Plaid Cymru’s conference in Llandudno showed that winning an election and governing are two very different challenges. There was plenty of optimism, but also a recognition that electoral success now needs to translate into tangible results. As First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth put it in his address, the task is to move “from promise to progress”, adding: “We are not here to chase headlines but to improve outcomes.”

A renewed opportunity for devolution

Tegwch, or fairness, continues to sit at the heart of Plaid Cymru’s political offer. Throughout the conference, many of the challenges facing Wales were framed as questions of power and resources. Speeches and panels renewed calls for a “New Deal for Wales”, with Plaid arguing not for exceptional treatment, but for Wales to have constitutional and fiscal powers equivalent to those in Scotland.

Crucially, the argument was not simply for more devolution, but for “powers with a purpose”. Plaid called for:

• Control over rail infrastructure as a means of improving connectivity and driving economic growth.
• Devolution of the Crown Estate to ensure Welsh communities benefit more directly from the nation’s natural resources.
• Greater fiscal powers to unlock investment, strengthen public services and boost economic resilience.

With the UK Government placing greater emphasis on devolution in England, the party clearly sees an opportunity to press that case more forcefully. Whether this apparent openness to shifting power away from Westminster will extend to Wales, however, remains to be seen.

Empowering communities and local ownership

That emphasis on control was also reflected at a community level. Towards the end of his speech, ap Iorwerth spoke about the need to “empower communities to take their future into their own hands, including their economic future.”

Whether discussing social enterprises, community-owned energy or co-operatives, the objective was consistent: people and places should have a greater stake in the decisions, assets and opportunities that shape their future. Economic development and community wellbeing were presented not as competing priorities, but as two sides of the same coin.

Conference motions gave further indication of where members want policy to go. A motion on community-led planning called for a review of Wales’s planning framework, alongside greater community influence over development and stronger support for community-led housing and renewable energy.

For developers and investors, this raises an important question. Plaid wants to move faster on infrastructure, renewable energy and economic investment, while also giving communities more influence over development. How it balances these priorities will matter as the Government moves from policy to delivery.

Growing Welsh Businesses

One of the clearest economic themes to emerge from the conference was the belief that Wales generates significant value but captures too little of it. From energy and natural resources to business ownership and skills, the argument was that too many of the benefits created in Wales are realised elsewhere.

Adam Price, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy provided the clearest articulation of this vision: “Scale matters. We should want more Welsh firms to succeed, to grow, and to compete on the world stage. But scale is a means, not an end. The end is good jobs everywhere.”

His announcement of Sbardun, a new scale-up programme initially supporting twenty Development Bank of Wales customers, offered an early example of how this could translate into policy. Combining intensive business support with access to investment, it aims to help more Welsh-headquartered firms scale internationally, create skilled jobs and retain more economic value within Wales.

Skills and preparing for the future economy

The conference also highlighted a growing focus on skills policy. Cefin Campbell, the Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, discussed the need to better align qualifications, training provision and education with future economic opportunities. This reflects a recognition that economic transformation does not solely depend on investment and infrastructure, but also on ensuring that Wales has the workforce needed to support emerging and expanding industries.

Viewed alongside proposals for SME growth, AI investment and clean energy development, the ongoing skills audit could prove to be one of the more significant long-term announcements for businesses to emerge from conference.

AI, digital infrastructure and the next industrial revolution

That focus on future industries was particularly evident in discussions around artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Adam Price spoke at multiple fringe events about the need to ensure Wales is not left behind during what was viewed as the next major economic transformation. Wales should not simply consume new technologies, he argued, but position itself to attract investment, innovation and high-value employment.

Data centres were another recurring theme in discussions about AI, particularly when it came to the pressure they could place on the energy system. Speakers from the party pointed to examples from other countries where energy-intensive developments are expected to play a role in securing the additional power they need. Sometimes described as a “bring your own power”, the idea is relatively simple: new data centres should help provide for their own energy needs, rather than adding further strain to an already constrained electricity network.

The challenge for the new Government will be turning that principle into something workable. Attracting AI and digital investment will inevitably depend on having enough generation and grid capacity, but also on ensuring a renewable-led energy system can deliver the reliable power that data centres and other energy-intensive developments need.

Climate, energy and greater control

Climate and energy were also prominent themes throughout the conference, shaped in part by the devastating impact of wildfires and flooding across parts of Wales over the summer. The destruction caused by these events was frequently cited as evidence that climate change is no longer a future challenge, but a present reality requiring action on resilience, infrastructure and the energy transition.

Against this backdrop, the forthcoming National Energy Plan was referenced as an early test of the Government’s approach.  Importantly, renewable energy was rarely discussed solely through an environmental lens. Instead, speakers linked energy policy to economic development, resilience and the ability of Welsh communities to capture more of the benefits generated by the country’s natural resources.

Closing Remarks

The challenge is how those ambitions work together in practice. Balancing the pace of development with commitments to local ownership, community consent and participation will become increasingly important as the Government pursues its plans for housing, energy, infrastructure and economic growth.

The shift from campaigning to governing is also visible within the party itself. Competitive NEC elections point to an engaged membership, while the appointment of Anna Nicholl MS as Policy Lead brings significant policy experience. Having worked in Plaid’s first National Assembly research team, served as a Special Adviser during the One Wales Government and advised on sustainable communities and housing, her appointment signals the importance being placed on policy development as the party moves from opposition to delivery

Plaid has spent years making the case for a different economic future for Wales. The test of government will be whether it can now turn that promise into visible progress.

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