POLITICAL parties lined up today to condemn Reform UK’s contempt towards Wales after it ducked out of the first Senedd 2026 election debate.

BBC Wales politics editor Gareth Lewis said that Reform had accepted an invitation to appear on the Sunday morning radio debate along with five other parties, but had pulled out on Friday.

Latest opinion polls in Wales have seen support for Plaid Cymru harden to 33 per cent and it looks set to become the largest party at the May Senedd election.

Reform’s support in the YouGov poll puts it in second place on 30 per cent, with the Labour vote share projected to drop to 10 per cent.

Plaid’s Mabon ap Gwynfor took part in the BBC Wales Sunday Supplement debate and said that Reform’s refusal to take part was expressing contempt for the electorate.

He said: “Reform are seeking to use Wales purely for their own gain, yet their utter contempt towards us demonstrates itself time and again, be it in Farage’s refusal to appoint a Welsh leader, or by refusing to turn up to important debates.”

Reform leader Nigel Farage has refused to say who will lead his party into the Senedd election in five months’ time and the party has yet to complete its selection of candidates for the 96 Senedd seats.

“Why should people trust a party that is so happy to duck scrutiny,” Mr ap Gwynfor told the Star.

Welsh Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter also took part in the debate and said: “Reform’s refusal to take part in the debate showed their arrogance and contempt for the people of Wales.

“They clearly have nothing to offer Welsh voters other than their toxic rhetoric of division and hatred.”

Mr Slaughter told the Star that the BBC Wales debate highlighted a lack of ambition for the future of Wales.

He said: “After 26 years of devolution, people are struggling and being let down by the tired old parties offering nothing but more tinkering around the edges.”

A Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “Reform UK talk tough online but runs scared when faced with Welsh voters.

“Refusing to attend the first Senedd election debate, while hiding their candidates, their leader and their policies, is the behaviour of cowards, not a serious political party.”

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Reform UK’s decision not to be involved in this debate is further proof that they don’t care about Wales or what is at stake in this election. Reform UK have no leader in Wales, they’ve no plan for Wales and are using the people of Wales as a stepping stone for Farage in Westminster.