There are a number of political parties registered to the Electoral Commission in Wales. Some of these parties have elected representation in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; ) and/or in Westminster (UK Parliament) and some have elected representation in one or more of the 22 Welsh local authorities, while others have entirely no elected representation. This Wikipedia page lists all of the above and some relevant Welsh political parties that formerly existed but have since disbanded. The largest political parties typically reside in either the House of Commons or the Senedd, the current largest party in Wales is Plaid Cymru, followed closely by Reform UK Wales. With Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, the Wales Green Party and Welsh Liberal Democrats all having representation in the Senedd.

House of Commons/Senedd

House of Commons The Parliament of the United Kingdom is a legislative body in the United Kingdom and creates primary legislation. There are two chambers within the Parliament of the United Kingdom: the House of Commons (the elected chamber) and the House of Lords. This article focuses on the House of Commons. Three parties have elected representatives in that house (MPs): Welsh Labour, Welsh Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru. Since the 2024 general election, there has been no elected MPs from the Welsh Conservatives.

Senedd The Senedd was formed under the Government of Wales Act 1998, by the Labour government, following a referendum in 1997. It was given greater powers under the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum. As of 2026, six parties have representation in the Senedd with Plaid Cymru being the largest party, albeit short of a majority with 43 seats. The Welsh Labour Party, traditionally dominant in Wales, holds 9 seats. Reform UK Wales is currently the second largest party with 34 seats. In the 2026 Senedd election the Welsh Greens obtained their first seats, winning two. The Welsh Liberal Democrats currently have only one seat, held by Jane Dodds. The Welsh Conservatives have a comparatively low seat share, having only seven seats.

House of Commons/Senedd parties PartyLeader Politicalposition Ideology MSs MPs Localgovernment Membership(date) Plaid CymruRhun ap Iorwerth 10,000 (2022) Reform UK WalesHelen Jenner 7,800 (January 2025) Welsh LabourKen SkatesCentre-left 18,000 (2023) Welsh ConservativesDarren Millar Unknown Wales Green PartyAnthony Slaughter 8,000+ (March 2026) Welsh Liberal DemocratsJane DoddsCentre tocentre-left Unknown

Local government Several parties in Wales have no national representation, but have elected representation at the local government level.

County councils

PartyTranslationElected members of local governmentPolitical positionIdeologyLlantwit First Independents4 (Vale of Glamorgan Council)N/ANewport Independents Party3 (Newport City Council)N/AUplands Party2 (Swansea Council)N/APropel1 (Cardiff Council)NoneGwladEnglish: Country1 (Ceredigion County Council)Centre-rightTrade Unionist and Socialist Coalition1 (Wrexham County Borough Council)

Community and town councils

PartyTranslationElected members of local governmentPolitical positionIdeologyGwladEnglish: Country2Centre-right

Council control

CouncilControl Web Total LAB PC CON LD GPREF Other Vacant Blaenau Gwent LAB majURL 3319 11 1211 Independents Bridgend LAB majURL 51 26 1 2421Independents Caerphilly LAB majURL 69 42 19 1 76 Independents Cardiff LAB majURL 79 50 2 9 10 11 61 Propel Carmarthenshire NOC IND+PCURL 75 15 37 12 2019 Independents Ceredigion PC majURL 38 21 7 109 Independents and 1 Gwlad Conwy NOC IND+PC+LABURL 55 7 8 1 ex-Independent 8 4 12 2523 Independents including 1 ex-Plaid, 2 ex-Conservative Denbighshire NOC LAB+PCURL 48 14 8 8 2 15 1 Flintshire NOC IND+LABURL 67 27 1 3 4 3134 Independent Alliance including Plaid Cymru and Independents 1 Gwynedd PC majURL 69 45 1 2321 independents, 6 Llais Gwynedd Isle of Anglesey PC majURL 35 3 19 1 1 1112 Independents Merthyr TydfilNOCLAB minURL 30 141 ex-Independent 1 1516 Independents Monmouthshire NOC LAB minURL 46 21 19 1 55 Independents Neath Port Talbot NOC IND+PCURL 60 26 11 3 1 1919 Independents leading administration Newport LAB majURL 51 33 7 1 2 88 Independents, 5 Non aligned & 3 Newport Independents Pembrokeshire IND IND+LAB+PCURL 60 9 3 11 2 1 3319 Independents, 16 non-aligned 1 PowysNOC LD+LABURL 68 91 ex-Conservative 4 13 221 ex-Conservative 14 1517 Independents LAB majURL 75 58 8 2 1 66 Independents Swansea LAB majURL 75 43 4 13 11 11 12 Independents, 4 non-aligned Uplands Party 2 Torfaen LAB majURL 40 28 4 88 Independents and 3 Reform UK Vale of Glamorgan NOC LAB+INDURL 54 24 8 13 98 dependents, 4 Llantwit Independents and 1 non-aligned in administration with Labour, 4 non-aligned. WrexhamNOC IND+CONURL 56 14 7 7 1 2723 Independents, 22 ruling Independent Group & 3 non-aligned Total1,2344822011026714233405

Parties with no elected representation Notable registered parties +PartyTranslationPolitical positionIdeologySingle-issueCommunist Party of BritainFar-left Social Democratic Party SyncreticSocialist Party WalesFar-leftUK Independence PartyWelsh Christian PartyRight-wing

Defunct parties South Wales Socialist Society (1911–1920) - amalgamated with the Communist Party of Great Britain in the 1920s. Communist Party of South Wales and the West of England (1920) - set up by those who opposed amalgamation with the Communist Party of Great Britain. Cynon Valley Party (2016–2020). Welsh Republican Movement (1949–1966) - most members either returned to Plaid Cymru or joined the Labour Party. Welsh Socialist Republican Movement (1979–1986) - succeeded as a political party in 1986 by Cymru Goch, however it still exists as a publication. Cymru Goch (1986–2003) - evolved into Forward Wales. Democratic Alliance of Wales (1999–2008).

John Marek Independent Party (2003) - short lived party which became Forward Wales. Forward Wales (2003–2010). Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group (2005–2010) - party set-up in Blaenau Gwent. Its leader, Dai Davies, retired from politics and the party disbanded. Putting Llanelli First (2011–2016)People First - Gwerin Gyntaf (De-registered 03/11/16), The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2018-09-23. - Siân Caiach (now a councillor for Gwlad) ran for the party in the Welsh Assembly seat of Llanelli in 2011 and 2016. Respect - The Unity Coalition (2004–2016) - a party established by Salma Yaqoob and George Monbiot and built out of the Stop the War Coalition, its most notable candidate was George Galloway. Welsh Socialist Alliance (1999–2016) an alliance between the Socialist Party and Cymru Goch and some independents, which fell apart when the Socialist Party left the grouping. Women's Equality Party (2015–2024) a feminist political party in the United Kingdom.

See also Elections in Wales Politics of Wales Electoral Commission (United Kingdom) Political make-up of local councils in Wales Welsh devolution Welsh republicanism

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