Image Source: Plaid Cymru
Health & Social Care
Plaid Cymru supports greater government policy oversight in the NHS and would require health boards to collaborate, including sharing data and records. They intend to maintain the NHS Bursary.
They support a Women’s Health Plan and an Older People’s Health Plan.
Plaid Cymru would establish a post of Minister for Public Health, with responsibility for preventing poor health. They would encourage social subscribing.
They want what they describe as a “review” into the Welsh Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly issues not covered by the UK inquiry.
Plaid would develop 10 surgical hubs focused on “high volume” treatment for patients facing the longest waits (ophthalmology, orthopaedics, general surgery). They want to increase the number of available beds on hospital wards.
They would expand screening programmes to include stroke, cardiovascular disease and HIV.
On cancer, they want to ensure equal access to cancer treatment, particularly a Rapid Diagnostic Centre in Powys. They would draft a new cancer pathway so patients know what they should expect at each stage of treatment, and would also seek to introduce greater protection from discrimination for cancer survivors (i.e. higher insurance premiums).
Plaid also supports stricter rules around patient consent for brain tumour tissue storage (aka Owain’s Law).
Plaid pledges to recruit an extra 100 salaried GPs, as part of plans to improve out-of-hours GP access. There’s a commitment to invest in digital GP services and improve the NHS Wales App.
They would seek to introduce improved training so GPs and practice nurses can spot the signs of cancer early.
On dentistry, Plaid would review the NHS dental contract and place duties on health boards to assess local dental needs.
Plaid sees closer working between health and social care as the “first steps” towards an integrated Health and Care Service. Plaid also wants closer integration between children’s and adult mental health services, and to make mental health referrals easier, including self-referral.
Plaid would aim for dementia diagnoses to be made within 12 weeks, supported by the delivery of more memory assessments in GP settings.
Unpaid carers would be a priority group for government anti-poverty and cost-of-living measures.
Plaid would want to ensure education, health, social care, workplaces and transport are all designed to be accessible to people with neurodiversity, and would cut waiting times for neurodiversity assessments.
Other proposals here include: more mental health support for parents who’ve lost a baby (as well as new mothers), a suicide prevention taskforce aimed at supporting young men, lobbying the UK Government to “make Carer’s Allowance fairer”, better planning for end-of-life care and speeding up carer’s needs assessments.
Education & Childcare
Plaid would extend free school meals to secondary school pupils from households claiming Universal Credit, and would also protect the Educational Maintenance Allowance.
As well as a presumption against closing small rural schools, Plaid would guarantee new bus routes take into account schools, colleges and universities. They would also review the Learner Travel Measure to maximise the number of families who can access home-school transport.
Plaid supports the use of systematic synthetic phonics to teach literacy and would embed literacy into every school subject. This would be backed by new national and school-level literacy and numeracy targets, as well as ensuring all schools have a library.
A national survey of school building conditions would be carried out to identify maintenance needs and backlogs.
A new framework for school behaviour and expanded training for behaviour management would be rolled out.
Plaid promises a review of the Curriculum for Wales to ensure it delivers breadth of knowledge, while ensuring Welsh history is taught as part of it.
There’s a general commitment to reduce teachers’ workloads. On recruitment, Plaid would match Priority Subject Incentives for teacher training (in subjects with staff shortages) with the incentives in England.
Plaid would simplify the Additional Learning Needs system and make ALN training mandatory.
There’s a pledge to improve careers advice and to encourage closer working between schools, colleges and employers.
Plaid would want to ensure junior apprenticeships are available at every FE college. They also support the roll-out of VCSEs.
Plaid Cymru would review student finance for Welsh-resident students studying at universities outside Wales, with a preference for a larger share of government funding being spent at Welsh universities.
They would also review the Seren programme to support more students to apply for study at Welsh universities.
They would set up a new Dental School hosted jointly at Bangor and Aberystwyth universities, as well as an independent Veterinary School at Aberystwyth University.
Plaid opposes restrictions on student visas.
One of Plaid Cymru’s headline pledges (matched by other parties) is to extend free childcare to start at 9 months, with a “streamlined application system”.
Plaid would also seek to bring in new safeguarding standards and “duties to report” regarding child abuse.
Economy & Transport
Plaid would seek power to introduce a Vacant Land Tax, as well as power over income tax bands (in line with Scotland).
Plaid supports the overnight visitor levy (aka tourist tax). They would also review Land Transaction Tax to support first-time buyers and seek to cut business rates for town centre businesses.
They would seek to increase the Welsh Government’s borrowing limit to £3 billion (from £1 billion) and would explore options for a cross-border water levy.
Plaid would also want to see more ethical investment choices by Welsh public pension funds.
One of Plaid’s headline policies is to establish a new national economic development agency. This agency would cover business support, growth of SMEs, and inward investment.
They would seek to increase the proportion of goods and services procured from Welsh companies by public authorities to at least 70%, creating 35,000 jobs. They also support the development of a semiconductor cluster in South Wales.
Plaid would draft a European strategy and European Alignment Act so Wales matches the pace with European standards. They would also set up a diaspora task force to build better connections with Welsh people living abroad.
Plaid backs the creation of a community bank, “ethical” and “worker-led” adoption of AI, stronger “Made in Wales” branding, and ensuring every home and business in Wales has access to superfast broadband.
On tourism, they would keep the 182-day occupancy rule for tourist lets “under review”.
Plaid would keep reduced bus fares for under-25s and expand tap-on tap-off/pay-as-you-go ticketing for buses.
They promise safety improvements around bus stops (i.e. better lighting), as well as the creation of a north-south express bus service between Bangor and Carmarthen.
Plaid would “re-examine” the Menai Third Crossing and M4 congestion around Newport. They would also lobby the UK Government to extend Rural Fuel Duty Relief to Wales and would ensure investment in active travel is based on success/levels of use.
On rail, they would seek to increase train frequencies from Cardiff to Heads of the Valleys to 4 trains per hour, and 2 trains per hour on the Maesteg and Vale of Glamorgan lines. Plaid supports the Cardiff Crossrail project, including 4 trains per hour on the Coryton line.
They would seek direct rail services between Llandudno and Liverpool and increase train frequencies between Wrexham and Chester.
They would bring forward plans for Phase 1 of the Swansea Bay Metro and undertake feasibility studies into reopening the Amman Valley Line to passengers and improving north-south rail connectivity.
Plaid would want a new strategy for Cardiff Airport to help it develop.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
Plaid Cymru would commit to net-zero by 2040, with progress monitored via an online dashboard. Other measures include publishing more regular climate risk assessments and establishing a new Environmental Governance Office.
In addition to setting up a new water regulator, Plaid would make a formal request for full devolution of powers over water as a first step towards nationalisation.
New pollution targets would be set for rivers and seas, while a Flood Resilience and Preparedness Forum would be set up alongside local centres for flood emergency planning.
They would ensure every former coal tip is monitored, maintained and remediated, insisting that the UK Government funds this work in full.
Plaid would draft a Wales-wide strategy for remediating contaminated land, seek stronger monitoring and regulation of harmful substances, introduce a “polluter pays” principle for pollution, and work with the UK Government to ban “forever chemicals”.
They would seek to phase out unnecessary single-use plastics, beginning with plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables. They also support a Welsh Deposit Return Scheme that includes glass (with relevant exemptions).
Other measures include prioritising native and mixed woodland creation over large-scale plantations, support for a UK-wide ban on horticultural peat, introducing new regulations for animal welfare establishments, and considering stronger dog control measures.
The core policy is to create a wealth fund from renewable energy profits. A single national energy company would be set up (merging Ynni Cymru and Welsh Government Energy Service). A requirement that a minimum of 15-25% of all energy projects above 10MW should be community-owned as a condition of planning permission.
Plaid would relax planning/permitted development rules for domestic/small-scale renewable energy. On energy efficiency schemes, they would prioritise the most cost-effective home energy efficiency measures and introduce new quality controls for home energy efficiency contractors.
Another policy is a presumption in favour of burying high voltage cables, or the use of wooden pylons over steel.
Plaid Cymru supports the Sustainable Farming Scheme, with a multi-year funding cycle, though they want to review the levels of bureaucracy in farming.
Alongside a Rural Development Strategy, they would take a “science-led” approach to Nitrogen Vulnerable Zones. They want to protect high-grade agricultural land from carbon offsetting projects and solar farms.
Plaid would draft a Food Strategy to strengthen supply chains and increase the proportion of Welsh-bought food and drink.
A target would be set for 25% of vegetables served in Welsh schools to be of Welsh origin by 2030, and for 50% of all food procured by public authorities to be from Wales-based producers. Also, they would ensure every supermarket has a dedicated Welsh produce section.
Communities, Housing & Local Government
Plaid Cymru supports “fairer” Council Tax (no specifics) and pledges to review the local government funding formula.
They would increase core funding to councils by reducing the number of competitive grant schemes.
They would keep local government structures under review (not a full proposal for reorganisation). In the meantime, they would encourage councils to collaborate.
One specific proposal is that local authorities that host wind and solar farms would be allowed to keep any business rates raised from them.
Plaid Cymru would seek to deliver 20,000 new social homes by 2030. This would be backed by a new national development and social housing body (Unnos). The body would act as a broker to find land for new social housing, assist with planning issues and access funding.
They would also ban no-fault evictions, expand Rent Smart Wales’ enforcement powers (ensuring any fines are retained in Wales) and seek to limit rent increases.
They would prioritise early intervention to prevent homelessness and would review existing measures for second homes and holiday lets.
Plaid would look to address excessive maintenance charges for communal areas (aka “fleeceholds”), speed up remediation work on properties with unsafe cladding, and support making it easier to convert empty high street buildings into housing.
Plaid would also introduce a legal right for renters to have a pet, with landlords unable to refuse “unreasonably”.
Plaid would pilot a £10-per-week child payment for children aged 0-6 in households receiving Universal Credit. They would also seek to streamline existing welfare payments administered in Wales (i.e. Council Tax reductions, baby bundles, school essentials grants).
Like other parties, they support a Community Right to Buy for local assets. They would also like to set up a National Crime Prevention Agency.
Plaid Cymru backs the Nation of Sanctuary programme, and would seek to create a Wales-specific shortage occupation list. However, they oppose the use of “asylum hotels” by the UK Home Office.
Plaid would draft a Human Rights Act for Wales, enshrining major international treaties into Welsh law. They support a ban on conversion therapy, would develop a Welsh Gender Service and would review the LGBTQ+ Action Plan.
Culture & Country
Plaid Cymru would increase funding for culture and sport year-on-year until 2030, backed by a new Cultural Strategy.
They support maintaining free access to National Museums and would continue to support the National Music Service.
Concerning sport, the emphasis is on increasing participation. This includes a daily physically active and daily mile programme for schools, as well as providing 20 free swimming and water safety lessons for pupils in Years 4 & 5.
Plaid supports existing public funding for journalism and also backs the Six Nations remaining on free-to-air broadcasts.
Plaid would set a target for 50% of all pupils receiving a Welsh-medium education by 2050. This would be supported by expanding access to Welsh-medium childcare (as a feeder to Welsh-medium education), increasing the number of Welsh-speaking teachers and improving access to higher-level courses through the medium of Welsh.
Plaid would ensure the planning system safeguards the Welsh language and culture. They would also introduce a law to protect Welsh place names.
They would extend Welsh language standards to communications, utilities, banks, car parks and supermarkets.
They also support free entry to the Urdd and National eisteddfodau for low-income households.
Plaid immediately wants to review the Senedd voting system, seeking majority support for introducing Single Transferable Vote (STV) for Senedd and local council elections.
Other areas of reform include reviewing the Future Generation Act to ensure it’s working, as well as seeking to “drive cultural change” in the civil service, such as through a National School of Government.
Unsurprisingly, Plaid Cymru supports the devolution of extra powers to Wales. The wishlist includes: the Crown Estate, welfare administration, criminal justice & policing, broadcasting, port regulation, rail infrastructure and air passenger duty. In the meantime, they would introduce a law to reform the Welsh tribunals system.
They also support Barnett Formula reform, and will lobby for Wales to receive a Barnett Formula consequential for HS2.
The only significant mention of Welsh independence is a pledge to draft a white paper laying out the groundwork/details, overseen by a National Commission.
Overall Ranking
Each area is marked out of 5, giving a total score out of 20.
Costings
Do they explain how much their policies would cost and where the money would come from?
1/5
Given the level of detail and work that’s gone into the manifesto, the lack of financial information lets it down. There are several commitments to increase spending, but limited information on how much it would cost or where the money would come from. Apparently, this information exists (there are mentions of a “costed” plan to bring down waiting times, for example), but we’re yet to see it.
Clarity
How easy is their manifesto to understand? Do they make it clear what they want to do?
3/5
By some distance it’s the most detailed and “serious” of the manifestos, in both a good way and a bad way. It’s a slog to get through at times, and there’s a fair bit of repetition and narrative explanations that verge on waffling. Despite this, their proposed policies changes are well-argued, though some of their plans could’ve been explained better. There are no attacks on other parties, and not much dog-whistling (except stuff around the “injustice” of HS2, which was expected).
Practicality
Do they explain how they would deliver their promises in any detail? Do they say how long they would take?
4/5
At first glance, they’ve done their homework and give the impression of knowing what they’re doing. Plaid’s manifesto has the most fleshed out plans for delivery, even if it follows Labour’s “plans to make plans” format to a great degree. It may be over-reliant on establishing new boards, agencies and quangos – all of which take time to set up and, in the end, can become obstacles to delivery.
Devo-Compatibility
Does the Senedd have the power to deliver their manifesto promises?
5/5
As far as I can tell, all of the plans are within the devolution settlement. Plaid make it clear where they want extra powers and are even willing to work with the UK Government on some issues. There are some areas where they may be pushing the devolution settlement to its limits (i.e. human rights and control of dogs).
OVERALL SCORE
13/20
This is a comprehensive programme for an incoming government over a wishlist for coalition or budget negotiations. If Plaid had published even the most basic info on how they would finance their plans, this would’ve been the runaway “best manifesto” (and one of the strongest put to voters at any Senedd election). They didn’t, so it’s not.
TL;DR: What stands out?
Plaid Cymru's Big Five Pledges
- 10 surgical hubs to cut waiting times.
- Expansion of free childcare.
- The resurrection of a WDA-style economic development agency.
- Piloting a £10-a-week top-up child payment for households receiving universal credit.
- A new national energy company and tied measures around community energy ownership and a renewables wealth fund.
Five Unique Policies
- They’re the only party proposing a dedicated Minister for Public Health, which would be a cross-cutting portfolio combining health prevention with things like sport/promoting exercise.
- They’ve been specific and targeted on new GP numbers. This is instead of setting “extra GPs” or “improving access to appointments” as a broad goal.
- Plaid Cymru are the only party explicitly wanting to spend more Welsh Government money on Welsh universities.
- They set many hard targets to hit for their policies – far more than I’ve seen from other parties.
- The proposal for a Welsh/devolved human rights law.
Five Quirks
- They’ve gone big on their free childcare offer, making it front and centre of their campaign. Yet all the other parties (except Reform) want to do something similar. It lost its USP almost straight away.
- They’ve worded their policy on an inquiry into the Welsh Government’s Covid-19 response very carefully.
- Opposition to pylons. They are a fact of life for most of us. Burying them will be expensive.
- Most of the other parties mention wanting a St. David’s Day bank holiday, but there’s nothing from Plaid (yes, it’s not devolved, but still…).
- Independence barely features (especially compared to 2021). Even bits concerning the Welsh language and culture are toned down from what you would normally expect.
Five Bullshit Alarms
- They want to set up many new bodies, quangos and agencies, including a new version of the WDA. Sometimes less is more.
- Plaid doesn’t mention nuclear energy. And we know they have a complicated history with that. It’s that “decentralised socialism” crap again, where Plaid can say/do something in one part of Wales, then say/do the exact opposite in another part.
- No mention of support for a Senedd lobbyist register. You have to ask why? Are there too many party grandees with their fingers in that pie now?
- The stuff about HS2. It’s an argument nobody on the nationalist side of the fence likes to hear, but Wales isn’t “owed” anything. We have the powers (over rail infrastructure), we get the money. We don’t have the powers, we don’t get the money. Simple.
- Plaid Cymru-led councils have been responsible for closing many small rural schools.
Common Ground
What key policy plans do Plaid Cymru share with the other main parties?
Click the party logo to open/close the content.
Labour
Health & Social Care
- A Women's Health Plan.
- New surgical hubs.
- Reviewing the NHS dental contract.
- Quicker access to mental health support.
- Improvements to neurodiversity services and assessments.
Education & Childcare
- Extend free school meals to all pupils in secondary schools from households that receive Universal Credit.
- Both support a review of home-school transport (with different approaches).
- Reducing teacher workloads.
- Maintaining Educational Maintenance Allowance.
- New guidance/frameworks for school behaviour.
- Extending free childcare to start at 9 months.
Economy & Transport
- Support the responsible use of AI in the workplace.
- Increased access to high-speed broadband.
- Targeted investment in roads.
- Support for metro projects and increased rail frequency on the Coryton Line in Cardiff.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- A new environmental governance office.
- A new water regulator.
- Some kind of action on coal tips and contaminated land.
- Supports a deposit return scheme.
- Supports a ban on horticultural peat.
- Both support some kind of public wealth fund from renewable energy projects.
- Both support greater community ownership/benefit from renewables.
- Both back the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
- Both want to increase the proportion of Welsh-sourced food in the public sector.
Communities & Local Government
- Labour and Plaid both want a “fairer” council tax.
- Support the Nation of Sanctuary programme.
- They both want some form of Community Right to Buy.
- They both want to extend access to welfare (though they differ on the approach).
- They both support action on hate crimes, gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
Culture & Country
- Support for free museum entry.
- Protection for Welsh language place names.
- Reform of the (devolved) tribunal system.
- Both want Barnett Formula reform.
- Both want devolution of the Crown Estate.
Conservatives
Health & Social Care
- Both support some form of inquiry into the Welsh Government's Covid-19 response.
- Increased bed capacity in hospitals.
- Surgical and diagnostic hubs.
- Faster access to mental health care.
Education & Childcare
- Both support a review/protection of home-school transport.
- Want to start free childcare from 9 months.
Economy & Transport
- Both want to cut business rates for certain types of business (though differ on which ones).
- Both want to create a WDA-style economic development agency.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- Support for a flood response agency/resilience forum.
- Both want a presumption in favour of burying high voltage cables.
- Both want to procure more food from Welsh producers.
Communities & Local Government
- Support for a programme to address fire safety/unsafe cladding.
- They both want some form of Community Right to Buy.
Culture & Country
- Both would maintain free entry to museums.
- Increase the number of Welsh-speaking teachers.
- The Six Nations should remain free-to-air.
Reform UK
Health & Social Care
- Support for a Women’s Health Strategy (though Reform also want one for men).
- Both want to modernise the NHS Wales app.
- Both support "Owain's Law".
- Support for fully integrating health and social care.
Education & Childcare
- Reducing teacher workloads.
- A Dental School at Bangor.
- Both back phonics being used to teach reading.
Economy & Transport
- Both want a review of business rates of some kind (differing on the extent and hows).
- Both want to support extra procurement from Wales-based companies.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- Improved water quality standards.
- Changes to how floods are managed/investment in flood defences.
- More funding for coal tip clean ups.
- Both want more targeted Nitrate Vulnerable Zone measures.
- They support the principle of burying new power lines.
Communities & Local Government
- Both want councils to collaborate more.
Culture & Country
- In principle, both back some sort of "cultural change"/reform of the civil service and how they operate (though they take very different views on how).
Liberal Democrats
Health & Social Care
- In principle, both want health boards to collaborate more (though the Lib Dems are more focused on cross-border care).
- Support for surgical hubs.
- Support for stronger measures around cancer treatment.
- Improving access to NHS dentistry.
- Extra support/recognition for unpaid carers.
Education & Childcare
- Both want closer working between schools, colleges and employers/closure of skill gaps.
- Both oppose restrictions on international students (though differ on what).
- Support for free childcare starting from 9 months.
Economy & Transport
- Both want full devolution of income tax.
- Supporting extra procurement from Wales-based businesses.
- Both want closer alignment with EU rules.
- Keeping existing concessionary bus fares for young people.
- Lobby the UK Government to extend Rural Fuel Duty Relief to Wales.
- Some form of strategy to support Cardiff Airport.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- A new water regulator and measures to address water pollution.
- In principle, both support the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
- Both back some form of National Food Strategy.
Communities & Local Government
- Both support some form of leasehold reform.
- Support for a Community Right to Buy.
Culture & Country
- Extending Welsh language rights in public services, in principle.
- Both want STV for Senedd and local elections.
- Despite the Lib Dems' clear opposition to independence, both are largely in step on which powers they would like to see devolved to Wales.
- Both want Barnett Formula reform.
Greens
Health & Social Care
- Both want some form of Women's Healthcare Plan/Strategy.
- Both want extra support for new monthsd.
- Support for improvements to neurodiversity assessments.
Education & Childcare
- Reforms of the Additional Learning Needs system.
- Their plans for free childcare are similar.
Economy & Transport
- Both want Wales to receive a Barnett Formula consequential/extra funding from HS2.
- Both want to extend the Welsh Government's borrowing powers (though Plaid are more specific).
- Supports the creation of a community bank.
- Support for greater ethical investment by Welsh public pension funds.
- Increase procurement from Wales-based businesses.
- Want faster roll-out of contactless bus ticketing.
- Both support a north-south rail link, in principle.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- Both want the eventual nationalisation of Welsh Water.
- Both support the "polluter pays" principle.
- Stronger action on contaminated land; support a ban on "forever chemicals".
- Both want a new environmental regulator.
- Support for greater public say in planning decision.
- Changes to flood defence funding.
- Legally-binding biodiversity targets.
- Expand community energy ownership.
- Both support the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
- Both want to increase public procurement of food from Wales-based producers (though Plaid have more specific targets).
- Both support a ban on horticultural peat.
Communities & Local Government
- Both support a ban on no-fault evictions and some form of fair rents/rent caps.
- Establish a national social housing developer/agency.
- Both want improved tenant rights to keep pets.
- Both back the Nation of Sanctuary.
- Both support a form of Community Right to Buy.
- A focus on crime prevention.
- In principle, both back the idea of Wales setting its own guidance/strategy for gender ID.
Culture & Country
- Both support public funding for independent journalism.
- Both parties are generally in line on what powers they would like to see devolved to Wales/parity with Scotland.
- Both want reform of the Barnett Formula.
- Both want to review the closed-list voting system for Senedd elections.
Senedd 2026
