General election campaigning under way in Wales

Political parties have kicked started their campaigning for the general election.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ended speculation on Wednesday, saying voters will go to the polls on 4 July.

Speaking on Radio Wales Breakfast on Thursday, Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour MP for Torfaen, said the party promises “transformational change”.

While Fay Jones, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, said the Conservatives have a lot to be proud of.

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said his party will be “shouting for Wales”.

The election is the first since a major boundary review, which will cut the number of MPs in Wales from 40 to 32.

All seats will see their boundaries change, with the exception of Ynys Môn.

Welsh Labour will be hoping to expand their dominance in Wales, while the Conservatives will defend the ground they won in 2019.

At the last election Welsh Labour won 22 seats – still the largest party despite the performance of the Conservatives.

The first minister and Welsh Labour leader Vaughan Gething said on X: “People across Wales are calling out for a change of government, an end to Tory chaos and two Labour governments working together – for Wales and Britain.”

Nick Thomas-Symonds said he will be “out fighting for every vote” in his constituency.

“This is the time to turn the page on Tory chaos, its been expensive chaos.

“We set out the first steps to change. It is the first steps towards what will be transformation change,” he said.

In 2019 the Tories earned their largest haul since the Thatcher years, with 14 seats.

The party kicked off the campaign by criticising the Welsh Labour government.

Andrew RT Davies, the Senedd Conservative leader, said Mr Gething was “mired in controversy” over donations, 20mph speed limits and “out of touch plans to spend £120m on 36 more politicians”.

Fay Jones said that the party have a lot to be proud of despite opinion polls.

“I think there are reasons to be optimistic because now we have a date of the general election confirmed.

“I’m going to point to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence, £20m which is going to create up to 5,000 new jobs in my constituency.

“That’s just one example of the way we are delivering on the ground in Wales.”

Plaid Cymru won four seats in 2019.

The party’s leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “Only a vote for Plaid Cymru will put Wales’ best interests first in this election.

“The Tories have crashed the economy and hard-working people are still paying the price of high bills. Labour, on the other hand, just take Wales for granted,” he said.

Liz Saville-Roberts, Plaid Westminster leader, said on X: “Look around and ask yourselves, is this as good as it gets?

“Plaid Cymru is ready to take the fight to the Tories and Labour to demand the fairness and ambition that Wales deserves,” she said.

Speaking on Dros Frecwast, Jane Dodds, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Wales, said they will be “campaigning hard”.

“Most of the people who have voted for the Conservatives will not want to give their vote this time to Labour, so we have an opportunity to talk to them and ensure that we are their choice,” she said.

Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said they plan to stand a candidate in every constituency.

“If we manage to do that it will be the first time we have done that in the party’s history.

“We’re prioritising that because we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to vote Green,” she said.