking changes in Welsh politics and attracted a level of media attention that few newly elected parliamentary groups have experienced. Four weeks is not long enough to judge whether Reform will become an effective opposition in the Senedd, though it is long enough to form some impressions. The new Senedd is still finding its feet, and many of the political relationships and routines that shape parliamentary life are only beginning to emerge. It will take considerably longer before the effectiveness of any opposition can be judged with confidence. Reform entered the new Senedd in a position that is unusual for a new party. It arrived not as a small parliamentary group finding its place, but as a sizeable group forming the Official Opposition. That brought heightened expectations, greater interest and a level of scrutiny that most new parties do not encounter. From the o…

Reform UK's Rise in Wales: From Zero Seats in 2021 to 34 in 2026 Reform UK’s Rise in Wales: From Zero Seats in 2021 to 34 in 2026 Reform UK surged from zero seats in 2021 to 34 in the 2026 Welsh Senedd election, becoming the main opposition. Factors include Senedd expansion, new voting system, and shifting voter support from Conservatives and Labour. 1 month ago · 4 min read Share Reform UK’s Breakthrough in Welsh Senedd Elections Dan Thomas, leader of Reform UK in Wales (second from right), during the vote count in the Newport East constituency, where his party secured the highest number of votes and two seats. In the weeks leading up to the Welsh Senedd elections, opinion polls indicated a very close contest between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. Plaid Cymru is preparing to govern after winning 43 seats—six short of a clear majority but nine more than Reform UK. Nonetheless, securing 34 seats and finishing a clear second ahead of Welsh Labour and the Welsh Conservatives represents a significant achievement for a party that failed to win any seats in the 2021 election. The party—and its predecessor Plaid Brexit—did not even exist at the time of the 2016 election. The expansion of the…

Reform UK makes dramatic first impression in Senedd opposition role <p>With more than a third of Welsh parliament seats, Reform MSs have caused tears and walkouts – and voted against their own party</p><p>Tears, walkouts, own-goal votes: the Welsh parliament has only been sitting for a few weeks, but Reform UK has already made a dramatic first impression in its new role as the official Senedd opposition.</p><p>Plaid Cymru won May’s historic Welsh elections, ending 100 years of Labour dominance and blocking the momentum of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which came second. He had been aiming for it to become Wales’s biggest party but it still performed better than any Welsh Conservative result on record, and increased its vote share from 1% in 2021 to 29% in 2026.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/28/reform-uk-makes-dramatic-first-impression-in-senedd-opposition-role">Continue reading...</a>

Reform MS sparks Senedd walkout after controversial remarks Labour, Plaid Cymru and Green members leave chamber as political tensions boil over in first major clash of new Senedd term A HEATED row erupted in the Senedd after a Reform UK Member of the Senedd made remarks that prompted politicians from Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party to walk out of the debating chamber in protest. The dramatic scenes unfolded during a debate when Reform MS Joe Martin criticised the state of education in Wales, making comments about literacy standards that opponents said were insulting and disrespectful. Video of the exchange quickly spread across social media, drawing strong reactions from supporters and critics alike. During his speech, Martin referred to concerns about educational attainment in Wales and questioned the performance of the Welsh education system. However, opposition members accused him of crossing a line by mocking Welsh pupils and making remarks they considered offensive. As tensions rose, members from Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party left the chamber in a coordinated walkout, signalling their disapproval of the comments. The incident marks one of the most significan…