An SNP win in Scotland and a Plaid Cymru win in Wales will be an outcome the UK Government cannot ignore, and will demonstrate an alternative to Nigel Farage - John Swinney and Rhun ap Iorwerth have stated...

Today, First Minister and SNP Leader John Swinney and Leader of Plaid Cymru Rhun ap Iorwerth held a wide-ranging meeting which included discussion of a progressive alternative to the Westminster status quo, the need for Westminster to listen to the voices of Scotland and Wales, and the SNP’s success in bringing down child poverty through the Scottish Child Payment.

Speaking after the meeting, John Swinney said: “Westminster is not working for Scotland or Wales. Keir Starmer’s government has been an unmitigated disaster for both our nations.

“After only year and a half in office Keir Starmer’s government is already hanging by a thread. Next year we have the opportunity to cut that thread – and bring an end to Starmer’s disastrous time as Prime Minister.

“And by electing strong, centre-left SNP and Plaid Governments, we will also be sending a clear message that the hateful, extreme politics of Nigel Farage will never be allowed to win in our nations.

“Farage is banking on the weakness of Keir Starmer and Labour and expecting to walk into power off the back of it – but next year we can be clear that that Scotland and Wales will have no part in it.

“But ultimately, whether Farage, Starmer or whoever replaces him in Downing Street, Westminster has nothing positive to offer Scotland.

“The whole Westminster system is broken. Next year we can choose hope over Westminster despair with the fresh start of independence.”

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said: “Electing a Plaid Cymru government in Wales and an SNP government in Scotland would result in a powerful bloc – one that would serve as a wake-up call for the UK Labour Government that they would ignore at their peril.

“As the by-election victory in Caerffili demonstrated, there is a positive and principled alternative to Labour and Reform and a growing movement of people who want to choose a hopeful future over decline and division.

“The SNP government in Scotland has already led the way in demanding a better deal for their nation. Meanwhile, after 26 years of Labour rule, Wales still has no control over justice, policing, or its own natural resources due to the Labour Welsh Government’s unwillingness to stand up to Westminster and Labour’s Welsh MPs refusal to countenance further devolution.

“Next May, Wales can put an end to that. By electing a Plaid Cymru government able to forge a strong relationship with an SNP Scottish Government, we can make our nations’ voices heard in Westminster and demand that Wales gets parity of funding and powers with Scotland as the first step towards taking our future into our own hands.”