Reform hits back at claim Farage is buckling to Establishment in Wales
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, welcomed an expansion of the Senedd
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Reform UK has hit back against the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, for claiming that the party has taken the side of the establishment by backing an expanded Senedd.
Responding to Davies' article, Kirsty Walmsley, campaign manager for Reform UK Wales argued that Wales "does not need more politicians, it needs fewer but better ones."
Walmsley said: "Once again the Welsh Conservatives are playing fast and loose with the truth.
"Reform UK Wales have never once backed Senedd expansion but we do see 2026 as a huge opportunity to finally rid Wales of ineffective politicians such as Andrew RT Davies.
Andrew RT Davies argued that the expansion of the Senedd is "bad for Wales and bad for Britain"
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"The fact is that the expansion of the Senedd is and always was a colossal waste of time and money. Wales does not need more politicians, it needs fewer but better ones.
“We look forward to showing we are the real alternative in Wales after years of Labour mismanagement and feeble opposition from the Conservatives.
“The latest polls in Wales would suggest it doesn’t matter for the Welsh Conservatives how many seats the Senedd is expanded to, the Welsh people have simply had enough and recognise that Wales needs Reform.”
In his article, Davies said it was "alarming" that the Reform national chairman described the Senedd expansion as "an opportunity" for Reform UK.
Davies continued: "While it may be good for Reform, expanding the Senedd is bad for Wales and bad for Britain, and party interest should never trump the national interest.
"Let me be clear: Lots of very good people voted for Reform at the last election because the UK Government let them down. But on this occasion, Reform has taken the side of the establishment.
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"I understand that Reform wants to expand their ranks and their reach, but this is absolutely the wrong way to do it."
From the next Senedd election in 2026, Wales is set to send 96 politicians to the Welsh Parliament - over 30 more than now - paired with a new voting system.
The new voting system will mean bigger and wider voting constituencies with the largest seat as big as 1,927 sq miles.
The way that the Welsh public votes for the Senedd will also be changed as the mixed system of first past the post and party lists is abandoned.
At the moment, 60 members of the Senedd (MSs) are elected through a mix of 40 first-past-the-post constituencies and lists in the five regions.
But, from 2026 there will be 96 MSs, voted via a new system which aims to reflect better how people voted.
Instead of 40 constituencies, there will be 16, electing six politicians each through party lists.