Cardiff – we want to stand in May elections

Ken Smith, Swansea Socialist Party

The Assembly initially made no provision for discussing the urgent question of standing candidates for the Welsh Senedd (Parliament) elections in May next year. But that issue dominated discussions on the day.

The 170 people at the two Wales meetings on 8 November was lower than the 300 who attended the Wales Gathering two weeks earlier. There was enthusiasm, but also frustration when the Cardiff Assembly was told that only parts of the founding documents could be discussed that day.

The Wales Gathering in Merthyr in October had made more genuine attempts to discuss programme and structure. But, crucially, it did not take a vote on the proposals put forward. The organisers of the Merthyr Gathering – former PCS union general secretary Mark Serwotka and former Labour MP Beth Winter – did not attend the Cardiff Assembly.

The Merthyr Gathering discussion, however, strongly influenced the Assembly’s mood. Many attendees were critical of the narrow emphasis discussing only constitutional and organisational structures.

The Senedd elections will be conducted through a form of proportional representation (PR). 10% of the vote in any of the 16 constituencies could win Your Party one of the 96 seats.

Some raised concern about the lack of structure and resources in place in time to contest the elections. Some argued Your Party should advocate tactical voting, after Plaid Cymru beat Reform to first place in the Caerphilly by-election.

But a consultative vote at the end showed overwhelming support for standing in the Senedd elections. We urgently need to discuss next steps.

Socialist Party members argue that Your Party should stand in all 16 constituencies in Wales, for as many seats as possible. This would help establish Your Party as an alternative to Labour and Reform for working-class people.

The organisers of the previous Wales Gathering in Merthyr have registered the electoral name People’s Party. A majority of Your Party members attending these meeting want to stand, and get on with that process.

The lack of detail about the proposed autonomy for Your Party in Wales was also raised.

Socialist Party members received a warm response when we raised that members of existing socialist groups and parties should not be excluded, the importance of the role of trade unionists in building the party, and the need for the new party to clearly be a party of the working class, working for a socialist transformation of society.

More than 20 people bought one of our Socialist papers at the Cardiff Assembly.

North Wales

Following the assembly in Llandudno, a North Wales Socialist Party member said:

“It was a good discussion. I definitely got an echo, and it was agreed in writing for our table some main policies:

  • Your Party should stand in all elections next May
  • No cuts, anti-austerity, community budgets should be set by councillors
  • Trade unions and other socialist groups should be allowed to affiliate to Your Party
  • A federal structure, and electing delegates to send to a congress

“I got no push back on any of these points, everybody agreed, and they were recorded on our feedback document.”

Cornwall – Corbyn backs ‘people’s budget’

Rob Rooney, Cornwall Socialist Party

Before the local Your Party meeting started, I asked Jeremy Corbyn to give our Trades Union Council campaign for a ‘needs budget for Cornwall’ a mention, when he spoke later on. He thanked the trades council, saying: “The needs budget leaflet is a very good one. It’s a demand on Cornwall Council.”

He read out some of our demands, to applause from the crowd of 120. When he read out one demand in particular – “no child or vulnerable adult in Cornwall to be a source of profit” – Jeremy said: “They’re the best words I have ever heard against the privatisation of the care services… Put those forward, make these demands at a local level, at the same time, putting pressure on government, and we change the agenda.”

I have made the case in Your Party in Cornwall for candidates to stand in the May local elections on a needs-budget platform. I have done this as well as a Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidate in the last three Cornwall Council elections.

Read what TUSC says about Your Party documents and 2026 elections

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition says: “One of the most urgent tasks is to try and ensure that Your Party seizes the opportunities presented by the elections held on 7 May 2026. Your Party could make a significant impact in the May elections, standing widely but also with the prospect of establishing a substantial presence in different tiers of government for the battles to come over Labour’s Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves austerity II agenda.

“Your Party could win seats in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd, and councillors in almost every authority with elections next year. In some it could expect to hold the balance of power after 7 May. And in particular councils that are up for election in this four-yearly cycle, even win majorities and form administrations.

“This could be an important moment in British politics – if the political preparation for a working-class, socialist, anti-austerity alternative begins and a proper campaign is organised.”

Trade unionists for a new party

Over 1,000 trade unionists attended the successful ‘Trade Unionists for a New Party’ meeting on 21 July, hosted by former Labour MP Dave Nellist. Follow-up meetings have been held in different trade unions. Meet with activists in your union to discuss: linktr.ee/TU4NewParty