Caerphilly Election Result - bucking the trend

Casdon I wouldn’t agree with you there about the Welsh NHS. In the Valleys all aspects are awful with working class people paying to see private consultants just to get referrals for acute health problems even for suspected cancer etc.

Re-read your post telling me off for referencing Scotland M0nica.
To clarify however, Wales is performing worse than England and Scotland on acute services waiting lists and waiting times. That does not mean that every aspect of patient care is worse in Wales than it is in the rest of the UK.

Casdon I quote from my post; The current Welsh government has made the NHS in Wales the worst performing in any part of the UK. To me that means all parts of the UK, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. What else could it mean?

M0nica

Casdon

Wales won’t accept ‘being run by its compatriots’ M0nica, I’m surprised that you would think that, particularly with Plaid gaining ground here. The NHS here is improving in some areas, and struggling in others - I think what can be learnt from what is happening elsewhere in the UK should be though, bearing in mind Scotland performs better than England on many services.

I said nothing about Scotland and your reference is irrelevant for that reason, though a good attempt of subverting the issue. The current Welsh government has made the NHS in Wales the worst performing in any part of the UK.

We have no evidence to show that Plaid would do any better. Labour said they would work wonders with the NHS before they were elected, but in office only made it worse. There is no eveidence this would change with a change of government.

There are four health systems in the UK M0nica, are you suggesting that only England are the compatriots of Wales? I’m not subverting the issue, I’m pointing out that as Scotland has a better NHS than England in some aspects, Wales can learn from that, which I don’t think is unreasonable.
I don’t understand your second paragraph, as there is no evidence that any party will ever do better than the previous one, is there, the proof only comes when they have actually been in power and we can see the results?

M0nica

Casdon

Wales won’t accept ‘being run by its compatriots’ M0nica, I’m surprised that you would think that, particularly with Plaid gaining ground here. The NHS here is improving in some areas, and struggling in others - I think what can be learnt from what is happening elsewhere in the UK should be though, bearing in mind Scotland performs better than England on many services.

I said nothing about Scotland and your reference is irrelevant for that reason, though a good attempt of subverting the issue. The current Welsh government has made the NHS in Wales the worst performing in any part of the UK.

We have no evidence to show that Plaid would do any better. Labour said they would work wonders with the NHS before they were elected, but in office only made it worse. There is no eveidence this would change with a change of government.

That’s what I have read/ heard too, that NHS in Wales has had a poor record for years.Could one reason be that Wales chose to give free prescriptions for everyone and that took a huge chunk of their money?

Yes, but other Posters mentioned Scotland, so why is it irrelevant, just because you didn't?
If you are talking about the NHS, many outcomes are better there, so that is worth knowing.

Casdon

Wales won’t accept ‘being run by its compatriots’ M0nica, I’m surprised that you would think that, particularly with Plaid gaining ground here. The NHS here is improving in some areas, and struggling in others - I think what can be learnt from what is happening elsewhere in the UK should be though, bearing in mind Scotland performs better than England on many services.

I said nothing about Scotland and your reference is irrelevant for that reason, though a good attempt of subverting the issue. The current Welsh government has made the NHS in Wales the worst performing in any part of the UK.

We have no evidence to show that Plaid would do any better. Labour said they would work wonders with the NHS before they were elected, but in office only made it worse. There is no eveidence this would change with a change of government.

Some aspects benefit from devolution though Allira, the key one being the interface between health and social care, which works better in Wales than it does in England. Coterminous boundaries between Health Boards and Local Authorities are sensible, and result in better community services. Secondary care is where the major issue is in Wales, with long waiting lists and waiting times. Border issues also, it’s the same between England and Scotland, any boundaries cause issues.

complicated in some areas by cross-border complications.

made worse and confusing in some areas by cross-border complications.^

Casdon

Wales won’t accept ‘being run by its compatriots’ M0nica, I’m surprised that you would think that, particularly with Plaid gaining ground here. The NHS here is improving in some areas, and struggling in others - I think what can be learnt from what is happening elsewhere in the UK should be though, bearing in mind Scotland performs better than England on many services.

Well, I was going to say that the Welsh NHS is rather like the curate's egg, complicated in some areas by cross-border complications.

I do wonder if devolving Health was a good idea.

Wales won’t accept ‘being run by its compatriots’ M0nica, I’m surprised that you would think that, particularly with Plaid gaining ground here. The NHS here is improving in some areas, and struggling in others - I think what can be learnt from what is happening elsewhere in the UK should be though, bearing in mind Scotland performs better than England on many services.

eazybee

^Wales should be run by people who know and understand what Wales needs.^
Just as Scotland should .Yes. Scotland did brilliantly under Nicola Sturgeon, didn't it.

Looking at NHS outcomes, the people who know and understand Wales do not seem to know how to run a health service. The Welsh may need to decide what is more important to them being run by their compatriots or having a working health service.

Yes, I agree Allira, discontentment just takes different forms depending on the history and social mix of different areas - and what’s on offer. I can’t see many of the Valleys turning to the right, but who knows. Maybe Reform will do well in North Wales, which is completely different to the South, although they do vote Plaid in some areas there too - it’s a moving picture.

It is discontentment with the status quo, I think, throughout the country, hence the votes for Reform in England.

Voters feel disaffected.

Allira

^I am delighted Wales is seeing the light^ ..

I don't think it's truly representative, paddyann.
I think it's more of a protest vote, showing dissatisfaction with Labour in Westminster and Welsh Labour in Cardiff. The Conservatives were never going to be voted in anyway.
Voters were not enamoured of Reform and Plaid ran a good campaign, hence this result.

There is a rise in nationalism in Wales I think, it’s a slow burner that started decades ago with the Miners debacle, now there is a lot of poverty, which breeds discontent with the status quo.

Wales is not Scotland though, there is not a big push for independence. I think Plaid did well largely because they have their act together, and they have a good leader who is liked, is passionate about improving the lives of people in Wales, and that shines through. The other advantage Plaid have is that the candidates will be local, often long-standing councillors like Lindsay Whittle, who work hard for their communities, and are known by the voters - which counts for a great deal in close Valleys communities particularly.

LadyGracie

We had a labour door knocker and a reform door knocker.
We were inundated with leaflets from all parties, we’ve never had this many before.
We live on the outskirts of Caerphilly town.

I went out wearing my favourite turquoise scarf the other day but then apologised. 😁
We were just over the border in England, anyway.

I shan't let Nigel and his Reformers stop me wearing turquoise.

We had a labour door knocker and a reform door knocker.
We were inundated with leaflets from all parties, we’ve never had this many before.
We live on the outskirts of Caerphilly town.

I am delighted Wales is seeing the light ..

I don't think it's truly representative, paddyann.
I think it's more of a protest vote, showing dissatisfaction with Labour in Westminster and Welsh Labour in Cardiff. The Conservatives were never going to be voted in anyway.
Voters were not enamoured of Reform and Plaid ran a good campaign, hence this result.

StripeyGran

Who are we to be calling a language "niche" ?

The arrogance.

No, that is the correct description, the accepted terminology amongst linguists.

There are many niche languages around the world, and it is important, imo, to keep them alive.

Well actually it’s been doing better under the SNP than it did dear Labour since1955.
Preventative treatments like free eye and dental checks Dave money on problemsdown the line .
Extra child payments have cut child poverty
Crime at a 40 year low
More doctors and nurses per capita
Meaning NO strikes here
And much more
Yes tax has been tweaked so the lowest paid pay less and the rate is fractionally more for those a bit better off .NO parking fees at hospitals except at the PFI funded ones built during labours last term ….they are costing councils a huge amount every year
No bridge tolls….abolished
No tuition fees education should be a right not just for the wealthy
Bus passes for all up to 22 years old….saves on money from kids in education or in low paid jobs….and mums and dads being taxis ,or a lot of old cars on the roads ,
I think you.ll find there was / is still a lot of suppport for SNP and Independence here It’s just spun by the media against it .Scotland is the only country in the Uk to export more than we import .
We produce enough renewable energy to provide power for 13 million homes ….most of it hived off by WM
We pay a fee of half a billion pounds to connect to the so called NATIONAL grid!,
English companies are paid millions for connecting
It’s not a union it’s colonialisation …..like India or Ireland and all the other places Westminster has robbed over the centuries .
I am delighted Wales is seeing the light ..

Wales should be run by people who know and understand what Wales needs.
Just as Scotland should .Yes. Scotland did brilliantly under Nicola Sturgeon, didn't it.

I don’t disagree with you 62Granny, I’m not sold on the current semi PR system either, because it means some MS are representing regions, not local seats, so they have less knowledge and accountability for local issues than our local MS. Logically, the new system is fairer because everybody’s vote will count, as if their party get enough votes they will have representatives in the Senedd, but it will mean even less local focus.

I think it is easier to vote for one person one seat, the normal Welsh Senedd elections are very confusing as you get more than 1 person / party getting in for you consistency, although I just admit I only know the Labour one for my area.

Not bucking the trend, confirming the trend.

Casdon

I think what nanna8 didn’t pick up on is the proportional representation issue, which means that if this result translates country wide, as no other party will work with Reform in Wales, with 36% of the vote it will be impossible for them to be in government here.

Yesterday, I played with the numbers really to see how the D’Hondt PR formula would work if the Caerphilly result was extrapolated across the new 16 constituences for 2026.

I understand the boundaries have been set so that each comprises around 200,000 voters so about three times the number of voters in Caerphilly based on the 50% turnout.

Scaled up, the proportions work just the same to give Plaid 48 seats, Reform 32 and Labour 16 with 49 needed for an overall majority.