Darren Millar has said the new Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government faces a “monumental task” to reverse what he described “as the failures of the last 27 years of Labour rule in Wales“.

Responding to the announcement of the new government at Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Conservative leader said voters had demanded “a change in direction” rather than simply “a change in personnel”.

Mr Millar said: “People in Wales did not vote for a change in personnel, they voted for a change in direction.

“We need new ideas and new governance, not the same old politics of the past 27 years.

“This new Plaid Cymru Government has a monumental task ahead of it, and for the sake of the people of Wales, I want it to succeed where Labour fell short.

“My magnificent seven Welsh Conservative team will do everything in our power to hold them to account and ensure they deliver for Wales.”

The Conservatives returned seven Members of the Senedd following this month’s historic election, which saw Plaid Cymru become the largest party in Wales for the first time since devolution began in 1999.

The seven-strong Conservative group includes senior figures such as Andrew RT Davies, former Monmouth MP Peter Fox, North Wales politicians Sam Rowlands and Janet Finch-Saunders, alongside Mr Millar.

Despite suffering heavy losses compared with previous Senedd terms, the Conservatives remain one of the main opposition groups in Cardiff Bay and are expected to focus heavily on issues including NHS waiting times, transport, farming, rural affairs and opposition to further constitutional change.

Mr Millar himself remains one of the most recognisable Conservative figures in North Wales politics. Born in Towyn and now living in Kinmel Bay, he was first elected to the Senedd in 2007 representing the former Clwyd West constituency. 

Before the recent boundary changes and expansion of the Senedd, Clwyd West had long been regarded as one of the most politically competitive constituencies in Wales and regularly changed hands between Labour and the Conservatives before Mr Millar established a strong majority there over several elections.

Under the new expanded Senedd system introduced for the 2026 election, the old constituency boundaries were replaced by larger electoral areas, with Mr Millar now representing the new Clwyd seat.

During his time in the Senedd, Mr Millar has held several senior Conservative roles including Chief Whip, Shadow Health Minister and Shadow Minister for North Wales and the Constitution, before becoming leader of the Welsh Conservatives in late 2024.

The political landscape in Wales has shifted dramatically following the 2026 election, with Plaid Cymru leading the government, Reform UK emerging as a major opposition force and Labour suffering its worst result in the history of devolution.