Rhun ap Iorwerth speech: First Minister seeks Wales–Scotland parity 2026

Key Points

• Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth gave his maiden speech at the Plaid Cymru annual conference in Llandudno on 2 October 2026 as head of the Welsh government, appealing for a “New Deal for Wales” from the UK parliament.
• Ap Iorwerth officially sent a letter to UK PM Andy Burnham requesting devolution of police and justice, railways, welfare benefits, and the Crown Estate, to get Wales on par with Scotland.
• The Welsh First Minister stressed that the “respect agenda” between Cardiff Bay and Westminster needs to work in both directions, adding that he expects to hold Burnham up to his word to not undercut Wales or the Senedd.
• The First Minister spoke about steps to be taken immediately concerning NHS waiting times, expansion of childcare services, and climate adaptation while recognizing that the “budget is tight” and that savings will have to be made.
• The First Minister criticized the influence of Reform UK and Nigel Farage, expressed his solidarity with Ukraine and Gaza, and ended with a call that “the wait is over.”

Wales (Wales Times) October 02, 2026 – First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth used his party’s annual conference to demand a new constitutional and fiscal settlement from the UK Government, setting out a formal “New Deal for Wales” that would transfer significant reserved powers to Cardiff Bay and secure needs-based funding to match Scotland’s devolution.

A New Deal for Wales: powers and funding demands

As reported by BBC Wales correspondents, Rhun ap Iorwerth confirmed he had sent a 2,000-word letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham outlining a package of devolution asks designed to “redress the historic unfairness of our fiscal and constitutional settlement and put Wales on an equal footing with Scotland as a bare minimum”.

The First Minister’s core demands include:

• Devolution of policing and justice to end what he described as a “jagged edge” between devolved public services and a reserved justice system.
• Full control over rail infrastructure and funding, with ap Iorwerth arguing Wales is owed “billions” due to the “injustice of HS2” and that investment must come “now, not in the 2030s”.
• Transfer of authority over the Crown Estate so Welsh ministers can manage seabed and coastal assets for economic and renewable energy purposes.
• Greater flexibility on welfare, including agreement for the Welsh Government’s Cynnal proposal to trial £10 weekly payments for 15,000 children under six in universal credit households.
• A funding formula that reflects Wales’ demographic and economic realities, rather than what he characterised as long-standing underfunding.

Nation.Cymru reported that ap Iorwerth framed the request as “the first of its kind – whereby a Welsh first minister invites the UK Government to genuinely treat Wales not as a region of England but as a nation in its own right”.

Holding Westminster to account on respect and devolution

Speaking at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, the First Minister said he had “looked [Burnham] in the eyes and said do not undermine Wales as a nation” and that the Prime Minister had assured him he would not bypass the Senedd.

However, he warned that if the “respect agenda” did not work both ways, “it matters little whether who lives in 10 Downing Street is an Evertonian or an Old Etonian”.

The National reported that ap Iorwerth told delegates: “A new deal to secure powers for a purpose. Not as an end in themselves but as a means of growing our economy and improving outcomes for everyone.”

He also highlighted recent cross-party cooperation among nationalist governments, noting a memorandum of understanding signed in Cardiff with the SNP and Sinn Féin to ensure “it is the people of our nations who decide their own future”.

Domestic priorities: NHS, childcare and climate resilience

Alongside constitutional demands, Rhun ap Iorwerth set out near-term policy priorities for his government.

According to WalesOnline, he said his administration had already provided an “immediate cash boost to prioritise addressing the longest NHS waiting times” and had begun rolling out what he described as the “most generous childcare offer” in the UK, with a commitment to extend coverage to children up to age nine before the next Senedd election.

On climate, the First Minister praised firefighters who tackled summer wildfires on the Sychnant Pass near Conwy and said he had convened a summit for fire services and other agencies to boost resilience against extreme weather, explicitly contrasting his approach with that of US President Donald Trump, whom he labelled a “climate change denier”.

He acknowledged the “challenging economic and fiscal context” and described the upcoming Welsh budget as “tight”, saying “difficult decisions will be necessary” and calling for a “serious and cooperative approach with other parties” to enhance efficiency and find savings without ideological cuts.

Opposition to Reform UK and far-right politics

Rhun ap Iorwerth used part of his speech to attack Reform UK and its leader Nigel Farage.

As summarised by WalesOnline, he said he was “sickened” by masked protesters linked to Farage’s “foot soldiers” in Portsmouth and Dover and criticised Reform’s “crypto billionaire” backers, telling delegates: “They can buy you all the turquoise ties and turquoise T-shirts in the world but Wales is not for sale. You have the pounds but it’s people that matter.”

He framed the 44 Plaid Cymru Members of the Senedd as having “spoken up for the voiceless, for tolerance, kindness and compassion”, adding that they “do not see a stranger as an enemy”.

International stance: Europe, Ukraine and Gaza

The First Minister reaffirmed Plaid Cymru’s internationalist and pro-European position.

The National reported that ap Iorwerth told the conference: “[We are] proudly internationalist and proudly European – we believe our place is in Europe. We stand with the people of Ukraine against Putin’s bullets and bombs. We stand with the people of Gaza against the Israeli Government’s heinous genocide. And we stand for Wales playing its part in forging a more peaceful and tolerant world.”

Deputy First Minister of Scotland Jenny Gilruth addressed the conference as part of ongoing cooperation between the SNP and Plaid Cymru following the Celtic Alliance meeting in September.

Closing message: from aspiration to action

Towards the end of his address, Rhun ap Iorwerth reflected on the May Senedd election result, which saw Plaid Cymru overtake Welsh Labour after 27 years in government.

As quoted by The National, he said:

“I have a vision for Wales but my focus is on the here and now 2026 not 2030. Because Wales has waited too long, waited for hope, waited for a fair hearing. Waited for a government whose first and only loyalty is to them the people it serves. Conference, that wait is now over. From promise to progress, from aspiration to action. And from a nation told not to dream, to a nation that dared to do so… and which is now starting to make it a reality. A new dawn has broken, and in that new light, we have a new Wales to build. Friends let’s build it together.”

Background to the New Deal for Wales demand

The call for a “New Deal for Wales” builds on long-standing Plaid Cymru arguments that Wales’ devolution settlement is fiscally and constitutionally weaker than Scotland’s.

Following the May 2026 Senedd election, in which Plaid Cymru won the most seats and subsequently formed the Welsh Government, Rhun ap Iorwerth became the first Plaid First Minister.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out granting Wales the power to hold an independence referendum without Westminster’s agreement but has said he is open to considering further devolution, including policing, and has promised a “fair hearing” on Welsh proposals.

The First Minister’s letter and conference speech therefore mark the first formal, detailed request from a Plaid-led Welsh Government for a new devolution deal, framed as a test of whether the UK Government’s stated commitment to “rewiring the state” will extend to Wales.

Prediction: how this development could affect Welsh voters and parties

If Westminster accepts elements of the “New Deal for Wales”, particularly on policing, justice and rail funding, it could strengthen public perceptions that Plaid Cymru can deliver tangible constitutional gains while in government, potentially consolidating support among voters who prioritise both public service improvement and greater autonomy.

Conversely, if the UK Government rejects or significantly dilutes the proposals, ap Iorwerth’s warning that Wales’ interests “will never be served by Westminster” may resonate with voters already sceptical of the union, possibly increasing support for further devolution or independence over the longer term.

For opposition parties in the Senedd, the First Minister’s emphasis on cross-party cooperation on the budget and public services could pressure Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK to clarify whether they will back specific devolution asks or oppose them, shaping how each is viewed ahead of the 2030 Senedd election.