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.