Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has unveiled his ambitious plan for Wales’ future today at a Port Talbot press conference. Addressing an audience just after midday, with the Welsh Senedd elections less than a year away, Farage was forced to quickly modify his pre-planned speech due to the UK Government’s unexpected reversal on winter fuel payment cuts announced at the same time as his appearance.

Farage quipped that Labour timed their announcement “knowing this press conference was taking place” as he prepared to address the crowd, but acknowledged the development as a “step in the right direction”.

In a major shake-up for local politics, independent councillors Andrew Barry and David Hughes from Merthyr Tydfil Council have defected to Reform UK. They shared their reasons for becoming disillusioned with their former affiliations and why they’re now backing Farage’s party.

With the upcoming elections in May 2026, Reform UK is making waves across Wales, poised to win their first seats in the Welsh Parliament according to the latest polls. Sporting only councillor-level representatives currently, the YouGov/Barn Cymru survey indicated an impressive second-place standing for the party at 25%, trailing Plaid Cymru’s lead with 30% and surpassing Labour at 18%, as per Wales Online’s coverage.

Farage pledged to revive Wales’ coal mining industry and unveiled a long-term plan to “reopen the Port Talbot steelworks,” reports Wales Online.

Although the Tata-owned steelworks hasn’t closed entirely, its blast furnaces were shut down in 2024 due to being at the end of their operational life, with a new electric arc furnace being built to recycle steel, resulting in thousands of job losses. Tata cited £1m daily losses before the blast furnaces were shut off.

Reform UK aims to utilise Welsh Development Grants to bolster industries, redirecting funds from consultants and NGOs to factory floors and machinery in areas such as Llanelli, Shotton, and Ebbw Vale. The party also promises to establish “regional technical colleges”, providing a pathway to skilled trades.

Additionally, Reform UK intends to halt the use of buildings for asylum seeker accommodation, cease funding to the Welsh Refugee Council, and abolish the Welsh Government’s “Nation of Sanctuary” initiative. Nigel Farage has proclaimed that a future Reform UK Senedd would emulate Elon Musk’s cost-cutting prowess.

“A Reform UK Senedd will also save hundreds of millions each year by cutting bureaucracy, waste and bad management. The establishment of Welsh DOGE will help us uncover where there is woke and wasteful spending and we will make sure those funds are redirected to frontline services,” stressed Mr Farage.

At the press briefing, Mr Farage targeted the contentious 20mph speed limit initiative, vowing to scrap it, whilst expressing scepticism over the activation of the electric arc furnace at Port Talbot’s Tata Steel plant, asserting instead his strategy to “reindustrialise Wales”. He underscored the growing demand for steel and championed the UK’s capability to provide its own steel and coal resources.

“I’m not saying let’s open all the pits, there are certain types of coal for certain types of uses, for the blast furnaces, we can use here,” he elucidated, clarifying his vision for niche, limited mining that diverges from the historic scale of Welsh mining. Moreover, while acknowledging the permanence of devolution, he lambasted the governance of Wales since its inception.

Welsh Labour retorted sharply, with their spokesperson remarking: “Nigel Farage has no plans for steel – just a camera crew. You can’t restart a blast furnace with a press conference.

“Nigel Farage says that hopefully they mightthey’ll bring back mining. The people of Wales will see through the false hope and false promises of a public-school boy from England who does not understand them and does not understand Wales.

“His answer is to bring back the mines. The only thing Nigel Farage is trying to mine is votes from communities that have already gone through tough times. Nigel Farage has today brought his fantasy politics and magic money tree to Port Talbot. He’s gambling with real people’s livelihoods.”