The Bevan Foundation’s CEO, Steffan Evans, takes a look ahead at what could be a historic year for Welsh politics

The start of a new year always feels like a time of change. Never has this felt as true for Welsh politics as it does this January, with only five months to go until the Senedd election. But whilst it is clear there are significant changes on the horizon, what impact these will have on the lives of people in Wales is less clear.  

The changing face of Welsh politics  

This May’s election will be the first fought under the new electoral system. It will be the first set of elections for the expanded Senedd, with an additional 36 members, and will see a significant changing of the guard with a number of Senedd Members having already announced that they will not be seeking re-election, including prominent members such as Mark Drakeford, Jane Hutt and Vaughan Gething.

But what is less clear is how will parties campaign under the new system, and how the Senedd will operate after the elections. For example, there is still uncertainty as to how Senedd business will be conducted. Will there be an extra plenary session every week? Will there be extra committees created once there are more members?

On top of this, the latest polling suggests that there could be seismic changes to come in Welsh politics. Could a century of Labour domination really be about to end, and what impact could this have on policy formation in Wales?

The challenges will remain the same 

Whilst the face of Welsh politics looks set to be transformed through 2026, the fundamental challenges that Senedd Members will need to get to grips with will remain the same.

Poverty remains stubbornly high in Wales. More than 1 in 5, approximately 700,000 people live in poverty, with the number of people living in deep or very deep poverty rising over the last three decades. Tackling poverty is not only a moral imperative; pressures on other public services such as the NHS simply cannot to be addressed if no progress is made in reducing poverty.  

Many people in Wales will continue to struggle to access justice. Only last month the Bevan Foundation published new research that showed that the gap between the availability of legal aid and demand within the immigration sector has continued to grow. Failure to address this gap will see more and more people miss out on their legal rights.  

The housing crisis will also continue to have a significant impact on people across Wales. Extremely high levels of people continue to live in temporary accommodation, and whilst there has been progress in building more social housing over recent years, demand continues to outstrip supply.  

There are solutions to these challenges

There is nothing inevitable about there being high levels of poverty and inequality in Wales. Political choices have, and can, make a difference. Over the course of this Senedd term the roll out of Universal Free School Meals in primary schools, increased investment in social housing and childcare and work to establish a Welsh Benefits System have all made a meaningful difference to the lives of people in every community. There is a need for the next Welsh Government to go further

The Bevan Foundation have developed a range of deliverable polices that could make a real difference to the lives of people in Wales. From improving access to childcare, to tackling the cost of living; boosting access to social housing, to improving access to justice and the availability of support by people affected by No Recourse to Public Funds, there are measures that the next Welsh Government can take.

As politicians, the press and the public at large enter election mode, it is vital that poverty and inequality are put front and centre of the campaign. It is only be providing such a focus can a truly prosperous Wales be built.  

Dr Steffan Evans is CEO at the Bevan Foundation