Image Source: Welsh Labour
Health & Social Care
Labour pledges new Women’s Healthcare (with targeted services for endometriosis and incontinence) and Rural Healthcare strategies.
On public health, Labour would seek to licence Botox and cosmetic fillers. Also, they will “consider” a ban on selling energy drinks to under-16s and limiting takeaways near schools and playgrounds.
Labour would also work with the UK Government to regulate NHS managers.
There are pledges to widen access to medical education through a new model proposed by the Open University, require all health boards to draft a transport plan, and to work with the troubled Betsi Cadwaladr health board (north Wales) to get it out of special measures.
One of Labour’s headline policies is to invest £4 billion in new hospitals, in particular replacements for Wrexham Maelor Hospital and University Hospital Cardiff. Like other parties, they support new surgical hubs (in Labour’s case: one in the north, one in the south).
Labour wants to continue to cut waiting times to meet the 26-week waiting time target by 2030.
On cancer, Labour would roll out a lung cancer screening programme in 2027. They also want to introduce a young cancer travel fund to cover costs associated with travel for children’s cancer treatment.
Labour wants to guarantee that you can see a primary care team within 48 hours if you have a pressing need.
They back the new dental contract to improve access to NHS dentistry. They also want to provide free dentistry and optometry services for care leavers until the age of 25.
Like other parties, Labour supports the principle of community pharmacies offering more diagnostic and clinical services.
One of Labour’s core pledges here is same-day access to mental health care, including community-based support for new mothers and mothers-to-be.
On social care, Labour want to reduce the number of out-of-area care placements. They would also reform looked-after children’s care, seeking to keep children closer to their families.
They want to “take the next steps” to developing a National Care & Support Service. Other social care policy pledges include a fair pay agreement for care workers (both adult and children’s), the establishment of a Social Care Academy, and increased use of technology in the care of older people (such as fall detectors).
Other pledges include a new end-of-life care plan, funding cool and warm hubs during extreme weather, a new dementia strategy and providing 16,000 respite/short breaks for unpaid carers.
They want to “end long waits” for neurodevelopment assessments, alongside a Learning Disability and Autism Employment strategy.
Education & Childcare
Labour would extend free school meals to secondary school pupils from households that receive Universal Credit. A fair pay deal for school support staff would be negotiated.
On school standards and learning, Labour seeks what they describe as a “relentless” focus on literacy and numeracy to boost standards, including targeted support for pupils in years 6 and 7. They would also modernise school governance to improve the areas of safeguarding and finances as part of a wider reform of school funding.
Labour promises to introduce new national pupil behaviour guidance, ensure all school staff are trained to support learners with Additional Learning Needs, bring in new routes for teacher training, and “reduce the workload” for teachers through the use of AI.
Labour promises a review of learner travel, including the possibility of establishing a publicly-owned not-for-profit learner travel provider.
As well as a fund for urgent school repairs, Labour wants to open more school facilities up for community use.
Labour promises 100,000 all-age apprenticeships by 2030, and wants to ensure all 14-16-year-olds have access to both vocational and academic options.
As well as a lifelong retraining guarantee, Labour would seek to bring in “bitesize” AI courses for the workplace.
Labour supports the current student finance system (full financial support for Welsh students studying anywhere) and the Seren programme (encouraging Welsh students to study at top universities).
Instead of changing financial support, they would launch a campaign to promote studying at Welsh universities. They would also seek to “work closely” with trade unions to protect the long-term future of colleges and universities.
In addition to reviewing how further education colleges are funded, Labour would maintain the Educational Maintenance Allowance for post-16 learners.
Like other parties, Labour wants to extend the free childcare offer to start at 9 months old (but describes it as being phased in).
They also want to offer baby bundles to all households receiving Universal Credit, alongside support for co-operative childcare settings.
Labour would also seek to introduce what they describe as a “Right to Read and Play”, with automatic library membership and a network of 100 toy libraries.
Economy & Transport
One of Labour’s core pledges is they would not increase the Welsh rate of income tax for the next term (until 2030).
On public finances, Labour wants an independent adjudicator to ensure the UK’s nations are fairly funded.
At the heart of Labour’s economic plans is a new Industrial Strategy, which would prioritise the use of domestically-produced steel in publicly-funded projects. Labour also promises a £500 million Local Growth Fund.
Alongside this, there would be a Rural Economic Development Plan, Valleys Economic Board and National Jobs Council.
Labour mentions AI a lot, strongly supporting the use of “responsible AI”, including the creation of an AI Innovation Fund and the appointment of a Minister for Digital.
Elsewhere, a Labour Welsh Government would host another international investment summit, connect 10,000 rural homes to high-speed broadband and ensure businesses receiving Welsh Government support pay the Real Living Wage.
The headline pledge is a £2 cap on adult bus fares. Capped £1 fares for under-25s would continue, while free bus travel for the over-60s would be maintained.
Using the Bus Services Act, 100 new bus routes would be introduced, alongside minimum standards for bus services through franchising.
Labour backs targeted investment at “pinch points” on the trunk road network (M4, A44, A483, A494). They would also increase the number of electric vehicle charging points and introduce a law to modernise the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.
While not seeking any extra powers over rail infrastructure, Labour backs the UK Government’s “£14 billion vision/pipeline” of rail investment in Wales. They still support the development of a Global Centre for Rail Excellence in the Dulais Valley.
More specifically, Labour supports more frequent services on the Coryton line in Cardiff, as well as progress on metro plans in north Wales and Swansea Bay.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
Labour would “crack down” on fly-tipping by increasing fines and creating new offences.
They would also introduce a law to improve river and water quality, alongside a new water regulator and a new environmental governance body. They would continue to work to establish a new National Park in north-east Wales and continue the National Forest project.
There’s a commitment to make more than 400 disused coal tips safer, as well as “addressing the legacy” of contaminated land sites.
On planning, they want Wales to be “the fastest nation in the UK to get planning permission”, including the introduction of degree apprenticeships in planning.
They support extending bans on single-use plastics, banning the sale of horticultural/gardening peat and a bottle deposit return scheme (which they imply would include glass).
There are several animal welfare proposals. These include support for a greyhound racing ban (a law has already been passed in the Senedd), mandatory cat microchipping, regulation of animal welfare establishments and regulation of the keeping of exotic pets. Labour will also consider introducing a Pet Abduction Bill.
Labour supports increased regulation of shooting game birds and a UK-wide ban on trail hunting.
Labour has a vision for what they call an “Energy Independent Wales”, with a standalone energy department established within the Welsh Government.
They support creating a national wealth fund using income generated by renewable energy projects on public land. Additionally, they would set a target for Wales to generate 1.5GW of locally owned renewable energy by 2035, mandating that local communities benefit from renewable energy projects.
Labour supports using excess heat and waste water from data centres to provide energy to local communities. They back nuclear energy projects at Wylfa.
Regulations concerning heat pumps would be reformed, and all new homes will use renewable energy as standard. Energy efficiency upgrades would be provided for 100,000 existing homes by 2030.
Labour would stick with the Sustainable Farming Scheme and “continue to develop” it.
Like other parties, they want to see more in-Wales food procurement, seeking to increase it to 50% of public sector spending by 2030.
Communities, Housing & Local Government
There’s support for “fairer” council tax, but no specifics.
As well as seeking to reform Fire & Rescue Authorities, Labour would grant councils more powers to prevent the oversaturation of specific types of businesses. The target list includes vape shops, betting shops, fast food outlets and barbers.
Labour aims to end homelessness by 2034 (mirroring similar promises in previous manifestos), making a commitment that no children would be placed in B&B accommodation by 2030.
More broadly, Labour wants to build 100,000 new homes by 2036, with 40,000 of those being low-carbon social homes, and 2,000 empty homes brought back into use. They would expand Help to Buy beyond new-build homes and continue Help to Stay for mortgage payments.
Labour supports a food hygiene style rating system for letting agencies, as well as a guarantor scheme for private renters.
They want to strengthen the legal rights of leaseholders (as do most parties), but don’t offer any specifics.
Much like other parties, Labour supports a Community Right to Buy. They would also seek to invest in converting empty high street buildings into businesses, leisure facilities and homes.
Labour will continue to support the Nation of Sanctuary programme. They would set up citizens’ assemblies to debate the future of community cohesion and social care.
They would also seek to end pay gaps (based on gender, ethnicity or disability) by 2050, roll out workplace menopause support, provide more free period products in public places and introduce a “lifelong blue badge” for people with lifelong conditions. Labour also supports new action plans to deal with hate crimes and LGBTQ+ rights.
Labour would enshrine the Welsh Benefits Charter in law so that everyone in Wales can access full welfare support.
They want to ensure all devolved public sector employers guarantee job interviews for veterans.
Culture & Country
Labour would maintain free museum entry. They would continue to offer financial support to TV and film productions through Creative Wales.
There are lots of pledges to support events. These include the use of Welsh venues as part of a proposed UK-based bid for the 2040 Summer Olympics, Wrexham’s bid for City of Culture 2029, a “Wales Year of Music” and an event to mark the 100th anniversary of the National Museum in 2027.
On sport, Labour backs what they describe as a “state-of-the-art” National Sports Centre, alongside further investment in local sports facilities. They also support the regeneration of Swansea Civic Centre as a visitor destination.
Unsurprisingly, Labour backs its own target of 1 million Welsh-speakers by 2050.
There are pledges to expand free Welsh lessons, particularly to parents of children attending Welsh-medium schools.
On community language measures, Labour supports innovation in Welsh language technologies (particularly AI), would “protect and promote” historic Welsh placenames, and would mandate the use of Welsh language place names for government-funded housing developments.
There’s also a promise to revamp Urdd facilities.
Labour backs a lobbyist register for the Senedd, as well as a recall system for MSs found guilty of serious misconduct (though the latter has already been approved in the Senedd Member & Accountability Bill).
On devolution, Labour supports devolution of: non Job Centre Plus employment support (particularly support for people with disabilities); the Crown Estate; probation and youth justice as “the first step” towards devolution of justice and policing.
They would create a Minister of Justice and introduce a law to overhaul the tribunals system (which is partially devolved).
As well as supporting Barnett Formula reform, including a point that Wales “automatically receives its rightful share of UK resources in critical areas” (a nod to HS2), Labour wants to see the post-Brexit Internal Market Act repealed.
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?
4/5
Update: 30/04/2026. Labour has now published a costings document (pdf). They claim they can meet new spending commitments from forecast changes to the Welsh Government budget, costing up to £261 million over the next Senedd term. Some of these costings sound a bit optimistic (the cost of a £2 bus fare cap, for example). I expect expanding free childcare would cost more than the estimated £100 million, too.
Their £4 billion new hospital fund would be a separate programme delivered over 10 years and doesn’t feature in the document. This would be funded through a mix of capital spending, borrowing, and the Mutual Investment Model.
Clarity
How easy is their manifesto to understand? Do they make it clear what they want to do?
3/5
The manifesto takes time to get through, with a preference for bullet points over explanations. Apart from some wonk speak, it’s readable. They make it clear what they want to do. There are no attacks on other parties, more a focus on what they believe they’ve achieved in the last Senedd and what they would like to achieve in the next one.
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, much of what’s promised is achievable even if relying on “plans to make plans”. A lot of it overlaps with other parties, so they should be able to put together a coalition agreement fairly easily. Some timescales are provided, but little information on the “hows”. It’s also worth pointing out that some policies appeared in Labour’s 2021 manifesto and weren’t delivered.
Devo-Compatibility
Does the Senedd have the power to deliver their manifesto promises?
5/5
Unless I’ve missed something, it all appears to be within the Senedd’s powers. So there’s nothing in the manifesto that they couldn’t do (money permitting).
OVERALL SCORE
16/20
Apart from a few areas (such as the new hospital and bus fare pledges), the message Labour want to get out is “choose business as usual with us, over uncertainty with them”. It won’t blow your socks off, but it’s the kind of manifesto Labour could deliver 60% of again. Could they have been bolder given the higher stakes this time round? Yes.
TL;DR: What stands out?
Labour's Big Five Pledges
- The pledge for £4billion worth of new hospitals, in particular a replacement for University Hospital Cardiff.
- £2 adult bus fare cap.
- No changes to the Welsh rate of income tax.
- 100,000 new homes by 2036, 40,000 of which are social houses.
- Crackdown on fly-tipping.
Five Unique Policies
- The pledge for Wales to become the “fastest country in the UK to secure planning permission”. A degree apprenticeship in planning is a novel idea, but it needs to be properly resourced.
- A rating system for letting agencies – not a bad idea.
- The bit about a new National Sports Centre.
- The “right to read and play” and the network of toy libraries.
- The proposed law on pet abductions.
Five Quirks
- Labour seems very pro AI, which I wasn’t expecting. That’s going to age poorly.
- They’re the only party proposing to reform Fire & Rescue Authorities (as far as I can tell). I know there have been issues with the South Wales Fire Authority, but it seems random and you would’ve thought local government itself would’ve been a higher priority for changes.
- I’m pleasantly surprised that Labour supports a lobbyist register.
- Labour seeking devolution of employment support over something like….I don’t know….rail infrastructure.
- There’s no direct mention of 20 mph (they could’ve at least backed their own policy), and little mention of active travel compared to previous elections.
Five Bullshit Alarms
- The new hospital plans are a very big, very headline-grabbing commitment. But it’s not as if they could realistically deliver one major new hospital, let alone (at least) 2, in the coming term. It could take the best part of a decade. They don’t say where the money’s coming from either.
- What counts as a “pressing need” in health? Everyone thinks they have a “pressing need”.
- The community energy target seems very ambitious/unachievable given the poor record of delivery so far.
- While the pledge to deliver 100,000 homes over the next decade is welcome, at 10,000 homes per year, we would need to roughly double our current house-building rate.
- While Labour want limited extra devolved powers and Barnett reform, will anyone in London listen to them, given their silence to date?
Common Ground
What key policy plans do Labour share with the other main parties?
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Conservatives
Health & Social Care
- More clinical services from community pharmacists.
- Both want to cut NHS waiting times.
- Both want to promote healthy eating (by different means).
- Support for investment in new hospitals (though Labour are more specific).
- Supports quick access to mental health services (though they differ on how).
Education & Childcare
- Backs the principle of opening more school facilities to local communities.
- In principle, both support extending free childcare to 9-month-olds.
Economy & Transport
- Measures to protect the steel industry.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- Both support harsher penalties for fly-tipping.
- Supports nuclear energy (at Wylfa).
- Backs more food being bought from Welsh suppliers.
Communities & Local Government
- Both support maintaining or extending Help to Buy.
- Both want to end the use of B&Bs as temporary housing for homeless households with children.
- Both support some form of community right to buy scheme (though they differ in the method).
Culture & Country
- Both back Wrexham's 2029 City of Culture bid and retaining free entry to museums.
- Both support the 1 million Welsh-speakers target.
Plaid Cymru
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.
- Some kind of review of home-school transport (with different approaches).
- Reducing teacher workloads.
- 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.
Reform UK
Health & Social Care
- More clinical services from community pharmacists.
- Supports greater use of digital technology in the NHS.
- Improvements to accessing NHS dentistry (though they differ on how).
- Both support a women’s health plan (though Reform also propose a men’s health plan).
- New diagnostic and surgical hubs.
- Supports quick access to mental health services (though they differ on how).
Education & Childcare
- Want to reduce bureaucracy for teachers.
- Expansion of apprenticeships and vocational education.
Economy & Transport
- Measures to protect the steel industry.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- Supports a law to improve river/water quality.
- Supports nuclear energy (at Wylfa).
- Backs more food being bought from Welsh suppliers.
Communities & Local Government
- Stronger licensing powers for local councils.
Culture & Country
- Backs capital investment in museums.
- Investment in local sports facilities.
- A lobbyist register at the Senedd.
Liberal Democrats
Health & Social Care
- Both support a replacement for Heath hospital.
- New surgical hubs.
- Improving access to NHS dentistry.
- Improved standards/professionalism in the social care sector.
Education & Childcare
- Funding for repairs to the school estate.
- Both support existing student finance arrangements.
- Both support extending free childcare from 9 months old.
Economy & Transport
- Both want a new Industrial Strategy.
- Support for expanding high-speed broadband.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- Improved water quality measures and a new water regulator.
- Expanded/extended home energy efficiency retrofitting.
- New homes should have renewable energy as standard (though the Lib Dems are more specific and go a bit further).
- Both support the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
- Increasing the amount of food procured from Wales-based producers.
Communities & Local Government
- Both support a Community Right to Buy.
- In principle, both support leasehold reform.
- Support the conversion of empty high street buildings.
Culture & Country
- Both support Barnett Formula reform.
- Both support the devolution of the Crown Estate.
Greens
Health & Social Care
- A women's health care plan.
- Both support a lung cancer screening programme.
- Improving access to GP and dental appointments (with some differences on the specifics).
- Improved mental health services for new mothers.
- Earlier intervention on neurodiversity.
Education & Childcare
- Extending free school meals to secondary schools (though the Greens want this to be universal).
- Introduce a fair pay deal for school support staff.
- Both want to reduce teachers' workloads (but differ on how).
- Both back the Seren programme.
- Both support free period products (though the Greens focus on schools and colleges).
- Labour and the Greens want to review FE colleges (though Labour are more focused on finances).
- Support maintaining the Educational Maintenance Allowance.
- Both support free/subsidised childcare starting from 9 months, though the Greens offer more detail on what they would do specifically.
Economy & Transport
- Labour and the Greens both propose adult bus fare caps (Greens: £1, Labour: £2).
- Support for expanding electric vehicle charging points.
Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs
- Both support action on contaminated land – though the Greens are more specific.
- Both support a ban on peat in gardening.
- Both support the expansion of community-owned energy.
- All new homes should use renewable energy.
- Backs the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
- Backs more food being bought from Welsh suppliers.
Communities & Local Government
- In principle, both support leasehold reform.
- Both support some form of community right to buy scheme.
- Both support the Nation of Sanctuary programme.
- Support for greater use of citizens' assemblies to involve people in decision-making.
Culture & Country
- Both back some form of fair funding model/Barnett Formula reform for Wales.
- Labour and the Greens want the Crown Estate devolved.
- In principle, both support devolution of criminal justice (though Labour want step-by-step devolution).
Senedd 2026
