The Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar has warned First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to “get on with the day job” rather than pursue a separatist agenda, speaking at the party conference in Birmingham and reaffirming his commitment to preserving the United Kingdom.
Millar’s Call for Union Loyalty
At the Conservative Party conference, Millar addressed delegates with a clear message: Britain needs Kemi Badenoch as its next prime minister and the UK must remain intact. He argued that the Welsh government should concentrate on improving public services and defending the constitutional union, insisting that any plan to create a “slate curtain” between Wales and the rest of the UK would be “more harmful than good for our children and future generations.” Millar highlighted rising NHS waiting lists and the struggles of Welsh businesses since Plaid Cymru took office, accusing the First Minister of “cosying up to the SNP and Sinn Fein” after a recent meeting of the three Celtic leaders in Cardiff. He warned that a pact aimed at promoting the breakup of the United Kingdom would “cause more harm than good” and added that the entire episode had been seized upon by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who commented favourably on the prospect of independence referendums across the UK. “So my message to Rhun ap Iorweth today is this – get on with the day job,” Millar said.
Millar also reminded listeners that ap Iorwerth had told voters in May that the Senedd election was not about independence. “Either he didn’t get his own memo or he deliberately chose to deceive people,” Millar claimed, likening the Plaid leader to the Pied Piper of Hamelin who “has tried to hoodwink people.” He described the United Kingdom as “more than a political arrangement,” noting its historic contributions to industry, the abolition of the slave trade, the liberation of Europe, and the shaping of the modern world. “We are a shared family of nations. For centuries, the people of Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have lived together, worked together, and traded together,” he said, urging pride in that heritage rather than embarrassment.
Budget Talks and Political Calculus
Following the May Senedd election, Millar returned to the expanded Welsh Parliament with a reduced caucus of seven Welsh Conservative members, down from 16 in the previous term. Polls during the campaign had suggested the party could face electoral annihilation, partly due to the surge of Reform UK in Wales. Nonetheless, the Tories have indicated a willingness to negotiate on the Welsh government’s budget for the forthcoming financial year, after holding discussions with Plaid, which currently governs as a minority administration and requires support from another party to pass its spending plans.
Shadow Welsh Secretary Mims Davies, speaking at the same conference, warned that Plaid would need to lower taxes if it sought Conservative support for the budget. “That has meant that families have been sold a pup,” she said, arguing that the Welsh government’s flagship childcare policy is financially untenable. “It feels that if you’re living in Wales, life is far too hard, and there is nobody really standing up for the people of Wales,” Davies added, portraying the current administration as neglectful of everyday citizens.
Criticism of Independence Rhetoric
Millar’s remarks come in the wake of First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth’s call for a “new deal” with the UK government, delivered at a Plaid Cymru conference and reiterated at a rally where he declared there was “no turning back” on the independence journey. The First Minister’s ambition to push a constitutional referendum has been met with sharp pushback from the Welsh Conservatives, who view any move toward separation as a distraction from pressing domestic issues. Millar’s description of the recent summit of the first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as a “separatist summit” underscores the growing tension between unionist and nationalist factions within the UK.
The political landscape in Wales remains volatile. While the Conservatives suffered a significant loss of seats in the Senedd election, they have not ruled out a post‑election arrangement that would see them support Plaid’s budget in exchange for policy concessions, such as tax reductions. This pragmatic approach reflects an acknowledgment that a stable government may be more valuable than strict ideological purity.
Why It Matters
The clash between Millar’s unionist stance and ap Iorwerth’s independence drive highlights a broader struggle over Wales’ future direction. As public services face mounting pressure and economic challenges persist, the debate over constitutional identity could influence not only the next general election but also the everyday lives of Welsh residents. A focus on governance, rather than separatist rhetoric, may offer a more pragmatic path to addressing health, education, and employment concerns, ultimately shaping the nation’s prosperity and its place within the United Kingdom.
