One-individual's rule characterizes as a cult of personality according to a senior Welsh Conservative figure.
Sneering at Reform UK as a One-Man Show with No Solid Solutions, Tory Leader Darren Millar Slams Nigel Farage's Party
Darren Millar, the Tory Senedd leader, took a swipe at Nigel Farage's Reform UK during a speech at the Welsh Conservative conference in Llangollen over the weekend. In his fiery address, Millar labeled Reform UK a "one-man personality cult" boasting no legitimate solutions for Wales.
Millar seizes the opportunity to draw a sharp line between the Conservatives and Reform UK, aiming to generate a sizable gap between the two parties.
According to the Tory leader, Reform UK has stubbornly refused to propose any substantive, deliverable, affordable, or serious solutions to date.
Despite their lackluster performance, Reform UK has managed to edge past the Conservatives in recent polls for the upcoming Senedd election in May 2026. The party is even competing with Plaid Cymru and Labour for the top spot.
It's worth noting that policy disparities between Millar's Welsh Conservatives and Farage's Reform UK in Wales extend beyond their opinions on Welsh devolution, specific policies, and political priorities.
Diving Deeper
In terms of devolution and government powers, the Welsh Conservatives, led by Darren Millar, argue against pushing more powers to Wales and want to rein in the increased number of Senedd (Welsh Parliament) politicians. They advocate for suppressing the expansion of Welsh government size and powers for a more streamlined approach.
On the other hand, Reform UK shows a propensity for scrapping various Welsh Government policies if they were to seize power, demonstrating a more interventionist stance towards Welsh governance. This approach could imply the potential rollback of devolved powers and autonomy.
Regarding specific policy proposals, the Welsh Conservatives are keen on introducing tax cuts, enhancing public services, and cutting waste within government spending while preserving certain targeted welfare support.
In contrast, Reform UK focuses on scrapping problematic Welsh government initiatives, such as the 'Nation of Sanctuary' refugee policy, 20mph default speed limits, and the ambitious goal of one million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Politically, Millar and the Welsh Tories portray themselves as a credible, realistic, and practical team focusing on improving governance and opposing the worn-out Labour administration. In contrast, Reform UK, according to Millar, appears as a "one-man personality cult" with questionable, unworkable policies, adopting a more populist, anti-establishment persona.
In light of Millar's criticism, it seems the policy differences between the Welsh Conservatives and Reform UK extend to policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, as the Welsh Conservatives are focused on introducing tax cuts, enhancing public services, and cutting waste, while Reform UK targets scrapping problematic policies like the 'Nation of Sanctuary' refugee policy, 20mph default speed limits, and the ambitious goal of one million Welsh speakers by 2050. Despite Millar's assertion that Reform UK is a "one-man personality cult" with questionable, unworkable policies, the party is competing for top positions in the upcoming Senedd election in May 2026.
