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During a recent Senedd election debate, Reform’s Welsh leader, Dan Thomas, strongly refuted accusations that his party harbors racist views amid heated discussions focused on immigration policies. Thomas specifically criticised the Welsh government’s Nation of Sanctuary initiative, which is designed to support refugees and asylum seekers by facilitating their integration and access to public services within Wales. Despite immigration being beyond devolved powers, Wales has implemented various measures in recent years to assist these vulnerable groups.
Thomas challenged other political parties to publicly disclose the full financial implications of their electoral promises ahead of the Senedd election scheduled for 7 May. Official data highlights that spending related to asylum seekers and refugees constitutes a minor part of the Welsh government’s budget, with the majority of funds allocated to aiding Ukrainians fleeing the conflict in Russia. The debate on the subject underscored clear divisions, with both the Conservatives and Reform opposing the Nation of Sanctuary policy.
Key voices from other parties expressed starkly contrasting views. Anthony Slaughter, leader of the Wales Green Party, accused the Conservatives and Reform of unfairly blaming immigrants for the deterioration of public services, calling it a “dangerous game.” Thomas countered this accusation by stating: “Listening to the majority of the people in Wales isn’t a dangerous game. It’s called democracy and it’s called listening to people.” When questioned about previous comments he made as leader of Barnet Council in 2021, Thomas defended his record on welcoming sanctuary seekers, emphasizing, “the fact that I welcomed that showed that we’re not racist, we’re very reasonable people.”
Tensions heightened with exchanges involving Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth and Thomas, particularly over issues of race and identity. Ap Iorwerth condemned Thomas for what he described as “outright racism from a right-hand man of Nigel Farage,” accusing him of playing the victim. Meanwhile, Thomas responded to personal attacks by reaffirming his Welsh identity despite criticism from some Plaid Cymru supporters. Other party leaders also weighed in: Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Millar criticized the Welsh government’s funding priorities, while the Liberal Democrats and Welsh Labour leaders accused Reform of fostering division and distorting the realities of immigration in Wales.
As no single party is expected to secure a majority in the next Senedd, discussions on potential coalitions are ongoing. On Tuesday, leaders from Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and the Greens ruled out collaborating with Reform to form a government, although cooperation among themselves remains possible. Ap Iorwerth declared that Reform’s values are in “diametric opposition” to his own, and Green leader Slaughter firmly stated that his party will not work with either Reform or the Conservatives. In contrast, Thomas asserted that Reform would partner with any group willing to support their manifesto, accusing Labour and Plaid of manipulating the voting system to maintain power. The Conservative leader Millar indicated a willingness to cooperate with Reform if it advanced Tory policy goals such as income tax cuts.
Financial considerations loom large over the election, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies warning of a looming budget squeeze that will limit growth in day-to-day funding and investment for the Welsh government. Many manifesto commitments could necessitate higher taxes or cuts to public services. Calls for full transparency on the costings of party promises were met with applause during the debate, yet none of the major parties have yet provided comprehensive spending plans. Thomas pledged to publish Reform’s financial plans contingent on other parties doing the same, stating, “I challenge every leader on this panel to publish your costings.” While several leaders, including those from the Conservatives, Labour, Plaid Cymru, and the Greens, indicated that some costings had been released or would be soon, Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds refused, citing her expectation that her party would not lead the government and her preference to “influence government” rather than form it
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