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Welsh Conservatives Launch Bold 2026 Manifesto at Llangollen Conference

Party pledges winter fuel payments, tax cuts, and Senedd reversal while grappling with poor polling and internal divisions.

Overview

  • The Welsh Conservatives have unveiled their 2026 Senedd election manifesto, promising a Welsh winter fuel payment to counter UK Labour's means-tested policy.
  • Key pledges include a 1p cut to the basic rate of income tax, reversing the planned Senedd expansion from 60 to 96 members, and unfreezing road projects while pausing new cycle lanes.
  • Polling places the Conservatives in fourth with 13% support, trailing Labour, Plaid Cymru, and Reform UK, raising concerns over their electoral prospects.
  • Party leader Darren Millar described the manifesto as the 'boldest and most ambitious' in the party's history, emphasizing a fully-funded plan to challenge Labour governance.
  • Internal tensions persist, with grassroots activists voicing frustrations over strategy, devolution, and suspensions, complicating efforts to present a united front.