Reform UK Gains Welsh Councillors, Targets Senedd Seats With Coal, Steel Revival

Nigel Farage and his party Reform UK are targeting Welsh voters ahead of the Senedd elections in May 2026, positioning themselves as the main alternative to Labour in the region. A key part of their platform includes reopening the Port Talbot steelworks by restarting coal mining in South Wales, which Farage claims is necessary to maintain steel production given challenges with the planned electric arc furnaces. Despite questions about the feasibility and cost of reopening the blast furnaces, Farage insists this is a long-term ambition and part of a broader goal to reindustrialize Wales. The party has seen recent gains with two Welsh councillors defecting to Reform UK, and polls suggest Reform could secure second place in the upcoming elections with about 25% of the vote, ahead of Labour's 18%. Farage also plans to redirect funding towards traditional industries and promises to address perceived waste in local councils, appealing to a working-class base disillusioned with Labour. The party hopes to capitalize on growing membership and local support to end Labour's 26-year dominance in Wales.