Reform £1bn manifesto black hole would destroy Welsh public services

Plaid Cymru has hit out on Reform UK’s uncosted manifesto pledges which would lead to more than a £1billion black hole in Welsh public finances.

Ahead of the Senedd election on May 7, Reform’s Welsh manifesto has come under significant scrutiny for setting out a series of tax cutting measures and public infrastructure spending without an explanation on where the money to fund the spending would come from.

On the day of the party’s manifesto launch on 5 March 2026, Reform UK Ltd’s Leader, Nigel Farage, said there would be an independent verification of the costings, but a month later, that still hasn’t been made available.

Since then, research by Plaid Cymru suggests that the cost of all the manifesto commitments published by Reform would exceed £1billion between tax cuts and spending commitments.

Cutting 1p to the pound for every income tax band in Wales alone would cost £371m in 2026-27, and £390m in 2027/28. Based on evidence supplied by the WLGA following the publication of the draft Budget for 2026-27, limiting council tax rises across Wales to 5% would have required an additional £437m to the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) for local authorities.

Reform also pledge to build an M4 relief road. In 2019, the project cost was estimated to be £1.4bn plus VAT. Adjusted for inflation, this equates to a cost of approximately £2.46bn – around 70% of the entire Welsh Government capital budget for 2026/27. Over a typical 5 year construction period, the project would cost around £492m per annum.

Opinion polls have consistently shown that the Senedd election in May is a two-horse-race to become the largest party, setting out clearly that only Plaid Cymru can stop Reform in Wales.

Luke Fletcher, Plaid Cymru’s Economy spokesperson said:

“Reform’s divisive rhetoric would rip our communities apart. Their hidden-austerity agenda, designed to give their billionaire buddies a tax-cut, would destroy our vital public services.

“The manifesto sums simply don’t add up – it would create a £1bn black hole in Wales’ public finances. It’s fantasy economics with no costings. That’s not a plan, it’s a gamble.

“It’s clear that the ex-Tories of Reform aren’t serious about governing Wales – they’re only interested in creating chaos and division that serves their own purpose. Our communities deserve so much better. Wales needs a government that’s serious about offering solutions following 27 years of Labour mismanagement.

“Plaid Cymru is the only party with an ambitious and deliverable plan to bring down waiting times, raise standards in our schools, introduce our universal childcare offer and give Welsh businesses the support they desperately need.

“As the Senedd election approaches, the polls are clear: only Plaid Cymru can stop Reform from getting their hands on Wales’ public purse and the local services we all depend on.”\

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