Plaid leader pledges to launch payments for poor children

Plaid Cymru will launch a “transformational” payment to tackle the “national stain” of child poverty if it leads the next Welsh government, the party leader has announced.

Rhun ap Iorwerth said his party would “draw on the experience in Scotland” and “begin the process of implementing a child payment in Wales”.

If implemented, the weekly direct benefit would support those “who need it the most”.

Speaking at Plaid’s spring conference in Llandudno on Friday, Mr ap Iorwerth said child poverty “remains a national stain” with children “not even afforded the decency of good health and the bare essentials”.

He said: “After 14 years of austerity under the Tories and 26 years of ambivalence under Labour, this would be a new government rooted in the values of fairness and social justice.

“The ‘Cynnal’ payment as it’ll be known will do exactly that – it will sustain families and support communities.

“Those in receipt will feel less anxious about making ends meet – becoming more productive in the long run.

“Children go on to be healthier and more economically active, and the money will be re-invested in local economies, where people buy the bulk of their essential goods and services.

“Conference, doing nothing is not an option.”

Mr ap Iorwerth called Scotland’s version of the scheme – which provides a parent in need with a weekly payment of £26.70 for every child – a “transformational benefit”.

A Plaid source said the scheme is expected to cost £10 million annually and help around 15,000 children.

This includes admin, monitoring and evaluation costs and the process to implement it would begin straight away if Plaid were in government.

It is unclear where the money to fund the scheme would come from.

The speech comes ahead of the Senedd elections next May, where Mr ap Iorwerth will hope to overturn 26 years of Labour rule.

Recent polling has suggested that Plaid, Labour and Reform are neck and neck.

It will also be the first Welsh Parliamentary election using a new, more proportional voting system, which will see the Senedd expand from 60 to 96 members.

The Plaid leader also used his wide-ranging speech to warn people to “beware” Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Nigel Farage.

He said: “As Trump and Musk and Farage and their followers seek to profit from the currency of fear and hate, we too must show courage.

“We must be united and determined in exposing these morally bankrupt millionaires and billionaires who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

“Trump believes in Trump. Musk believes in Musk. Farage believes in Farage. Beware these men whose only real ideology is their ego.”

He accused Reform of having “no plan, no vision” and said the party was “so unserious about winning they don’t even have a leader in Wales”.

Mr ap Iorwerth also used his speech to attack Labour, saying the party’s failings “feed Reform’s fearmongering”.

“We’re here to offer hope – a fresh start and an end to Labour-led rule in Wales after 26 years,” he said.

Mr ap Iorwerth said he would put the Prime Minister “on notice” that the relationship between the governments “will change because our destination demands it”, and Wales will “take responsibility for its own actions”.

He added: “The truth is that the establishment wants to stifle, even obstruct, our ambition.

“On one hand, Keir Starmer makes life more difficult for the most vulnerable – his and Rachel Reeves’ Tory-inspired benefits cuts will hit some of the most vulnerable people in coming weeks – and on the other, Eluned Morgan doesn’t want the powers that could make a difference to people’s lives.

“It’s a lose-lose for Wales.”

He said: “The SNP has secured more powers and a better deal for Scotland because of their determination to stand up to Westminster.

“Meanwhile in Wales, we have a Labour First Minister blinded by party loyalty, too afraid to rock the boat, pandering to Starmer, stuck in the middle of the road and failing to move our nation forward.”

The Welsh First Minister hit back at Mr ap Iorwerth, saying his conference speech was “full of hot air”.

Eluned Morgan, the leader of the Welsh Labour Government, said: “Words, words, words, but when it comes to action, he turns his back on the people of Wales.”

She said people should not forget Plaid MSs “all voted against £26 billion for Wales” when they voted against the recent Welsh budget.

Baroness Morgan added: “And Plaid Cymru’s big plan for Wales? Threatening independence if they don’t get their way.

“Independence that would see neighbour pitted against neighbour, debt rising, bills soaring and plunging Wales into chaos.

“That is not what we in Welsh Labour want.

“We are focused on delivering on the areas that matter to people – bringing NHS waiting lists down, providing every primary school student with a hot meal every day, improving our public transport infrastructure, and growing the Welsh economy so that we’re putting pounds in people’s pockets.”