Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth – Image: Rob Norman/ HayMan Media

Emily Price

A new poll has revealed that over half of Welsh people believe Plaid Cymru is the best party to stand up for Wales.

But the survey by YouGov published on Tuesday (August 5) also revealed that for many the party retains its image as being primarily for Welsh speakers.

This week Plaid celebrated its 100th birthday having been founded on August 5th 1925.

The party gained its first MP in 1966 and was key to a successful campaign for Welsh devolution as well as promoting the Welsh language.

Plaid, currently led by Rhun ap Iorwerth, was a partner in the Welsh Government from 2007 to 2011 as part of a coalition with Labour and signed a co-operation deal with Labour to work together on 46 policy areas for three years in 2021.

The group hopes to gain power at the next Senedd election in 2026 – with several other polls already placing them head to head with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

But on its 100th birthday, what do the people of Wales really think of Paid Cymru?

Favourable 

YouGov’s poll revealed that Plaid are the most positively viewed party in Wales – with 46% of Welsh people having a favourable opinion of the party.

36% have an unfavourable view, giving Plaid a positive net favourability rating of +10.

This compares to ratings of -1 and -3 for the Greens and Liberal Democrats with 38% of Welsh people having a favourable view of either party.

30% of Welsh people have positive opinions of Reform UK and Labour with net scores of -28 and -30 respectively.

The Conservatives are the least favourably viewed party in Wales.

70% have a negative view of the party with just 19% seeing the Tories in a favourable light – creating a net score of -51.

The survey found that Plaid Cymru’s strong favourability ratings extend beyond their own supporters.

64% of 2024 Welsh Labour voters said they have a positive view of Plaid, compared to just 24% seeing the party in a negative light.

One in five Welsh Conservative and Reform UK voters also have positive opinions of Plaid Cymru – but the survey revealed that 69-74% see the party unfavourably.

Purpose

In terms of Plaid’s qualities, Welsh people are more likely to say the party has a clear sense of purpose (33%) than are unclear what they stand for (25%).

32% of people polled described the party as moderate, whilst only 20% described Plaid as extreme.

But YouGov’s survey showed that Welsh people are split over whether Plaid Cymru is competent (27%) or incompetent (26%), and whether the party is trustworthy (28%) or untrustworthy (26%).

34% of people surveyed felt the party is out of touch, rather than in touch (24%).

34% also said they felt Plaid was serving its own interests rather than trying to do the right thing (29%).

Despite Plaid Cymru’s attempts to appear as a general left-of-centre party for all people in Wales – only 26% of Welsh people see the party this way.

35% said they still see the party as a specialist group for Welsh-language speakers.

Generational

However, the poll showed that this attitude does appear to be generational.

50% of Welsh over 65s see the party as a party for Welsh speakers – but this falls to 27% among 25-49 year olds and 14% among 16-24 year olds, 37% of whom instead see Plaid Cymru as a party for all Welsh people.

80% of Welsh people, including 89% of fluent Welsh speakers, say the party cares at least a fair amount about Welsh speakers.

68% also see the party as caring about people born in Wales whilst 19% feel the party cares about those born in England – a group who make up 21% of the Welsh population.

60% of fluent Welsh speakers say the party cares about people like them, compared to just 21% of non-Welsh speakers.

36% of people born in Wales feel Plaid is interested in them, compared to 20% of Welsh people born in the rest of the UK.

Younger Welsh people are more likely to feel that Plaid Cymru cares about them with 46% of 16-24 year olds saying so, compared to just 24% of over 65s. P

YouGov’s poll revealed that Plaid Cymru has something of a middle-class lean.

36% of those classed as living in middle class households feel the party cares for people like them, versus 27% of those categorised as being in working class households.

Despite the survey revealing Plaid Cymru has a broadly favourable image – they are not seen as the best party on many of the key issues in Welsh politics.

Just 10% of Welsh people surveyed said they see Plaid Cymru as the best party on the NHS – behind Labour on 19% and Reform UK on 16%.

Only 6% believe Plaid is best placed to handle the economy – behind Labour on 17%, Reform UK on 16% and the Conservatives on 11%.

Immigration

Just 5% of Welsh people believe Plaid Cymru are the best party on immigration, compared to 30% saying so of Reform UK.

7% of people polled saw Plaid as the party to handle the environment – compared to 34% who give that title to the Greens.

There are, though, two exceptions among the issues polled.

61% believe that Plaid Cymru are the best party on the Welsh language.

This is ten times as many who said any other party, while more than half said they  feel Plaid are party best able to stand up for Wales, ahead of Reform UK on just 11%.

Six in ten 2024 Welsh Labour voters see Plaid Cymru as the best party at standing up for Wales, relative to just 17% who say of Labour.

A third of 2024 Welsh Conservative voters also give the title to Plaid Cymru, ahead of 22% awarding it to the Conservatives and 20% to Reform UK.

While 2024 Reform UK voters are most likely to say Reform UK are best placed to stand up for Wales – a quarter identify Plaid Cymru at doing so.

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