Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth set to lead Wales
Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, is poised to form the next Welsh government following a significant election victory that made his party the largest group in the 96-member Senedd with 43 seats. This marks the end of Labour's 27-year rule in Wales, as the party suffered a historic defeat, securing only nine seats, with former First Minister Eluned Morgan losing her constituency seat and resigning as leader. Plaid Cymru will need to negotiate support from opposition parties to govern effectively, as it falls short of a majority.
Great Western Railway to be renationalised in 2026
The UK government announced that Great Western Railway (GWR), which operates services between London and South Wales, will be renationalised and come under public ownership on December 13, 2026. This move marks the 11th train operator to return to public ownership as part of a broader initiative initiated by the Labour government elected in 2024 to renationalise all passenger trains when contractually permitted. The Department for Transport stated that this transition aims to enhance service reliability and prioritize passengers over shareholders.
