PRIME MINISTER CONSPICUOUS BY HIS ABSENCE

PMQs: ‘Why won’t the PM show his face in Caerphilly?’ – Liz Saville Roberts

 

Starmer challenged over Labour’s cuts and collapsing support ahead of Caerphilly by-election

 

During PMQs today (Wednesday 15 October) Plaid Cymru Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP challenged Keir Starmer over his reluctance to campaign in Caerphilly ahead of the by-election on 23 October.

 

A few weeks ago, the Prime Minister told the BBC that he didn’t know whether he was going to go to Caerphilly.

 

Ms Saville Roberts asked the PM what his problem was before citing the cuts to disability support and the closure of ten local libraries as reasons why he hasn’t shown his face in Caerphilly yet.

 

The Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP then asked “or the fact even the council leader resigned from the Labour party and called on people to support Plaid Cymru?”

 

In mid-September, the leader of Caerphilly council resigned from the Labour Party, calling it a "busted flush". He also expressed his support for Plaid Cymru’s candidate, Lindsay Whittle in the upcoming by-election.

 

Labour has held the seat in the Senedd since devolution began in Wales in 1999 and have won in Caerphilly in every General Election since 1918.

 

However, Labour’s support in Wales is collapsing with You Gov's latest poll showing that the 2026 Senedd election will be a two-horse race between Plaid Cymru, currently leading on 30% and Reform, closely behind on 29%.

 

 

Speaking during PMQs, Liz Saville Roberts MP said:

 

“Ahead of his party conference, the Prime Minister told the BBC he wasn’t sure whether he’d campaign in Caerphilly for the by-election on 23 October. This is an important by-election in Wales.

 

“Well, there’s just over a week to go - and he hasn’t shown his face there yet.

 

“So what’s the problem, Mr Speaker – is it his party’s decision to close ten libraries in the community, cuts to disability support or perhaps it’s the fact that even the council leader resigned from the Labour party and is calling on people to support Plaid Cymru?”

 

 

In his response, the Prime Minister said:

 

“Well, Mr Speaker she leaves out of her account that we provided £21 billion, the largest ever settlement for Wales, and what did she do? She voted against it.

 

“And while we’re on the question of money, she’s accepted figures this week that independence would cost every Welsh person £7000. They should be honest about the cost with the people of Wales of their policies.”

 

 

Following the session, Liz Saville Roberts MP said:

 

“The figures spouted by Labour about the cost of independence have already been debunked by independent analysis from the House of Commons Library. The fact that Starmer raised these dodgy figures once again during PMQs shows how desperate the Labour Party is in the run up to next year’s Senedd election.”

 

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RAISE STANDARDS AND SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS

Plaid pledge ‘A new national mission on Literacy and Numeracy’

A Plaid Cymru government will deliver a bold, practical, and inclusive strategy to renew educational standards in Wales its education spokesperson will announce.

 

Plaid Cymru’s education spokesperson, Cefin Campbell, announced the party’s new national mission on literacy and numeracy at the annual conference in Swansea on Saturday 11th October.

 

The plan will include:

 

• A Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan to set national benchmarks, provide targeted support, and ensure high-quality teaching with clear progress tracking. 

• A library in every primary school to give every child a dedicated space that promotes bilingualism and a lifelong love of reading. 

• Reading across the curriculum in secondary schools, embedding literacy into every subject and supporting pupils during the crucial transition from primary to secondary education.

 

A Plaid Cymru government will also invest in the future of Welsh education by offering fair, competitive incentives to attract and retain teachers – and progressively close the gap with England to ensure that trainee teachers in Wales are not financially disadvantaged for choosing to study and work here.

 

Plaid Cymru spokesperson on education Cefin Campbell MS will say,

 

“Labour’s failure to get even the basics right, in literacy and numeracy, our pupils are not fulfilling their potential.  

 

“But Plaid Cymru has a plan. We will ensure our pupils catch up and reach their potential, and we will raise educational standards all over Wales.  

 

“In response to deep, persistent and wide-ranging challenges in literacy and numeracy standards across Wales a Plaid Cymru Government will propose a series of overlapping and innovative solutions to get the basics right and raise standards in our schools. 

 

“A Plaid Cymru Government will develop a new Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan, a national strategy that is coherent, measurable, and equitable.  

 

“This is about ensuring every pupil, regardless of background, can reach their full potential. We will introduce national benchmarks for foundational skills in reading, writing, and numeracy. 

 

Plaid Cymru’s education spokesperson will also say,

 

“But as I’ve said many times in recent years: how can our pupils succeed without a strong, well-supported workforce of brilliant teachers? 

 

“Under Labour’s watch, Wales is facing a crisis in teacher recruitment and retention. 

 

“That’s why I’m proud to announce that a Plaid Cymru government will invest in the future of Welsh education by offering fair, competitive incentives to attract and retain the teachers our schools need.  

 

By the end of the next Senedd term, our incentive offer will match what’s currently on offer in England, ensuring that trainee teachers in Wales are not financially penalised for choosing to study and work here. 

 

“We’ll launch a national campaign, Dewch i Ddysgu, to restore pride in the profession and inspire new entrants. 

 

“We cannot allow the next 25 years to mirror the failures of the last. We must raise standards and unlock every pupil’s potential. We must give every child the best possible start in life. We must provide new leadership for Wales.  That is our national mission. And Plaid Cymru will deliver it.

 

Senior Education Lecturer Dr Huw Griffiths from the Institute of Education at University of Wales Trinity Saint David said,

 

“I’m glad to see political party that’s ready to make a clear statement in tackling one of the biggest challenges of education in Wales.

 

“With the Republic of Ireland now among the best countries in the world in terms of literacy, there is no reason why Wales cannot emulate that.

 

“In my opinion, there is nothing that can compare to improving reading standards as a means of raising standards - this is the alpha and the omega.

 

A spokesperson for the Literacy Trust said,

 

"When children are encouraged to read for pleasure and have access to a wide variety of books, it can transform their lives, building confidence, enhancing wellbeing, improving their reading skills and academic performance. A love of reading is one of the most powerful predictors of future success, and school libraries are key to nurturing that love from an early age.

 

“Libraries for Primaries is working to ensure every primary school in the UK has a dedicated library space by 2029 breaking down barriers to access, promoting equality of opportunity, and helping to create vibrant, whole school reading cultures.

 

A well-resourced school library is more than just a room of books; it’s a gateway to imagination, knowledge, and lifelong learning that will benefit generations to come."

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TIME FOR TRANSFORMATIVE NEW CHILDCARE IN WALES

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth unveils universal new childcare offer worth more than £30,000 in childcare costs

 

A Plaid Cymru government will deliver a transformative and universal new childcare offer for children from the age of 9 months to 4 years – worth more than £30,000 in childcare costs in the first four years of a child’s life, Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has announced.

 

Addressing Plaid Cymru’s Annual Conference in Swansea, Rhun ap Iorwerth said the offer would be the “most generous Welsh childcare offer ever”.

 

The new offer will build to 20 hours a week for all children aged 9-months to 4-years-old for 48 weeks a year; while also honouring the existing 30-hour offer for those children aged 3 and 4 whose parents are in work, education or training.

 

At full rollout, this universal offer will be the most generous government-funded childcare programme anywhere in the UK.

 

Speaking during his conference speech Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said,

 

“We know what we strive towards. No community left behind and no person, family, or child unworthy of a decent life.

 

“That is why today, I am announcing that a Plaid Cymru government would introduce a transformative new universal free childcare programme, available for all children from the age of 9 months to 4 years, building towards providing at least 20 hours a week for 48 weeks a year.

 

“This is the most generous Welsh childcare offer ever, worth more than £30,000 to families in the first four years of their son or daughter’s life - a game-changing intervention with a multi-generational impact.

 

“For children, the opportunity to socialise, to learn new skills and to set them on the right path to thrive in primary education.

 

“For parents, the freedom to return to work without being forced to make the agonising calculation of whether they can afford it.

 

“And for grandparents, so often caring for their children, their children’s children and their own ageing parents, the peace of mind that their government is on their side and on the side of their family.

 

“Unlike the Labour Government’s offer in England, Plaid Cymru’s will be universal, eliminating the perverse prospect of the gap between entitlements for disadvantaged children and those with working parents being wider than ever, as charities have recently warned.

 

“A helping hand with the things that matter the most.

 

“That’s what a Plaid Cymru Government will mean for you and your family.

 

Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on Social Justice and Early Years Sioned Williams MS said,

 

“Investing in childcare and early years education delivers one of the strongest returns of any public investment. In the medium to long term, it more than pays for itself, with global evidence showing returns on investment of around 13% – through better outcomes for children, higher rates of employment for parents, and a stronger, healthier economy.”

 

“Current childcare costs in Wales are the highest anywhere in the UK, with many families spending more on childcare than on housing. This locks many families out of accessing childcare at all.

 

“A Plaid Cymru government will go further and faster on extending access to childcare – to put money back in families’ pockets, combat child poverty and provide the best start in life for every child in Wales.

 

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PLAID READY TO LEAD GOVERNMENT AND REPLACE LABOUR

Plaid Cymru is ready to “replace” Labour, promising “a new government, with new energy and new ideas”, party leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS will tell conference delegates in Swansea today. 

Addressing members and supporters at the Plaid Cymru Annual Conference with the party leading the polls ahead of the Senedd Election next May, Rhun ap Iorwerth will encourage people in Wales to “come with us”, claiming that “Together, we can choose a different path – one where we roll up our sleeves to fulfil our potential, not one where we simply settle for what we have.”

In a speech which contains further detail about Plaid’s ambitious Programme for Government and speaking from the main stage on Friday afternoon, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS is expected to say:

“Today, with a historic nation-building opportunity before us, I’m going to set out the choice facing Wales – two very different futures but only one credible option.

“A seismic shift in our politics lies ahead. Change now seems inevitable and of course it’s long overdue.

“So, to the people of Wales I say ‘come with us’

“Together, we can choose a different path – one where we roll up our sleeves to fulfil our potential, not one where we simply settle for what we have.

Rhun ap Iorwerth will set out how Plaid Cymru is ready to lead Wales and replace Labour as the party of government:

“Let’s be clear. We’re not here to act as Labour’s conscience. We are not here to repair Labour. We are here to replace them.

“We promise a new government, with new energy and new ideas to prove what every person who believes in Wales already knows – that things don’t have to be this way.

“Plaid Cymru believes deeply in our potential as a nation.  We say ‘Yes, Wales Can’ - and we want to show you how.

The Plaid Leader will also appeal to those who have never voted for his party before to do so next May in order to “forge new alliances for a brighter future” and to “give our nation the leadership it needs and the respect it deserves:

“So, if you’ve never voted for Plaid Cymru before, the time is now.

“The time is now to stop Reform and elect a government more radical, more ambitious, more impatient to bring about positive change than any which has gone before it. A government of progress and of progressive values.

“A government on the side of families, teachers, nurses, farmers, business-owners.

“Young and old. Urban and rural. North and south. Welsh speaker. Non-Welsh speaker.

“Life-long supporter and first-time voter. The time is now to forge new allegiances for a brighter future.

“With your support, we can give our nation the leadership it needs and the respect it deserves.” 

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PLAID CYMRU OFFERS “NEW LEADERSHIP FOR WALES”

Party unveils new election campaign slogan for 2026

Plaid Cymru offers “new leadership for Wales” if leading government following next year’s Senedd election, the party’s leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has said.

Launching the party’s 2026 election campaign slogan ahead of Plaid Cymru’s Annual Conference in Brangwyn Hall, Swansea on Friday (10^th October 2025), Mr ap Iorwerth said new leadership means ensuring fairness for Wales, better public services, and hope for the future.

Next year’s Senedd election is now widely considering to be a two horse race between Plaid Cymru’s new leadership for Wales, and Reform’s division. Plaid Cymru are consistently leading the polls with Reform close behind, and Labour support crashing.

Plaid Cymru leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said:

“Wales needs new leadership with fresh ideas to take us forward.

“That means a government that will stand up for our communities to ensure fairness for Wales – not standing by while Westminster once again treats us with contempt.

“It means tackling NHS waiting times, improving standards in education, better job opportunities and addressing the root causes of poverty.

“And it means offering real hope for the future – the antidote to populist right-wing politics.

“That is what Plaid Cymru offers and promises our communities.

“There are two competing offers ahead of next year’s Senedd election but only one credible government: new leadership with Plaid Cymru focused on delivering for our communities, or more division with Reform, an empty vessel making a lot of noise.

“Together, we can ensure new leadership for Wales, with radical, ambitious plans – that only Plaid Cymru offers.”

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