Welsh Tory leader says “only deal is with the people of Wales” ahead of May Senedd vote

THE LEADER of the Welsh Conservatives has moved to shut down speculation about post-election alliances, insisting he will not enter into any agreement with either Reform UK or Plaid Cymru following May’s Senedd election.

Speaking ahead of his party’s spring conference in Llandudno on Friday (Feb 13), Darren Millar is expected to tell members that the only mandate he is seeking is directly from voters.

He will say that if people choose the Welsh Conservatives at the ballot box, they will get a Conservative administration — not a coalition stitched together after the votes are counted.

His stance mirrors comments previously made by UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who has argued that parties discussing deals before polling day are not focused on delivering for the public.

Reform dismissed as “not ready for power”

With opinion polls suggesting Reform could perform strongly in May, Mr Millar is set to acknowledge that some voters may feel drawn to the party, but he will question whether it is prepared to shoulder the responsibility of governing.

He is expected to argue that Reform has no credible pathway to running the Welsh Government, pointing to past controversies within its Welsh leadership and questioning the substance of its policy platform.

Reform’s UK leader, Nigel Farage, has previously suggested the party’s immediate aim is to become a significant opposition force rather than take office — a position the Welsh Conservatives say underlines its lack of readiness for government.

Plaid branded “focused on separation”

Turning to Plaid Cymru, Mr Millar will accuse the party of propping up Labour in the Senedd while attempting to present itself as an alternative.

He is expected to claim that Plaid’s long-term goal of Welsh independence overshadows its domestic agenda, arguing that constitutional change — rather than bread-and-butter issues — remains its central objective.

According to Mr Millar, a Plaid-led government would prioritise breaking away from the United Kingdom, a move he says would create economic uncertainty and put pensions, cross-border employment and public finances at risk.

Labour record under fire

The Welsh Conservative leader will also target Welsh Labour, which has governed Wales since devolution.

He is set to argue that after nearly three decades in power, Labour’s record on the NHS, schools and the economy has left Wales lagging behind other parts of the UK.

Among the issues likely to be raised are long NHS waiting lists, concerns about educational standards and rising unemployment figures.

Mr Millar will also reference recent remarks by First Minister Eluned Morgan about supporting the hospitality sector — comments that drew headlines — suggesting that economic challenges facing Welsh businesses run far deeper than consumer habits.

Election battle lines drawn

With polling indicating that the contest in May could be highly competitive, the Welsh Conservatives are positioning themselves as the only alternative to what they describe as “27 years of Labour failure”, while rejecting both nationalist and populist rivals.

Whether that message resonates with voters across Pembrokeshire and the wider west Wales region remains to be seen.

Unions warn award amounts to real-terms cut as inflation remains above headline figure

NHS staff across Wales will receive a 3.3% consolidated pay increase from April 1, 2026, after the Welsh Government accepted recommendations from the 39th NHS Pay Review Body.

The uplift applies to all staff employed under Agenda for Change terms and conditions, including nurses, healthcare assistants, porters, cleaners and other frontline health workers.

Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Miles said the award followed independent economic advice and was above current inflation forecasts issued by the Bank of England and the Office for Budget Responsibility.

He said inflation was expected to fall progressively towards the two percent target by early 2027 and described the settlement as fair and responsible within the current financial climate.

Lowest-paid staff

The Welsh Government confirmed that its commitment to pay the Real Living Wage from April 2026 means the lowest-paid NHS staff will see increases ranging from 3.8% to 5.9%.

However, it was also noted that Bands 1 and 2 and the entry point of Band 3 will remain on the same pay rate from April because the previously announced living wage uplift already exceeds the Pay Review Body recommendation.

Ministers said discussions will continue alongside England and Northern Ireland on structural reforms to the Agenda for Change framework, with any agreed changes backdated to April 2026.

Union anger

The announcement prompted sharp criticism from health unions, who argue that with inflation currently at 4.2%, many staff will still see a reduction in real-terms pay.

The Royal College of Nursing described the award as “very disappointing” and said it falls short of commitments to restore nursing pay to 2008 levels.

RCN Wales Executive Director Helen Whyley said: “At a time when the cost of living remains high another real term pay cut is being imposed again on a workforce already stretched to its limits.”

She also criticised the continued use of the Pay Review Body process after unions had raised expectations of direct negotiations.

Meanwhile, UNISON Cymru said health workers are likely to be angry at what it called “another below inflation pay award”.

UNISON Cymru health committee chair Dawn Ward said some NHS staff were struggling with rising household bills and felt undervalued.

The union has called for Wales to move towards a Scottish-style model of direct pay negotiations between government, employers and unions.

Political pressure

The pay announcement is likely to intensify debate about NHS funding, recruitment and retention across Wales.

While ministers argue the settlement reflects economic forecasts and financial constraints, unions maintain that headline percentages do not reflect the pressures facing frontline staff.

With morale described as fragile and vacancies continuing across Welsh health boards, the dispute is expected to remain politically sensitive in the months ahead.

A SCHEME to convert the basement of a Grade-II-listed former pub in a Pembrokeshire town’s conservation area to a flat has been refused by planners who said it would create an “oppressive living environment”.

In the application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Toyeb Ali Rahman, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, sought permission to convert the basement of the former Kings Arms Hotel, Dew Street, Haverfordwest, the building most recently used as an Indian takeaway, to a residential flat.

A supporting statement said: “The Kings Arms Public House was a public house and was formerly a coaching house with a range of former stables to the rear which have been converted to dwellings. It is a mid-terrace property fronting the western side of Dew Street close to the town centre of Haverfordwest,” adding: “Since closure the public house has been used as a takeaway restaurant and is a mixture of flats and offices.”

It went on to say: “The application proposal only involves a small-scale conversion of a basement storage area associated with the former Kings Arms Hotel to a one bedroom residential flat. There would be no extensions with the only external alteration to the building being the replacement of a poorly detailed metal roller shutter door with conventional domestic entrance door with sidelight.

“As such, there would be no change to the impact of the building or proposal on the locality. In fact, basement area is not at all visible from the street scene along Dew Street.”

However, the scheme was refused by county planners on three points.

“The proposed change of use would result in a self-contained residential unit that fails to provide an acceptable standard of residential amenity for future occupiers. The habitable accommodation would be served by no external windows, resulting in inadequate levels of natural daylight and outlook and creating a poor-quality and oppressive living environment.

“Furthermore, insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that adequate ventilation, air quality, and moisture control could be achieved without harm to the character and appearance of the listed building.”

Planners also said the proposals would, through its design and use of materials, “fail to respect the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building”.

The final reason for refusal was the scheme would “result in an increase in nitrogen discharges draining into the Milford Haven Inner waterbody of the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) where features are known to be in unfavourable condition due to current evidence of both chemical and biological failure,” with insufficient information to demonstrate mitigation measures which would allow the proposed development to achieve nutrient neutrality.