STEPHEN CRABB, the former Welsh Secretary and MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, has called for a leadership change within the Welsh Conservatives ahead of the 2026 Senedd election. In a frank assessment of his party’s current state, Mr Crabb suggested the party had become “too used to being in opposition” and requires a “refresh” to regain relevance.
Mr Crabb, who lost his seat in the 2024 general election after representing Preseli Pembrokeshire from 2005, believes new leadership is essential for the party to remain competitive in future elections. Following the Conservatives’ total loss of Welsh representation in the House of Commons, he reflected on the reasons behind their crushing defeat, stating: “Many of us could see the result coming, you could see it coming from outer space. It was very clear we were going to suffer a massive defeat in July, and we knew the reasons underlying that—essentially, a huge loss of trust in the Conservative government, in the brand, and a perception of a lack of confidence, credibility, and not sticking to our words. That came up a lot on the doorsteps.”
He further noted that voters were also concerned about the state of public services, with many perceiving them to be deteriorating. In Mr Crabb’s view, whoever is chosen as the next leader of the Welsh Conservatives will face significant challenges in making the party “relevant again” to the electorate. He remarked: “However you interpret the reasons from July, by and large, people found a way to give the Conservatives a kicking. Whether that was by voting for Reform, Labour, or a Lib Dem candidate, the overriding message was that they didn’t want our party to be in government.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales’ breakfast show, Mr Crabb was asked by host James Williams if the Conservatives were well-prepared for the 2026 Senedd election. His response was blunt: “No, I don’t. I think it’s going to be a tough Senedd election. Reform will be looking to build on the gains they’ve made electorally, and though they didn’t win any seats in Wales, they did get a significant number of votes. They’ll be hoping to turn that into actual seats in the Senedd.”
Mr Crabb criticised the Welsh Conservatives for not doing enough to offer alternative policies to those of Welsh Labour, especially on devolved issues like healthcare. “So many of the issues coming up at the UK general election were actually devolved issues—access to waiting lists, GP appointments, dentists. People would ask us, ‘Don’t just tell us the Conservatives in England are doing it better than Labour in Wales; what would be the solution for improving services?'”
When asked whether the shortcomings of the party were down to the current Welsh Conservative leader, Andrew RT Davies, Mr Crabb avoided personal criticism but acknowledged that a leadership change might be necessary. “I don’t like making it about personalities, but I think the party has got too used to being in opposition and hasn’t used that position well enough to offer alternatives. If you’re asking me if I think there needs to be a refresh of the party and leadership, then probably yes, as we look to rebuild. It’s hard to change when you’ve always got the same personalities in place.”
As the Welsh Conservatives look ahead to the 2026 Senedd election, it remains to be seen whether a change in leadership will be the key to reviving the party’s fortunes in Wales.
