Plaid Cymru First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth: Full Annual Conference Speech

Plaid Cymru First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth: Full Annual Conference Speech

"It is an honour to address you all today, and a special privilege to do so for the first time as the first ever Plaid Cymru First Minister of Wales.

Mae yna arwyddocâd arbennig i fod yn y neuadd gynhadledd yma, achos yn fan hyn y gwawriodd ein deffroad cenedlaethol ni i fi.

The last time I stood in this hall, it was on the afternoon of the 8th of May.

Many months years of preparation, and weeks of energetic, hopeful campaigning in communities the length and breadth of our nation, in television and radio studios and social media platforms had led us here. 

As the ballot boxes came in, from them emerged the story of a new dawn for Wales.             

As results trickled through from Clwyd to Caerdydd, Ceredigion Penfro to Casnewydd Islwyn, those who had dared to dream held their breath.

But as the light of that new dawn eventually shone dazzlingly bright, it became clear that being the party for the whole of Wales was no longer just something we had always strived to be, but something we had truly become. 

History was made, and it happened through all of us standing together.

Together, we told a story built on the efforts of the giants and generations that went before us the story of a more ambitious Wales, a fairer Wales, a more prosperous Wales, and a Wales more united than ever.

Gyfeillion, dwi'n sefyll yma heddiw fel Prif Weinidog Cymru oherwydd eich ymdrechion chi ond gadewch i ni bob amser gofio'r rhai aeth o'n blaenau ni hefyd.                       

O Gwynfor i Steffan a phob un arall fu'n annwyl i ni, mae'r rhai dan ni wedi eu colli ond dan ni yn eu cofio a'u caru, wedi bod hefo ni yn gynhaliaeth ac yn ysbrydoliaeth pob cam o'r daith.

Diolch i bob un gredodd yng Nghymru!

------

As we soaked up the sun on the Senedd steps that unforgettable Saturday morning.

As the anthem drowned my words.

As my father - and all our sons and daughters - witnessed the dreams of old turn into a new reality for all.

And as our song echoed on Plaid Cymru placards across the Bay, our story one hundred years in the making turned from promise to progress.

Because that election wasn't the end of a campaign, but the beginning of our work to give flight to a nation whose wings have been clipped for too long.

So at the outset of our time in government let's consider today the story of the Wales that IS - its challenges and many opportunities - and of the nation we CAN build together.                     

And it's the story of the people of Wales.

Let's begin just a few miles from here at the Sychnant Pass, rugged and beautiful with views across Eryri which take your breath away.

Less than three months ago, that mountain was ablaze.

Villages engulfed by smoke.

Fearful residents forced to leave their homes.

Property at risk.

Lives at risk.

This turned out to be the first in what would be a gruelling summer of wildfires fires which stretched our emergency services to their limits.

And let me pay tribute to those extraordinary fire services whose resilience in the face of weeks of unrelenting pressure left us all in awe.

12-hour shifts, often more.

30 plus degree conditions before even facing the flames.

Exhaustion and exasperation.

Bringing one fire under control only for another to break out elsewhere.

We can't thank them enough, or the armed forces and other agencies who supported them.

But the people of Wales responded too, as the people of Wales always do.

As we in government held our daily multi-agency meetings, supported the Fire Services to secure military support, and providing the resources to make that happen, our communities stepped up too.

Those leading the emergency response were fuelled by that Welsh generosity of spirit the kindness of strangers feeding souls as well as stomachs as firefighters and soldiers were given a welcome boost by local volunteers.                                                       

This was a summer like no other, and I want to thank everyone who played their part in this enormous team effort.                                                            

But there are always lessons to be learnt.

When it comes to addressing the climate crisis and all its consequences whether direct or indirect we will pay a heavy price for inaction.                            

That's why I have convened a summit this month bringing together fire services and other key partners to discuss how we can improve our resilience in a changing world.

I will not allow my government to burden my children and your children with the destructive legacy of complacency on climate change.

Ours will be a government of action.

------

Next, I want to take you eastwards.

Along the coast to Rhyl full of happy memories from my childhood, but home to four of the ten most deprived areas in the whole of Wales.

I was there this morning at the Beach House Nursery with Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams, speaking with staff proud of the excellent service they were providing - and speaking with parents about how the cost of living makes daily life such a struggle and, crucially, how their new government can help.

But I know that for many, a deep cynicism has taken hold in recent years a sense of being let down by politicians who say one thing and do another.

A feeling that voting just isn't worth it.                                  

My mission as First Minister is to change that.

I am here to serve those who didn't use their voice as much as those who did.

Plaid Cymru's historic win in May was rooted in two key values hope and trust.

Hope, and a belief that things could get better, and trust in Plaid Cymru to make that difference.

And that is exactly how my government has started its time in office.

Before the election we published a plan for our First 100 Days - a plan which focused on the things that people told us mattered most to them.   

A plan which involved action after action from day one in Government, from transport to tackling poverty, health to education.

Some questioned us for daring to plan ahead, to map out how to get the basics right.

Well, I'll never apologise for putting the time in to fix the foundations because this government refuses to be a house built on sand.

We are not here to chase headlines but to improve outcomes.                   &nbs;                                                                                   

Help with the cost-of-living crisis.

Shorter waits for hospital treatment.

The best start for every child.

More good jobs.

In 100 days, we turned our plan into your fresh start.

Because promises are there to be honoured, and because breaking them threatens the fragile bond between voters and politicians.

So, let's make it stronger.

From opposition, I promised that in government we'd provide an immediate cash injection to prioritise the longest NHS waits. And that's what we did.

From opposition, I promised that we'd move quickly to begin the rollout of the most generous childcare offer anywhere in the UK.

Again, we've done exactly what we said we would.

And that matters.

Because for those parents in Rhyl and throughout Wales, our flagship childcare policy could truly change their lives.                                                                                                 

Every local authority in Wales is now on track to offer 12.5 hours a week of free childcare for every two-year old by the end of this financial year.

That is the difference a Plaid Cymru government can make.

Real change in the face of very real challenges.

A government on your side to make life that little bit easier.

Because, Conference, we know the challenges are real.

Stagnant wages, stubborn growth, and a lack of well-paid jobs continue to blight our economy.

Overheads have soared. Many businesses struggle to make ends meet in this gruelling economic climate.

But those Welsh businesses, too, now have a government that's on their side.

It's been five months of many firsts for this new First Minister, and I must say that having a pint pulled for me by the Finance Minister was not on my bingo card!

But last month I joined Elin Jones at the Radyr Tap to announce that from April, thousands of hospitality and leisure businesses will benefit from a permanent 30% cut to their business rates.

Times are tough but by prioritising wisely, by spending money carefully, we can provide meaningful support where it matters and yes, having a Cardi for a Finance Minister helps!

Small and medium sized businesses drive the economy in many ways but we value those larger engines of growth too.

Quite literally in the case of Toyota whose plant in Deeside I visited in July a vital employer who reached the remarkable milestone of producing its sixth millionth engine this summer here in Wales.

But we need more Toyotas in Wales, and crucially we need more Welsh companies to strive to become the larger companies of the future.

And that is exactly what our new Development Agency will seek to secure.                                                           

That Agency is now becoming a reality, with a new board in place getting it ready to identify new opportunities to support Welsh businesses to help them grow and attract new investment to get the Welsh economy moving.

This will support our new productivity target to halve the gap between Wales and the rest of the UK within a decade - the first meaningful target for the Welsh economy in a quarter of a century.

A new level of ambition from a new kind of leadership.                   

And this leadership is underpinned not just by ambition but by compassion too.

And it's a leadership unafraid of taking on the biggest challenge of all rebuilding our National Health Service.

There is little left unsaid about our NHS, but one thing bears repeating too many aspects of the service are unfair on patients and on our brilliant staff, unsustainable for the future, and this government is determined to change that.

My colleague Mabon ap Gwynfor has taken on one of the hardest jobs in government, and from day one, he showed a determination that this Minister would do things differently on health.

Within weeks of taking office, we had announced a £145million package to help bring down waiting lists. But it's not just how much money, it's what you do with it.

There's new thinking on diagnosis and treatment. We've established an Expert Steering Group to guide us on establishing up to ten new surgical hubs.

And we're putting preventative health at the heart of our agenda, seizing the opportunities which lie in preventing ill-health before it starts or progresses, and in narrowing the wide gaps in health outcomes within communities.

Last month, Mabon and I visited Nevill Hall Hospital to see how staff are embracing new ways of working to reduce waiting times and improve outcomes for patients.

We can't change the NHS overnight, but speaking to clinicians who see their views reflected back to them in our plans gives me hope that we're on the right track, listening to the right people and taking the right approach.

Conference, this is a principle very close to my heart not only when it comes to health but across the whole of government.

Leadership which not only hears people's concerns but listens and acts on them.

And that's exactly the story that was being relayed to me in Llanelwedd back in July at the Royal Welsh the Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability's very own Glastonbury and yes, it's fair to say at times he had something of a rockstar's welcome!

Rural Wales was seeing a Minister and a Government that finally understood the challenges they face.

Mi ddwedodd gymaint o bobl eu bod nhw wedi aros blynyddoedd maith i glywed negeseuon mor gadarnhaol gan eu llywodraeth am ddyfodol y byd amaeth a chefn gwlad.                                                            

Llywodraeth sy'n eiddgar i wrando ar y rhai sy'n deall yr heriau sy'n wynebu ein cymunedau gwledig ac yn barod i weithredu i'w gwarchod nhw.

Dyna pam ein bod ni wedi cyhoeddi pecyn aml-flwyddyn gwerth un biliwn o bunnoedd i roi'r sicrwydd i amaethwyr y maen nhw wedi bod yn gofyn amdano fo ers cyhyd.

Ochr yn ochr a hynny, ac yn gweithio efo ffermwyr a phartneriaid eraill, dan  ni'n datblygu Cynllun Gweithredu Hinsawdd a Natur cyntaf erioed Cymru

fydd yn gosod targed o sero net erbyn 2040 ac adferiad natur sylweddol erbyn 2050.

Ac mi fydd ein Strategaeth Fwyd Genedlaethol yn dod a'r system gyfan at ei gilydd o ffermwyr i fwytai a mân-werthwyr ac o'n hsgolion i'n cymunedau i feddwl fel un sut y gallwn ni feithrin ffordd mwy hunan-gynhaliol o fwydo'r genedl mewn byd cynyddol ansefydlog.

Achos efo'n gilydd y byddwn ni'n mynd i'r afael â'r argyfwng hinsawdd sy'n bygwth ein byd.

O'r ffermwr i'r garddwr ac o'r pysgotwr i'r naturiaethwr, mae cadwraeth yn genhadaeth sy'n perthyn i ni gyd.                                                                  

Natur yn adfer.

Cynnyrch Cymreig sy'n ein cynnal ac yn creu enw da ac elw - yn rhyngwladol.

Y fferm deuluol yn rhan o'n heddiw a'n fory, nid dim ond o'n hanes.

A'r Gymraeg wedi ei gweu drwy'r cyfan cefn gwlad yn asgwrn cefn i'r iaith.

------

Gynhadledd, mae'n ymrwymiad ni fel Llywodraeth newydd i wneud pethau'n wahanol ac i'w gwneud nhw'n well yn gyrru ein gwaith bob dydd.

Cynnig unigryw a chyffrous i'r etholwyr.

Dechrau ffresh yn gwneud gwahaniaeth ar ôl blynyddoedd Llafur.  

Antithesis llwyr i Reform.

A phobl yn cael eu grymuso i deimlo gobaith dros Gymru unwaith eto.

And friends, it's not just in our words about changing the way government works that we are different, but in our deeds too.                                                                                              

We're breaking down the silos which stifle progress and prevent every government department from speaking the same language.

Yesterday, the Wellbeing of Wales Report for 2026 was published.

 For too many, it tells a story of enduring struggles.

The gap in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas continues to grow, so too inequalities in general.

That's why my government is driving forward the preventative agenda right across government.

Working together as a Ministerial team from education to housing and from the economy to health we will move forward as one on these core issues.

It's the same with poverty.

We'll make solidarity across government the enemy of poverty.

---

And, Conference, tackling poverty is one of my government's guiding missions, and I will not shy away from that challenge because of a difficult economic and fiscal backdrop.

We face real-terms reductions in funding from the UK government, higher inflation, continuing economic uncertainty, and significant spending pressures across many areas of our budget.

It will be a tough budget.

There will be difficult decisions.                    

The budget arithmetic requires us to be disciplined and resourceful.

The Senedd arithmetic demands a serious and collaborative approach with other parties something I have promoted and sought to adopt from the outset.

We'll have to drive efficiency, improve productivity and find savings where we can; through consolidating and streamlining services, avoiding duplication and focusing on outcomes.

Because tackling inefficiencies is something that can and must be done, free of the damaging approach of the parties on the right.

Their definition of savings and waste will always be about ideology.

We'll always be about delivering the best value for every pound of public spending and demanding excellence across the public sector.

Our funding settlement is still mainly set by Westminster; our hands still tied by the UK Chancellor, and the Autumn Budget is his chance to show that he is serious about delivering for Wales.

It's his chance to reverse the planned real-terms cuts to Wales's budget and avoid the worst settlement since the days of George Osborne.

To act on the cost of living and support struggling households.

And to finally turn warm words on investment in our railways into action.

Wales is still getting only 1% of rail investment.

The Secretary of State for Wales has the audacity to accuse us of sitting on our hands when his Labour UK Government is sitting on the billions owed to Wales from the injustice of HS2, just like the Conservatives did.

That's why we're demanding funding to be brought forward now not the 2030s, not future Spending Reviews to accelerate delivery of the rail projects they've promised, and to allow us to invest in our transport infrastructure.                                                

And under Plaid Cymru's leadership, it will be harder than ever for Westminster to ignore our voice.

----

In May, the stars aligned in Wales, Scotland and the north of Ireland.

The UK constitution now sits within a very different constellation.

Three leaders of government, three countries with different journeys, but a shared principle binding us together.

A few weeks ago, I had the honour of welcoming to Cardiff our colleagues and friends from the SNP and Sinn Fein - John Swinney, MaryLou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill - to sign a memorandum of understanding between our parties.

We'll seek practical ways of working together on issues that matter to the people we serve. Finding common ground where we can. But that shared principle between us is a simple one to ensure that it is the people of our nations who decide their own future.

A fundamental democratic right and one now officially supported by the Senedd but rejected out of hand by the UK Prime Minister.

We are still told to be happy with our lot.

To settle for less and to set aside the audacity of ambition.

But that is not Plaid Cymru's way.

Since entering politics, I've always vowed to give Wales the strong voice it needs and deserves.

Not a script passed on from the Westminster whips' office or lines to take' from a leader in another parliament but a voice of our own.

And since becoming First Minister, it is that voice I have sought to amplify in every conversation with every UK Government representative.

It's a voice we've always had in Westminster thanks to our brilliant MPs, but it's now a voice that rings through all of Wales's government for the first time in our history.

I'm already on my second UK Prime Minister of course!

My first meeting with Andy Burnham did leave me feeling positive - here we had an experienced devolutionist who wanted to bring power and people closer together.

But as the weeks went on, it became increasingly clear that the Prime Minister's wave of new powers risked crashing against Offa's Dyke.

Promises of more for England's mayors. 

English regions rewarded.

But Wales... still waiting.

A devolution programme for England is... well... for England to consider. And in wishing them well, I point out that power to the people is a principle we in this party have long promoted! So grab it!

But what does all of this mean for us, really?

This isn't the first Prime Minister to speak of rewiring te state, but with so little of that constitutional current flowing from Westminster towards us, Wales is used to feeling off grid.

Now, on empowering Welsh communities?

Spreading prosperity?                                                           

Giving a voice to local decisions in all parts of Wales?

That's in Plaid Cymru's DNA!

But let's be clear the new Prime Minister's plans focused on England - have nothing to do with empowering Wales, empowering our nation.

And in the election in May, it's for a government standing up for Wales and all its communities that the people gave their mandate.

I do believe the new Prime Minister and I both want to have a constructive and positive relationship.

I've looked him in the eyes and said do not undermine Wales as a nation... do not bypass our Senedd.

And he looked me in the eyes and promised he would not. I will hold him to that. Wales will hold him to that.

So today I can confirm that I have written to the Prime Minister with a formal ask - A New Deal for Wales.

A New Deal to redress the historic unfairness of our fiscal and constitutional settlement and to put Wales on an equal footing with Scotland as a bare minimum.

A New Deal - 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.

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.

Powers over policing and justice.

Rail infrastructure.

The Crown Estate.

Fiscal Fairness.

Welfare.

It remains my hope that the Prime Minister will listen in a shared spirit, and that he'll see that the respect agenda between the Welsh and UK Governments must work both ways.

If he fails, Wales will know again that our best interests will never be served by Westminster, and that it matters little whether who lives in Number 10 Downing Street is an Evertonian or an Old Etonian.

----

And cooperation is important within Wales too.

In May, people trusted Plaid Cymru to be the party to beat Reform and we did but the fight for our values goes on.

So too the fight for our nationhood.

So, I ask others in sincerity to consider whose side they are on.

Whose side are they on when it comes to protecting Wales from the poison of the far-right?

Whose side are they on when it comes to defeating those who want to weaken our nation? To undermine our national institutions, our Senedd, our Government?

It is through sharing common values that we're able to achieve common good.

Conference, I know that this is not as good as it gets for Wales.

And the reason I know that is because of the things I see and the people I meet every week.

Let me tell you about my recent visit to Townhill a Swansea community which, yes, made headlines for all the wrong reasons a few years ago, but which refuses to be defined by that. It's like so many Welsh communities full of spirit and full of community champions with a real sense of purpose.

I visited the Phoenix Centre led by Leanne, fulfilling her vision of a place for people to socialise, to exercise, and to find common cause with each other.

I met with Sharon whose bereavement support group is a lifeline to many who see the Centre not just as a nice to have' but as a necessity in their lives.

And where it's everyday challenges like poverty which knocks on the door, rather than opportunity, hubs like these are too scarce after nearly two decades of Westminster austerity. 

That strong sense of community found in Townhill and in all parts of Wales have shaped my politics and is a common thread throughout our Programme for Government.

We want to empower communities to take their future into their own hands. Including their economic future.

What does that mean?

Well, as well as protecting those community hubs it also means helping communities to generate and retain their own wealth and assets. 

It means social enterprises.

Community-owned energy.

Co-operatives.

Making sure that that sense of community is enhanced, not eroded, as we navigate the paradox of a world that's both ever more interconnected and ever more isolated.

And we can do more to help empower communities to own those assets.

That's why this new Plaid Cymru Government will press ahead with a community right-to-buy scheme, empowering eligible community groups to nominate and register valuable community assets and be given the right of first refusal when the owners decide to sell. 

A Plaid Cymru government promoting the vibrancy of Welsh communities.

- - -

Conference, for Plaid Cymru, empowering our communities also means empowering our people, and few things hold greater power to enable someone to succeed in life than a good education.

But Labour has saddled our young people with a lamentable legacy.

The lowest reading, maths and science standards in the whole of the UK tell a tale that's simply not a fair reflection of our young people's aspirations for the future.

A generation let down by poor political decisions, but this government says, no more.

Our new Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan will cover children from birth to 16 and set out clearer guidance for teachers on what pupils should be learning and when.

The plan will also set out the approach to libraries, ensuring a library space in every primary school by 2030.

Reading opens minds and opens doors.

It fosters knowledge, sparks the imagination and in a world where information comes at us at lighting speed every day, it is more important than ever that we don't lose that curiosity of seeking to learn new things for ourselves.

I want every child in Wales to have that experience, and to be empowered by strong numeracy and literacy skills that will set them up for future success.

And I know that every child will have a path that is right for them.

In the first week of September, Cardiff and Vale College was buzzing with anticipation.

New students thronged through the doors full of excitement for their new term inductions and full of expectation for what the next few years would bring.

I met a budding mechanic on his way to the World Skills Championships.

I spoke to a group of politics students who gave me as good a grilling as any professional journalist could!

And to my great relief, a talented young chef guided me through a flambee lesson without my tie going up in flames!

Those young people full of spirit and hope deserve a government that's on their side.

That's why your new Plaid Cymru Government will develop a Skills Strategy for Wales, informed by a national skills audit, to align skills provision, vocational education and qualifications with current and future economic needs.

Through real choice and clear signposting, we'll ensure that our greatest assets our young people - have the information and support they need to fulfil their potential whatever their circumstances and strengths.                                                             &bsp;                    

And, friends, Plaid Cymru's values of support and solidarity transcend geography as they do generations.

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.

---

I was sickened by recent scenes at Portsmouth and Dover intimidating mobs of masked men who breed hatred and feed off fear.

Peddling narratives which seek to divide communities and turn people against each other isn't patriotism, it is the deepest form of cynicism.

And you know what they say about judging a man by the company he keeps.                                                       

Be in no doubt, these are Nigel Farage's foot soldiers.

And his politics fuelled what he glibly branded a masked menace'.

The conscious emboldening of those whose views were once deemed extreme has normalised hate in our national politics.

So, my message to Reform is simple we see you for what you are.

We see through that fake outrage, that false claim of being on the side of the common man or woman.

Your crypto-billionaire backers can buy you polished campaigns.

They can buy you publicity, and they can buy you a profile.

They can buy you all the turquoise t-shirts and ties in the world.

But our democracy is not for sale.

Wales is not for sale.

Nid yw Cymru ar werth.

You have the pounds, but it's people that matter.

And every week since the seventh of May our formidable group of forty-four has stood up in the Senedd Siambr and spoken up for the voiceless.

They have spoken for tolerance.

For kindness.

For compassion.

And for a society that doesn't see a stranger as an enemy.

---

Friends, our historic victory heralds a historic opportunity.

New leadership for Wales is no longer just a slogan but our north star.

Because when I spoke last year of our ambition to replace Labour, I saw the election not as an endpoint but as a springboard for transforming how Wales is governed, and what Wales can achieve

We have four years - and believe me when I say that I'm as impatient and as restless as you are for change.                                                                                                           

We all have our sights on the future, but for me, leadership is first and foremost about governing for today, not just campaigning for tomorrow.

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 soand which is now starting to  make it a reality.

Chwe deg mlynedd yn ol, safodd Gwynfor yn Nhy'r Cyffredin i wneud yr achos dros Senedd i Gymru.

Wales as a nation has a moral right to self-government. meddai o.                                    

Heddiw, mae ei blaid ein plaid ni oll - yn arwain y Senedd honno, er mwyn PAWB o bobl Cymru.

O weledigaeth ddoe i wefr heddiw, mae gobaith wedi ein cynnal bob cam.

Today, we offer a new hope for Wales.

A new deal for Wales.

A new ambition for Wales.

A new dawn has broken and in that new light, we have a new Wales to build.

Friends - let's build it together.

Diolch yn fawr."