‘A nation confident enough to show compassion towards others’ – Liz Saville Roberts MP
Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader outlines vision of inclusive Welsh nationalism, drawing on her experience as a ‘loud south-east London girl’
In her closing speech at Plaid Cymru’s 2025 Autumn Conference, Westminster Leader Liz Saville Roberts MP outlined her inclusive vision of Welsh nationalism grounded in compassion, community, and inclusion. She stated her party’s aim to build a “Wales confident enough in itself to show compassion towards others and offer others a place to belong”
Reflecting on her experience as someone born in south-east London and moved to Wales as an adult, Ms Saville Roberts emphasised that Welsh identity is not about where you are born, but about belonging and shared values.
Plaid Cymru is positioning itself as a government-in-waiting ahead of the 2026 Senedd election, with leader Rhun ap Iorwerth promising a “new government, with new energy and new ideas.” Labour has led Wales since the start of devolution in 1999 and has dominated Welsh politics for a century. Recent opinion polling suggests Plaid is set to replace Labour as the leading party in Cardiff Bay, with Reform UK close behind.
During the party’s conference in Swansea, the party is seeking to build a broad coalition across urban and rural areas, Welsh speakers and non-Welsh speakers, and position itself as the leading anti-Reform UK party in the 2026 election.
In a nod to Reform UK’s anti-migrant sentiment and the rise of the far-right in Wales, Ms Saville Roberts said that her party’s nationalism is one that “includes and builds – not one that divides.”
Addressing party members, Ms Saville Roberts highlighted the historic opportunity for Plaid Cymru to lead in Wales:
“We are on the cusp of the most important election Plaid Cymru has ever faced. For the first time, we’re within touching distance of leading government in Wales. A government that puts people first, that invests in our children’s futures, and that listens and acts with compassion and determination.”
She reflected on her personal journey into Welsh identity:
“I am a loud south-east London girl. Born and raised on the other side of Offa’s Dyke – no Welsh family connection. But as a young woman, I came to Aberystwyth to study – and I found something extraordinary. I found a language that changed my life. I found a place I belong.
“Being Welsh isn’t about where you’re born or who your parents were. It’s about belonging. It’s about shared values – respect, solidarity, and community.”
The Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP highlighted that her party’s vision is inclusive, not divisive:
“I became Welsh heart and mind. I’ve been elected by my community despite not being from there – because my community knows that anyone can be Welsh as long as they are committed to the place and the people around them.”
“Welsh nationalism has never been about claiming we’re bigger or better. It’s about caring for the place we call home.”
Referencing anti-migrant sentiment and the rise of the far-right, Ms Saville Roberts said:
“As dark forces rumble in our communities and on our smartphones, we have to defend Welshness that welcomes. A nation that includes and builds – not one that divides.
“A Wales confident enough in itself to show compassion towards others and offer others a place to belong. A Wales confident enough in its own identity that it never needs to fear someone else’s. That’s what we in Plaid Cymru are building.”