May 11, 2025
Report, Hedd Goch, Y Seren Goch
Yesterday, socialists from across the left in Wales gathered to debate and vote on the progress made by the ‘Cymru Radical Left Dialogue’ – an open network of socialists who have been crafting progressive policies to campaign on for the 2026 Senedd Elections. This conference was called after an initial meeting in October 2024, which broke the mould of other socialist conferences by having open discussion in breakout groups, which was then reported back on.
The conference focused on a Wales “for people, planet, peace, not profit” and called for the formation of ‘People, Planet, Peace, Cymru’, with eco-socialism at its heart. Two motions were presented to the conference, the first calling for a new movement and outlining the core programme, and the second on the organisation of the movement – both passed unanimously.
To open the day, a host of speeches were heard from a mix of campaigners and activists from across Wales, highlighting the key issues we face as the left in Wales.
This podcast features the speeches from the main speakers and the movement of the initial motion from the morning session by Len Arthur from CYMRU Radical Left Dialogue, the conference organisers.
Speech 1 - Kwabena Devonish, an anti-fascist and anti-racist organiser from Stand Up To Racism & Black Lives Matter Cardiff & Vale.
Speech 2 - Jim Scott of PARC Against DARC, which is organising against the AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) plan to build a military radar station in Pembrokeshire.
Speech 3 - AJ Le Brun, the Secretary of Rhondda Cynon Taf Trades Union Council, spoke about the importance of disability inclusion and organising in any socialist movement, and how trade unions need to be active in working class communities, fighting for socialism at a grassroots level.
Speech 4 - Community organiser and former Labour Party MP Beth Winter spoke about the need for a new form of politics, drawing on the work she has done with Leanne Wood (former Plaid Cymru Leader) in South Wales communities, hosting open sessions to hear about local issues to build local solutions.
Speech 5 - Len Arthur from the CRLD organising group put forward a motion to gain consensus from the delegates to begin work on a new socialist united alliance, which was passed unanimously.
The motion called for the establishment of a new movement – People, Planet, Peace Cymru, which focuses on an eco-socialist platform, on social transformation and national independence in Wales. The motion calls for an intervention in the 2026 Senedd Elections, by creating local groups who can put a collectively decided manifesto from the new organisation to their candidates and political parties. They also raised the option of putting in their own candidates as independents to potentially win a seat. This motion included 7 policy positions, developed through the Cymru Radical Left Dialogue’s open policy sessions, to form the initial basis of the programme.
