A YEAR OF SEISMIC CHANGE IN WELSH POLITICS

WHILE all eyes are looking to 2026, and what could possibly be the biggest year in Welsh politics ever, it’s always handy to take a look back at who did what, when, and the impact it had.

- By RUTH MOSALSKI

This year, we've had bombshell polls, a major Senedd defection, and budget deals which were more than a little eye-catching.

We learnt just how different Labour will look in the coming months as their serving Senedd members announced who would and wouldn’t stand for election again in 2026.

There were also the deaths of three influential politicians and the cross-party tributes to each were incredibly touching.

In memoriam

The most high-profile deaths in Welsh politics this year were three well-respected politicians from different parties.

Plaid Cymru’s Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Liberal Democrat Jenny Randerson, and Labour's Hefin David all died in 2025.

A former presiding officer of the Senedd, the funeral of Dafydd Elis-Thomas was attended by a wide cross-section of society and even the King sent a heartfelt note.

Later in the year his book with Aled Eirug was published, revealing more about the man who had contributed so much to Wales for so long.

This year also saw the death of Liberal Democrat Jenny Randerson whose passion for life, and her devotion to her family, was remembered at her funeral service at the National Museum.

There was palpable and ongoing shock too in August with the death of Hefin David. The Caerphilly Labour MS died at home in Nelson.

He left behind two young daughters and it was they who were most commonly mentioned in the tribute session to him at the Senedd.

A big defection

News began to leak early one July morning that Reform UK had a big defection to announce.