Immigration has not been a prominent issue in the election campaign in Wales, according to a spokesperson for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
Catrin Thomas, a representative for Reform UK, stated that immigration is “much more of an issue” in England compared to Wales.
Jane Dodds of the Liberal Democrats expressed that people she encountered during her campaign wanted “more compassion” in the immigration debate.
Anthony Slaughter, leader of the Welsh Green Party, criticized the “toxic rhetoric” surrounding the topic, particularly concerning small boats crossing the English Channel.
These party representatives made their comments on Sunday Supplement on BBC Radio Wales. Ms. Thomas emphasized Reform UK’s policy on limiting non-essential immigration, with exceptions for healthcare.
“Reform’s policy on non-essential immigration is a ‘one in, one out’ approach, at least in the short term to stabilize numbers,” she said.
She mentioned that immigration has not been a significant issue among voters in Wales, noting that it is “much more of an issue in England.”
“In Wales, the questions I frequently encounter are more about transport, education, the 20mph speed limit, and economic issues,” she added.
Reform UK, originally founded as the Brexit Party in 2018, has not had any Welsh representatives in Westminster or the Senedd.
Ms. Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said she had heard calls for “compassion” when discussing immigration on the campaign trail and accused other parties of “creating division.”
She highlighted concerns for those seeking asylum.
“We want to see safe and legal routes for people to enter this country,” she stated. “We want to ensure that refugees have a fair process that is fast, efficient, and fair.”
Mr. Slaughter of the Green Party emphasized the need to remove “toxicity” from the immigration debate, especially regarding small boats.
“We need to provide safe ways for people to seek sanctuary. We also need to process asylum applications more fairly and quickly. We believe asylum seekers should be allowed to work while their cases are being processed,” he said.
Mr. Slaughter also expressed disappointment over the “total absence” of climate change debate in the election campaign, describing it as “the biggest existential threat facing us in our lifetime.”
He stated that his party aims for net zero emissions by 2040, saying, “This is what the science demands.”
Ms. Dodds agreed that the “climate emergency” has not received the attention it deserves.
“The world is on fire, and we need to take responsibility. My party needs to promote it more,” she said. “If we don’t address this within the next few years, our children and grandchildren will suffer, but it is happening right now.”
The Liberal Democrats last won a Welsh seat in a General Election in 2015. Ms. Dodds briefly served as the MP for Brecon and Radnorshire following a by-election in 2019.
The Greens have never held a Westminster or Senedd seat independently. However, Cynog Dafis was elected MP for Ceredigion in 1992 on a joint Plaid Cymru and Ceredigion Green Party ticket.
