Darren Millar Appointed Welsh Tory Leader Without Opposition

Darren Millar has been confirmed as the new leader of the Conservatives within the Welsh Parliament, having been elected without opposition. His candidacy received unanimous support from all the party’s Members of the Senedd (MSs), including those who were considered potential contenders, who instead endorsed their chief whip for the role. Millar has pledged to unite the 16 Welsh Conservative members following the sudden resignation of Andrew RT Davies on Tuesday. This marks the third instance in two years of a Welsh political leader being chosen without a party ballot, following Eluned Morgan for Labour and Rhun ap Iorwerth for Plaid Cymru. David TC Davies, formerly the Welsh Secretary and a Member of Parliament for Monmouth, is set to serve as Millar’s chief of staff. The Senedd Conservatives were given a window of just over 48 hours to put forward nominations for the leadership position, following Davies’ departure at midday on Tuesday. All individuals considered potential contenders had withdrawn their names well in advance of the Thursday 1700 GMT deadline. Davies’ resignation, which occurred after he narrowly prevailed in a vote of confidence, was the culmination of several months of scrutiny regarding the party’s strategic direction and demands for the Welsh Conservatives to present a more distinct alternative to Labour. Speaking to BBC Wales, Millar expressed his ambition to become the first Conservative first minister in the upcoming 2026 election. He stated: “Wales is broken, and we’ll develop a plan to fix it and present that to the public in advance of those elections in 2026.” He further added: “I believe in freedom of choice, personal responsibility, and these are the things which I will campaign with a platform on.” When questioned about whether he viewed himself as a temporary “sticking plaster candidate,” he responded: “Absolutely not.” He elaborated: “I’ve been involved in politics for many years,” adding, “I’ve always ploughed my own furrow, and that is what I intend to do going forward”. The individual, who was a Westminster candidate in the recent general election, affirmed his “absolute commitment” to the Senedd. In contrast to the structure in Scotland, Millar’s leadership extends solely to the party’s MSs and does not encompass all Welsh Conservatives. While any alteration to this arrangement would fall under the purview of the UK party, Millar indicated that he has consistently held the opinion that the Senedd group leader ought to be the “de facto Conservative leader in Wales.” Millar is set to assume the role of leader of the opposition, engaging in weekly exchanges with Eluned Morgan during first minister’s question time in the Senedd. Millar, aged 48, previously served as chief whip under Davies, responsible for maintaining Conservative discipline within the Senedd. He was raised in Towyn, Conwy, is married with two adult children, and currently resides in Kinmel Bay. He is considered by some to be the most senior Welsh Conservative currently holding office, apart from the former leader, and is recognized for his forceful contributions in the Senedd, especially concerning the Welsh NHS during his tenure as the party’s health spokesman. According to his website, Millar was employed as a manager for an international charity dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians prior to entering politics in Cardiff Bay. The MS encountered a challenge in late 2020, when he briefly stepped down from his front-bench role after he and three fellow Senedd members were observed consuming alcohol on Welsh Parliament grounds during a pandemic-related ban on pub alcohol sales. Millar resumed his position as chief whip following the May 2021 Senedd election, and all four politicians were subsequently cleared of any breach of the Senedd’s code of conduct. Millar is expected to address inquiries regarding the party’s future direction as the Welsh Conservatives gear up for the 2026 Senedd election, particularly in the wake of a highly unfavorable general election that resulted in the loss of all their Members of Parliament. A recent public opinion survey placed the Conservatives in fourth position, trailing Plaid Cymru, Labour, and Reform. Davies’ departure was triggered by apprehension within the Senedd and among other Conservative factions concerning the party’s trajectory. Those who supported Davies advocated for a more Reform-aligned approach, while his critics desired a wider range of alternatives from him. Reports circulated regarding contentious assertions Davies had made concerning halal meat in a school, as well as a social media post in which he inquired whether the public believed the Senedd should be abolished – despite the party’s long-standing official support for devolution. Allegedly, some Conservative MSs advised Davies to resign last week, prompting him to initiate a vote of confidence, which he secured by a slim margin. Guto Harri, who previously served as Downing Street communications director for Boris Johnson, commented that the primary challenge for the Conservatives was “not to swap one leader for another,” but rather “to position the party to offer itself as an alternative government in Cardiff to Labour.” He further stated: “Let’s get back to what it is to be a Conservative. It’s not to be an eccentric crowd pleaser, or a lobbyist for farmers, though they’re part of the mix.” He concluded: “It’s to go back to advocating a small state that takes less of your money.” Harri indicated that Millar would need to cultivate “a lot of talent,” including former Conservative MPs. He specifically mentioned: “I wouldn’t waste Stephen Crabb, I wouldn’t waste David TC Davies.” However, an anonymous Conservative source suggested that Millar’s election demonstrated “lack of ambition that the Senedd group has for Wales,” adding critically: “If Darren Millar is the answer, what was the question?” Darren Millar’s leadership style is anticipated to diverge from that of his predecessor. A significant focus is expected on his vision for Wales should the Conservatives hold power, which he intends to present as a more optimistic message. He is expected to exert every effort to conclude the 25-year tenure of Welsh Labour in power. Mr. Millar has stated his belief in his ability to become first minister and has also expressed openness to forming alliances with other political parties in the Senedd to ensure a non-Labour First Minister following the 2026 election. Notably, he has appointed David TC Davies, a former Welsh Secretary who has previously held a prominent position within the Conservative party, as his most senior adviser. Initial observations from his first day suggest Millar is serious about his intentions. A spokesperson for Welsh Labour commented: “Voters have already rejected Darren Millar and his colleagues at the general election. Instead of trying to understand why, they are papering over the cracks.” Oliver Lewis, spokesperson for Reform UK Wales, stated: “The simple fact is, Darren Millar has been an MS since 2007 and has been nothing but ineffective in opposition, just like every other Welsh Tory.” Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth extended congratulations to Millar but remarked that he assumes the role “at a time of chaos and infighting in his party, and with the Tories having failed to offer any credible solutions to the challenges facing Wales.” A spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats further added: “In July Welsh voters delivered their devastating verdict on the Conservatives, booting out every single Tory MP in Wales. Re-arranging the deckchairs in their Senedd group isn’t going to make anyone forget their record of incompetence, sleaze, and failure.”