‘Tired of broken promises’: Readers on Reform, Plaid Cymru and the collapse of Labour loyalty in Wales

Iindependent readers criticize Labour’s attitude towards Welsh communities, particularly in former mining areas, and express deep skepticism about the promises of Reform UK.

Their reactions follow an exclusive report by Holly Evans, who spoke to locals in poor communities who had abandoned Labor and turned to Nigel Farage’s Reform ahead of May’s Senedd elections, where a two-horse race between Reform and Plaid Cymru is shaping up.

Many felt Labor had been let down, arguing that the government had failed to restore investment in the region’s industrial wealth, neglecting infrastructure and allowing towns and streets to decay further.

Commentators have pointed to the lasting effects of Brexit and a lack of opportunities for young people as key reasons for local frustration.

Many have warned that Reform is far from the solution it claims to be, describing the party as inexperienced and opportunistic and criticizing Farage for supporting policies that will harm public services, workers’ rights and the NHS.

Others said Plaid Cymru’s success in Caerphilly showed that immigration was not the problem, but that long-standing neglect and broken promises were pushing voters towards alternatives.

Here’s what you need to say:

One more slide to the right

This article perfectly captures the utter despair in the valleys of Wales: ghost towns, closed shops, skyrocketing unemployment and a complete lack of hope after decades of neglect. It’s no surprise that Labour’s century-long dominance has disappeared; Like the Conservatives before them, they have failed spectacularly; They offered nothing but scandals, money-grubbing and empty promises.

There is no doubt that Reform UK will win the next Senedd election; They are the only game in town tapping into raw anger at immigration, crumbling high streets and zero opportunities for young people. But let’s be realistic: Farage is already compromised by the establishment and will not provide even half of what is needed to turn the situation around. This will pave the way for even more right-wing parties to rise up and fill the void in subsequent elections, finally giving these communities the radical change they deserve.

thomas

wrong solution

I can understand the frustration of the Welsh people with Labour, but if they think Reform is the solution they are sadly mistaken.

The reform has no experience, in fact very little expertise. Over the last few months we have seen parts of the Reformation’s ‘Covenant’ turn into ‘hopes’ as the party leadership comes face to face with reality.

Voting for reform would be as serious a mistake as voting for power, perhaps worse than voting for Labour.

Perhaps it is the lesser of evils that Reformation will vote for in May 2026. Then, by the time we come to the general election in 2029, Reformation will have fully revealed itself and voters will be able to choose wisely about who will occupy No 10.

Krispad

no vision

It is tragic that people have become so desperate that they even consider voting for Reformation. Devolution has been a disaster for Wales. In 25 years of largely unimpeded power, Labor has achieved nothing. It was so scary.

Plaid Cymru is currently the only opposition to Reformation and even they have yet to outline any vision that would give people hope. It doesn’t help that the not-so-visionary PC leader is surrounded by a subpar team. Yet PC is still the only show in town. UK Labor should have recognized the problems caused by the lack of talent in Welsh Labor decades ago, so it must also take the blame for the rise of Reform.

TWBall

dying communities

I know the South Wales valleys well. I have a pet theory about areas like this all over the UK and perhaps other seedy European communities. People look at such places and naturally wonder “what do they do?” he asks. However, OAPs and the unemployed live in these places; so the lack of employment outside the food shop, takeaway and bar doesn’t matter as they are self-sufficient on pensions and benefits. They can’t move and they don’t want to move. As older people die, communities will become smaller and smaller. It’s a sad situation, but I don’t see a solution. Trying to revive them is a waste of time and money; They have now lost their usefulness.

Mr Doggybones

Can you blame them?

We cannot blame communities whose lives have not improved and who seek other alternatives, even if those alternatives do not solve their communities.

In other words, it’s up to Labor to improve their lives. As always, these issues are complicated because some of these communities had regular jobs when industry was nearby, but this was a trust that could not be changed. This is not easy to do, but without the level of support needed to bring new industry or investment to the high street, it is very difficult to turn things around. Add to that austerity, Brexit and Covid, and things get tough for these communities. It takes time, it takes investment, it takes smart thinking to get things back on track. Meanwhile, populists who will do nothing to these cities are also stepping into this discontent.

Really

It’s too early to blame Labor

It is too early to blame Labor. Their policies don’t seem to be working, but they still have to undo the damage and lack of investment brought about by 14 years of Tory rule.

I would give Labor a few more years and see if tax rises, increases for the poor and the public sector improve the situation. But I fear that tax increases will weaken consumer spending and business confidence, worsen unemployment and actually make things worse.

It also seems like the decline of our city centers has been completely ignored by the political class, but it’s especially important for the millions of people who live in these communities far from major cities and rely entirely on these stores and businesses. Politicians need to do more.

ChrisMatthews

Desperation helps extremes

Right and left wings always perform well in tight spaces. Hitler was successful in part because the German economy suffered from the Treaty of Versailles, which left many living in poverty. Parties like Reform and the Greens have no real policies, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be successful in elections because people are desperate for a solution that the left and right wing promised but never delivered.

think and think

The real election in Wales

Plaid wins the Caerphilly by-election, beating Reform and Labor; so immigration is of course not an issue because Plaid is the most pro-immigration party in the country. The real choice in Wales is between those who want to destroy the Labour-Conservative system and those who want to abandon Westminster altogether through independence.

People are tired of broken promises, poor management and lack of investment. Industrial areas such as South Wales created enormous wealth for the country, but profits were constantly being siphoned away with nothing to reinvest. Just look at countries like Germany, Japan and China to see what could happen if money was reinvested. Allowing our industrial base to die was a crime, and Labor is just as guilty as the Conservatives.

ajames

No interest in governing on behalf of the people

They never learn, do they? Wales lost £680 million in EU funding streams at the end of 2020. Wales has always been a leading supporter of Brexit, and with it Farage.

If Farage wins this year’s election in Wales, those who now claim they plan to vote for him (it’s unlikely he’ll run a party) would do well to see how the districts with Reform councilors are doing. They have no experience and in some cases seem to have no interest in governing on behalf of the people.

Ambigirls

magnificent incompetence

So 15 years of austerity under the economically incompetent and tyrannical Conservative Party is giving way to even more austerity as Labor continues austerity to protect big businesses and the wealthy individuals who fund them.

Meanwhile, Reformation is recruiting the worst of the same people responsible for austerity and the country’s mess.

The reform was extremely successful in the last local elections and had a great opportunity to show what life would be like when they came to power. What we see, without exception, are people who have no idea what they are doing, waste money, and are spectacularly, if not unexpectedly, incompetent.

Frankly, everyone who voted for Reform deserves everything it has to offer.

markoscar

Populism thrives on fear, not solutions

History shows us that when populist movements take off, they often do so by pointing fingers at a group they label as “the problem.”

The names change but the pattern is always the same.

Today, names such as Nigel Farage in England and Donald Trump in the USA use the same tools with new technology. The message is kept simple: They are taking what is yours, and only a strong leader can defend you.

Details don’t matter; Often there is no policy at all. What matters is the emotion, fear, and anger packaged in a hymn or meme. If history shows anything, it’s that populist anger is hot but rarely well managed.

red trucks

Some of the comments in this article have been edited for brevity and clarity.

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