Five things we learned from Senedd election debate

"Evans was the only member of the panel who claimed that the Welsh NHS was "broken" and he also suggested the Conservatives would consider cutting the number of health boards that run the service from its current seven. Irranca Davies said Labour was shifting the focus to primary care, such as pharmacies and more frontline staff, and was "absolutely committed" to hitting its target of trimming 200,000 off what have been record waiting lists by the time of the election."

"Berman said the Lib Dems would bring in a "social care rescue package", but could not say precisely where the money would come from. Immigration policy might controlled by Westminster not ministers in Cardiff Bay, but, judging by Sunday's programme, politicians in Wales have plenty to say about it. Ap Gwynfor maintained that the NHS and social care was "entirely dependent" on immigrants "propping it up", while Irranca Davies made the case for "controlled, managed migration" for border security and the economy."

An expanded 96-seat Welsh Senedd with proportional representation and six-member constituencies will increase electoral uncertainty and threaten Labour's long-standing dominance. Polling shows Plaid Cymru and Reform mounting significant challenges to Labour. Five parties presented health and immigration policies: Conservatives described the NHS as "broken" and proposed cutting the number of health boards; Labour prioritised primary care and pledged to reduce waiting lists by 200,000 by the election; Plaid promised more GPs within existing funding; Greens proposed using more community nurses; the Liberal Democrats offered a social care rescue package without specified funding. Plaid argued the NHS and social care rely on immigrants, and Labour endorsed controlled, managed migration for security and economic reasons. Reform did not attend.

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