Election Misinformation on Welsh Politics
Claims regarding the true cost of the 20mph speed limit policy and a fabricated political party manifesto are among the misleading information about Welsh politics circulating online through prominent accounts ahead of the Senedd election, according to findings by the BBC.
The examples were identified from social media pages observed by BBC Wales' undercover voters. One such account presents itself as a "trusted news source for Welsh communities" but functions as an unofficial support page for a political party.
This investigative project monitors the online content presented to a group of fictional voters whose profiles are constructed using data from the National Centre for Social Research (Natcen). While this approach offers only a broad indication of the online environment, it has revealed that widely shared information is not always accurate.
Wales Network News: A Trusted News Source?
One Facebook page, Wales Network News, describes itself as a "trusted news source for Welsh communities".
This page appeared on the Facebook feed of Claire, one of six undercover voters whose feed mainly consists of local groups within her home constituency of Afan Ogwr Rhondda.
At first glance, Wales Network News resembles a conventional news outlet, frequently sharing over a dozen posts daily, predominantly about Welsh politics and often within local community Facebook groups such as Claire's.
The post that appeared on Claire's feed was a genuine news story reporting on former UKIP Senedd leader Caroline Jones' departure from Reform UK.
However, upon further examination of the Wales Network News Facebook page, the BBC discovered that the account had also disseminated misinformation. This included repeatedly sharing a fabricated Reform UK manifesto that claimed the party would abolish the Senedd, eliminate Welsh sports teams, promote "one anthem" and "one language" for Great Britain, and remove free prescriptions and bus passes.
None of these policies are present in Reform UK's actual Senedd manifesto. For accurate information on Senedd election manifestos, refer to the website.
Closer inspection reveals that the page is not a neutral news source but largely contains content explicitly endorsing Plaid Cymru. It shares stories critical of the party's opponents and frequently reposts content directly from official Plaid social media channels.
Using a transparency tool, it was found that between July 2020 and November 2025, the page was named The Party of Wales Plaid Cymru Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire Supporters. Prior to this, from its creation in September 2019, it operated as a pro-Brexit Party page based in the same region.
Wales Network News has been contacted for comment.
Plaid Cymru stated that the page has no connection to the party.
The precise origin of the fake manifesto remains unknown, but the BBC identified another page that shared it months before it appeared on Wales Network News. This other page did not respond to requests for comment.
Doge Wales and Misleading Claims on X
A different page, Doge Wales (also known as Senedd Waste), appeared on the X (formerly Twitter) timeline of Siân, another fictional undercover voter.
On her feed, a post from Doge Wales was observed. The account frequently criticises what it describes as "the millions of pounds wasted by the Senedd and Welsh government."
Closer analysis reveals some potentially misleading claims regarding Plaid Cymru's role in successive Welsh governments and the financial impact of the 20mph speed limit policy.
One post from Doge Wales stated that Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour had been in coalition for "most of" Labour's 27-year tenure in government.
Typically, a coalition implies that all involved parties have ministers in the cabinet. However, Plaid and Labour have only been in coalition once in Cardiff Bay, for a four-year period from 2007.
The parties also entered into cooperation agreements from 2016 to 2017 and from 2021 to 2024, during which Plaid remained in opposition but collaborated with Welsh Labour on certain policies.
The page also claimed that the default 20mph speed limit in Wales resulted in a "£9bn cost to the Welsh economy."
The implementation of the 20mph limit cost £34 million and has contributed to a reduction in casualties on Welsh roads, although it has not been universally welcomed.
The £9 billion figure appears to be an upper estimate of the policy's economic cost over 30 years, cited in a 2022 Welsh government document. This document projected that increased journey times could create an economic "disbenefit" of £6.4 billion between 2023 and 2052, with £8.9 billion representing a worst-case scenario.
However, when potential economic savings from improved road safety are considered, the policy's net cost to the Welsh economy over 30 years was estimated at £4.54 billion.
The report also noted that savings on police, ambulance, and medical costs would outweigh the direct implementation cost of £34 million spent in 2023.
In reality, the exact long-term costs or benefits remain uncertain, but it is inaccurate to categorically state that the policy has cost or is projected to cost £9 billion.
Doge Wales has been approached for comment.
Monitoring Social Media Feeds of Undercover Voters
It is important to note that the content served to these undercover voters by social media algorithms does not represent the full spectrum of what real Welsh voters encounter online.
However, their profiles have been designed to reflect a range of views and backgrounds within the electorate. The BBC will continue to monitor their feeds until the election to gain insight into how the campaign unfolds on social media and to share findings accordingly.
