One month to go: Sian Gwenllian on Plaid Cymru’s vision ahead of the Senedd election.

Candidate lists are now confirmed, party conferences have set out broad visions, and a mix of TV debates, campaign launches and polling has begun to clarify where parties are placing their priorities.

Plaid Cymru are ahead in six of these polls and hoping to lead the next Welsh government for the first time. Against this backdrop, we spoke with Sian Gwenllian, the Member of the Senedd for Arfon and spokesperson for housing and planning, to explore Plaid Cymru’s vision ahead.

What is your party's overarching vision for Wales over the next term of the Senedd?

“Plaid Cymru has a positive, ambitious vision for the future of Wales. We know our nation and our communities are full of potential that has been held back for too long, and we are determined to unleash that potential.

In 2026 and beyond, Plaid Cymru is offering Wales new leadership for our nation after 27 years of Labour mismanagement. We offer new leadership with real policies to improve public services, grow our economy and support families through the cost of living crisis.

Plaid Cymru knows it’s about time that the people of Wales had a Government that will always fight their corner, that will always stand up for their interests, that will never back down when we are let down by Westminster.

Wales faces a stark choice of two futures in the upcoming Senedd elections because all the polls are showing that it is between Plaid Cymru and Reform in May. So the people of Wales will have to choose between a Government that will always have Wales’ communities at its heart with Plaid Cymru, or a Government indifferent about Wales, only concerned about getting Farage into number 10.”

What do you see as the single biggest opportunity for Wales in the next five years?

“Over the past few decades, the people of Wales have seen consecutive Westminster governments, whether they’re red or blue, make decision after decision without considering its impact on Wales. But in May 2026, they have the opportunity to elect a Plaid Cymru government that will stand up for Wales. The days of Welsh Government kowtowing to Westminster decision making out of fear of going against their party bosses will be long gone.

No longer will Wales be quiet when we’re deprived of billions that could quite literally transform the landscape of Welsh public services. No longer will Wales be quiet in the face of growing unfairness when it comes to powers over key decision making levers or funding formulas that bake in inequality. In May 2026, Wales has the opportunity to stand up and demand to be heard.

How will your party support economic growth and attract new investment to Wales?

“After 27 years of Labour managing Wales’ economy, too many businesses are closing their doors and well-paid jobs in our communities are few and far between. Plaid Cymru knows this isn’t as good as it gets for Wales, and we have the plans in place, ready to go, to get our economy moving again.

Plaid Cymru will establish a new National Development Agency for Wales that will help Welsh businesses grow and stay Welsh-owned, by providing a one-stop-shop for expert advice and business support.

Alongside our plans to reform the Development Bank of Wales and business rates, and our plans to support research, development, and innovation, Plaid Cymru will breathe new life into Wales’ economy. Plaid Cymru is the only party that offers new leadership for Wales with the credible, made-in-Wales plans necessary to support high streets and businesses in Wales’ communities.”

What infrastructure improvements does Wales need most urgently, and how will you deliver them?

“Much of Wales’ public infrastructure is crumbling and in desperate need of investment and renovation. Nowhere is this greater exemplified than in our decades-old rail infrastructure which has been deprived of the funding it deserves over decades of Labour and Tory rule at Westminster.

The people of Wales deserve a transport system that connects communities and works for passengers, all of which is underpinned by a rail network fit for the 21^st century - something Wales has been deprived of. Despite their claims to the contrary, Labour in both Wales and Westminster have failed to fight for or provide this vital funding that Wales is owed.

A Plaid Cymru Government would be unrelentless in demanding that Wales gets what we’re owed when it comes to rail spending, from decades of underfunding and from the HS2 scandal which has left us over £4 billion short.”

What role do you think Wales should play in the UK's transition to net zero?

“Plaid Cymru recognises the threat posed by climate change, and we take seriously our responsibility to meet net zero. A Plaid Cymru Government would make Wales a world-leader in the transition towards a fairer, greener future with renewables at the heart of the energy landscape. Wales’ abundance of natural resources, our capacity for wind, solar and tidal energy is significant, and is waiting to be unlocked. 

Image Credit: © Senedd Commission / Welsh Parliament (senedd.wales), CC BY 4.0