Farm groups demand results as Plaid Cymru wins Welsh election

Plaid Cymru is set to lead the next Welsh government after a historic Senedd election result, ending a century of Labour domination and paving the way for a rethink on some key agricultural policies.  

Voters elected 96 Senedd members from 16 new constituencies on Thursday (7 May), with turnout reaching 53%.

As the results were counted on Friday (8 May), Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party with 43 seats – short of the 49 needed for a majority, but enough to place the party in position to form a minority government.

See also: Analysis: Farming at heart of Welsh election battle

Reform UK became the second-largest party with 34 seats, while Welsh Labour suffered its worst result in modern history, dropping to third place with just nine seats.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth described the result as “a moment one hundred years in the making – a moment in which we hold the promise and ambition of a nation in our hands”.

Meanwhile, former first minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat in Ceredigion-Penfro and subsequently resigned as Welsh Labour leader, although former deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies retained his Afan Ogwr Rhondda seat.

Turning point

Political analysts said the result marked a major turning point for Welsh politics, with Cardiff University’s Dr Jac Larner describing the outcome as “incredible”.

While Plaid Cymru had emerged as the largest party in the Senedd, he highlighted the rapid rise of Reform UK, “who essentially didn’t exist in 2021 and are now, by far the second-largest party and a big opposition group”.

For Welsh Labour, he added “the day has been a disaster”, with the lowest vote share since 1906.

Although Plaid Cymru is expected to lead the next administration, Dr Larner said it would still need support from other parties to pass budgets, legislation and appoint a first minister.

“They can’t do it on their own as a minority government,” he said.

He suggested a formal coalition with Labour was unlikely, but said co-operation on key votes was possible.

“What you’re far more likely to see is some sort of ad-hoc agreement on certain critical votes.

“Labour will lend some support, but I doubt there’s any appetite for them to have formal ministers in a Plaid Cymru government.”

Manifesto commitments

For Welsh farmers, attention will now turn to how quickly the new administration moves on agricultural policy commitments.

During the election campaign, Plaid Cymru pledged to continue developing the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), with Rhun ap Iorwerth previously telling Farmers Weekly that flexibility would be needed as Wales transitions away from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.

“We are willing to test and learn when we see things are not working as well as they could,” he said before the election.

On bovine TB policy, he stressed the need for evidence-led decision-making.

“We recognise that scientific advice has to be the basis of policy,” he said. “To do otherwise is to politicise an issue which is not political.”

Plaid Cymru has also pledged to review Wales’ water pollution regulations, replacing what it described as “farming by the calendar” with a more flexible, risk-based system.

“All the farmers I talk to recognise that agriculture has to own those elements of pollution, but we know there have been major practical issues,” Mr ap Iorwerth said.

Action needed

Agricultural groups said the election result now needed to translate into action for Welsh farming businesses.

NFU Cymru president Abi Reader said Plaid Cymru’s commitments on multi-annual agricultural funding, SFS structure, bovine TB and water regulations reflected many of the union’s priorities.

“There needs to be prompt delivery now. The next four years will go quickly,” she said.

“Farmers are working their way through either the BPS or SFS, and those that have opted for the BPS have done so because the SFS doesn’t work for them the way it is at the moment.

“The SFS must work for everyone and needs to evolve quickly.”

Rhys Evans, manager of Nature Friendly Farming Network Cymru, welcomed the party’s commitments on environmental targets and long-term farm support.

“The party’s commitment to a multi-year funding cycle for the Sustainable Farming Scheme, its targets on nature restoration and its National Food Strategy are all welcome,” he said.

“However, ambitious funding plans will be needed for all of these to be effective.”