Nigel Farage will call to reopen the Port Talbot steelworks today in a major campaign pitch to Welsh voters ahead of the 2026 Senedd elections.The Reform UK leader is heading to South Wales today, where he is set to lay out his plans to bring traditional steelmaking back to British shores.Having already put his party’s weight behind saving British Steel in Scunthorpe earlier this year, Farage will again back domestic industry in a drive to end Labour’s 123 years of electoral success in Wales.He “will tap into the hearts and minds of a deeply patriotic nation that feels betrayed and forgotten about by Labour”, a party source said.”We are the main challenger to Labour in Wales. A vote for the Conservatives is a vote for Labour,” they added.Port Talbot was the largest steelmaking plant in the UK until its two blast furnaces were controversially shut down in September 2024.In their stead, the Government has backed plans for a £1.25billion electric arc furnace at the Indian firm Tata’s steelworks, with a switch-on date set for 2027 as part of a push towards greener production.Labour insists the two steelworks are in different situations.And while Farage is set to acknowledge that the task of bringing industry back to Wales will neither be quick nor easy, he will also push for a return to coal mining as part of Reform’s “long-term ambition to reopen Port Talbot steel”.FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY…
RECAP: As Nigel Farage lays down the gauntlet in Wales… How the Reform UK leader challenged Keir Starmer to head-to-head working men’s club debate
With Nigel Farage heading to Wales today in a bid to break decades of Labour dominance next year, GB News is looking back at a similar campaign in the Red Wall just days ago.In late May, the Reform chief challenged Sir Keir Starmer to a one-on-one debate in a working men’s club in the English industrial heartland.Confirming reports that he would lay out such a challenge to the Prime Minister, Farage said: “He has challenged me to a head-to-head debate some time between now and the next election. The last time this happened to me was with Nick Clegg.”I’m very happy, Prime Minister, to accept this invitation – but I don’t want to wait four more years.”I’ve got an idea… Why don’t the Prime Minister and I go to a working men’s club in the Red Wall, and members can sit there and ask us questions.”READ THE FULL STORY ON NIGEL FARAGE VS KEIR STARMER HERE