The Battle for Labour's oldest stronghold:  Wales episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 13, 2026 · 40 MIN

The Battle for Labour's oldest stronghold:  Wales

from Westminster Insider · host POLITICO

On May 7, Labour faces losing some of its oldest heartlands. In Wales, the party has dominated elections for 104 years, but is, according to polls, fighting for third or fourth place against powerful forces on the left and right – Plaid Cymru and Reform. Host Sascha O'Sullivan and POLITICO's political editor Dan Bloom took the train to Newport and drove through South Wales, where the fight is fiercest, to find out how the parties are vying for the top spot in the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament. They spoke to first minister Eluned Morgan as she launched the Welsh Labour campaign in Newport Market. And newly-appointed Welsh leader of Reform Dan Thomas explained why the party there differs from the one led by Nigel Farage. Westminster Insider speaks to Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth about how the party has ditched their message on independence in a bid to scoop up voters on the left disillusioned with Labour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 13, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

The Battle for Labour's oldest stronghold:  Wales

0:00 40:08

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Westminster Insider?

This episode is 40 minutes long.

When was this Westminster Insider episode published?

This episode was published on March 13, 2026.

Can I download this Westminster Insider episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!