KIERA MARSHALL

Building on Success, Winning in Cardiff, Fighting for Wales

About Me

Some of you may know me as Plaid Cymru’s candidate for Cardiff West in the 2024 General Election. With a fantastic team of Plaid Cymru activists, I helped secure the second-largest vote share increase for Plaid Cymru nationally and our party’s best-ever result in a General Election in Cardiff! The 2026 Senedd elections present a real opportunity to see a Plaid Cymru government leading Wales. The General Election showed that Cardiff is ready for change, and I am eager to build on the momentum we created in the General Election to drive that change in the upcoming Senedd elections.

For those who don’t know me, my name is Kiera Marshall. I grew up in Townhill, Swansea, at the time one of Europe’s poorest council estates. That experience shaped my politics, as I saw first-hand the devastating impact of Conservative austerity, poverty, and the erosion of our communities. It angers me that, decades later, families across Cardiff still face the same struggles, this time under Labour’s watch. Tackling inequality is what motivates me in politics, and if elected as a Senedd member in 2026, I will donate a portion of my salary to support projects in the most disadvantaged wards in our constituency.

I have lived in Cardiff for the past four years, and my partner, Cian, and I are based in Riverside, where we are excitedly expecting our first child this summer!

My background is in economics, and I’ve dedicated my career to fighting for a fairer, stronger Wales. I studied Economics at the London School of Economics before working as an Economic Researcher for the Plaid Cymru Senedd group and as Deputy Head of Policy for the Federation of Small Businesses Cymru. I firmly believe that building an economy that works for people while strengthening our Welsh-owned business base is essential, not only for Wales to thrive but to convince people in Wales of independence.

I haven’t always worked in economic policy. From the age of 17, I had to work to support myself through university and beyond, mainly in the hospitality industry. For several years, I worked as a server in a fish and chip shop and as a waitress in a restaurant.

I am also a Welsh learner. Despite going through the Welsh education system, I wasn’t given a proper Welsh-language education at school. Coming from a non-Welsh-speaking family, I have spent the past four years actively learning Welsh and campaigning to make the language accessible to everyone. Most recently, I gave my first public speech in Welsh at a Cymdeithas yr Iaith rally on the Welsh Education Bill, and I have joined the campaign for a fourth Welsh-medium school in Cardiff South.

I want my experiences to show that politics should be for everyone, inspiring groups who may not typically engage in elections or with Plaid Cymru to vote for us in 2026. As a young woman who grew up on a council estate, a survivor of stalking, and a soon-to-be first-time mother, I believe representation matters. In the General Election, people responded positively to seeing a different type of candidate, offering a more genuine and relatable kind of politics. Plaid Cymru needs a diverse slate of candidates in Cardiff, both to reflect our communities and to counter the growing threat of Reform.

With all four sitting MSs stepping down, this is our moment to bring a new generation of leadership to the capital. Labour councillors and activists already see these seats as guaranteed wins, but after 25 years of Labour rule, our communities are still struggling. We don’t need more of the same. We need fresh voices, real action, and a Plaid Cymru government that puts people first. If selected as the lead candidate for Caerdydd Penarth, I believe I am best placed to help make that happen.

I worked tirelessly during the General Election and have continued to do so. I am an active committee member in Cardiff West, where I serve as Youth and Social Media Officer for the constituency. I co-managed the recent Splott by-election campaign in Cardiff South, and I have delivered hundreds of Plaid Cymru leaflets across Cardiff in recent months. I have also helped at by-elections in Llanddarog and Ystalyfera, spoken at events and rallies across Wales, and volunteered with Plaid Ifanc, helping young activists to campaign in key areas. Additionally, I have played a role in coordinating Plaid Cymru activist events in Cardiff, led on the creation of a network of young Plaid supporters in the capital, and I volunteer with the Plaid Cymru union branch.

I am incredibly motivated and deeply committed to seeing a Plaid Cymru government in Wales. With your support, I hope to be able to continue this hard work as a candidate, representing our communities in the upcoming Senedd elections.

Please feel free to contact me - I’d love to hear from you! I will also be reaching out to members in the coming weeks.

My Priorities

For too long, Labour has taken Cardiff for granted. Despite controlling Cardiff Council, the Welsh Government, and now Westminster, our communities are still struggling. The 2026 Senedd election is our chance to change that. I believe that Plaid Cymru have to be talking about everyday issues that are impacting people most, and that what forms my key priorities below:

1. Representing Communities

Too many communities across Cardiff have been ignored. I’m committed to championing local voices and pushing for action on the issues that matter to people.

In Ely, community buildings and assets have been lost despite resistance from local campaigners. Archer Road Play Area remains neglected while parks in wealthier areas thrive.

In Canton, Riverside, and Grangetown, residents face persistent litter problems, especially after bin days, with little response from the council.

Pontyclun residents are battling against 40,000 extra HGVs per year driving through the area, putting peoople over profit.

Meanwhile, in Eastbrook, those with mobility issues can’t access their local train station.

In Cardiff South, parents are campaigning for a much-needed fourth Welsh-medium school - yet the council drags its feet.

These are the sort of local campaigns I want to amplify and support to bring real change.

Building a Stronger Local Economy

I want to support a thriving local economy in Cardiff - one that works for the people who live here and for our homegrown businesses.

This means reforming the business rates system to better support small, local enterprises, and expanding access to finance and business support for SMEs and cooperatives. We need to improve the support available for existing Welsh businesses to grow while maintaining an environment for start-ups to develop. Economic and procurement policies should be guided by a ‘local first’ principle, applying from Cardiff to all of Cymru.

I supported remaining in the European Union, and I would campaign for closer economic ties with the EU to strengthen trade and boost our exporting businesses. Expanding exports will be essential to building a stronger Welsh economy.

Addressing climate change must underpin all government decisions. Wales needs significant investment in developing a green economy - supporting green jobs and green skills. Gaining control over assets like the Crown Estate is a key step, but to ensure workers are not left behind, as we’ve seen with Port Talbot’s TATA Steelworks—I would advocate for a Just Transition Commission. This would help us fairly manage the shift to a net-zero future while capturing the economic opportunities it brings. We also need to ensure any future green economy is not one based in wealth extraction, developing community owned energy.

Giving people confidence in our economy, and ensuring it works for them, is one of the most powerful ways to build support for Welsh independence.

The economy isn’t just about business: it’s about people. Right now, too many in Wales are denied the chance to build secure, fulfilling lives. We need to rethink our skills system so it supports people into work, training, and lifelong learning.

During this Senedd term, the Cardiff Capital Region advertised our city as a low-wage destination for investors. That’s not acceptable. We should be striving for fair, rewarding work for all and I would campaign for the devolution of employment and welfare powers to Wales to help make this vision a reality.

Ultimately, our goal should be to reduce economic inequality, give people the material security they need to thrive, and empower them to support their local economy.

2. Providing Affordable Housing

Rents in Cardiff have skyrocketed, rising by 8.7% between January 2024 and January 2025, making the city increasingly unaffordable for many. As someone who has recently rented in Cardiff, I’ve experienced this first hand. Now, as my partner and I try to buy our first home, we're facing another harsh reality: Cardiff is one of the least affordable places in the UK for first-time buyers, with only 3% able to get on the property ladder.

Access to shelter should be a right, not a luxury. And, this right should actually be protected and acted upon. This means introducing rent caps, strengthening tenant rights and living conditions, and significantly expanding the supply of social and genuinely affordable housing. I'd also be interested in initiatives to offer fairer deposit support for renters looking to become first time buyers.

3. Improving Public Transport

Our transport system in Cardiff isn't working, and people are paying the price. I’ve lost count of the number of times I waited for a train at Ty Glas when I was working in Llanishen, only for it to be cancelled or for a bus that never showed up. Rhiwbina, Birchgrove, and Whitchurch stations on the Coryton line were recently ranked among the worst-performing in the UK. At Penarth Station last year, more than four trains a day were fully cancelled on average, and on 27th December alone, 48 trains were scrapped. At Eastbrook Station in Dinas Powys, Plaid Cymru councillors are running an Access for All campaign as those with mobility issues are unable to get from one side of the station to the other. Labour promised £1 bus fares in the 2022 Cardiff Council election, but that pledge has never been delivered. They’ve also failed to demand the billions Wales is owed from HS2 and wider UK rail infrastructure spending. Without significant investment, particularly in our bus network, Cardiff residents can’t get where they need to be, congestion continues to block our city, and our climate suffers. Transport is the single biggest source of carbon emissions in Cardiff, accounting for 35% of the CO₂e generated in the city. It’s time to cut and cap bus fares, restore and improve bus services, make public transport more affordable for young people, and hold transport operators accountable for poor service. Above all, we must continue to demand that Wales receives its fair share of UK transport funding because our communities deserve better.