On 7 May 2026, Britain goes to the polls. Elections for the Welsh and Scottish Governments, as well as local council and mayoral elections across England, will reset the political landscape at a national and local level.
The elections give voters an opportunity to challenge devolved governments and local authorities on their planning policies, and will give an indication of voters’ attitudes, both positive and negative, towards new nuclear developments and how much voters feel they have had a hand in shaping them.
Why do the elections matter for nuclear?
The May elections will shape the political conditions under which nuclear projects will be consented.
Applications for large nuclear projects are designated as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP), which means the UK Government, and not local councils, will ultimately decide whether a project receives consent. However, devolved Governments and local authorities remain influential stakeholders in the consenting process – they can still shape outcomes, by lending support or voicing opposition.
Conversely, smaller non-NSIP projects, such as small modular reactors (SMR), may even earn consent through the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA), which makes the relevant local authority, and not the Government, the deciding body in these applications.
How might Labour losses impact the UK’s nuclear ambitions?
The most talked-about issue of the May elections is the potentially historic defeat the incumbent Labour Party will suffer. Forecasters predict Labour will lose control of the Senedd for the first time ever, as well as many council seats across England.
The party’s national policy will likely remain pro-nuclear, with the Government’s financial backing for projects such as Sizewell C and the Wylfa SMRs showing its support for the sector.
However, a significant electoral defeat may prompt Labour to become more cautious in its approach to planning reform. Watered-down reform risks failing to remove the barriers that prevent new projects being built quickly and affordably.
The removal of supportive Labour voices from local and devolved governments could also reduce local support for new nuclear projects.
Will a strengthened Reform party be good for British nuclear?
Reform UK is enthusiastically pro-nuclear, with plans to fast-track SMR developments. However, it is unclear whether the party’s rhetoric will translate into delivering for the sector, with many pointing to Reform’s lack of governing experience.
That being said, a Reform UK victory in May could see new nuclear projects being brought forward in historically industrial English regions in the North and the Midlands.
The same is true in Wales, where Reform UK poses a major electoral challenge to Plaid Cymru in the Senedd elections. Were the party to win here, SMR projects in North Wales – the proposed home for Britain’s next generation of SMRs – and Last Energy’s SMRs in Bridgend, would stand a better chance of receiving consent.
What would a Plaid Cymru victory in Wales mean for nuclear?
In contrast to a Reform UK-led Senedd, a Plaid Cymru-led Senedd would be less decisive on nuclear. Currently, Plaid is slightly ahead of Reform in the polls, with the two parties predicted to share 30% and 27% of the vote, respectively, according to Beaufort Research polling carried out in February.
If Plaid Cymru were to win, it would likely maintain a pragmatic balancing act with regard to its nuclear policy. While the party officially opposes the development of new nuclear, it is pro-growth in its historic North Wales heartlands, and being pro-nuclear is part of that – successive representatives have backed nuclear developments at the Wylfa and Trawsfynydd sites.
However, given these contrasting positions, a Plaid victory may create a riskier consenting environment for nuclear projects, making them less likely to receive consent than if Reform UK were to emerge victorious in May.
What could the outcome of the Scottish Parliament election mean?
A Survation poll predicts a 64-seat victory for the incumbent Scottish National Party (SNP) in May, with Reform UK gaining 18 seats – the first time it will have sat in the Scottish Parliament.
The SNP has consistently opposed nuclear projects in Scotland, a position that was reiterated recently following criticism from pro-nuclear Scottish Labour. The governing party argues that nuclear is too costly and views renewable investment as more profitable and secure.
Even so, it may find these views at odds with its own voters: polling from Britain Remade found that 52% of SNP voters believe nuclear power should be included in Scotland’s energy mix. This may lead to a reappraisal, or at least a softening, of the party’s opposition to nuclear.
Will Green Party gains have an impact?
Under new leadership and with a more left-wing policy platform, the Green Party is going into the May 2026 elections with a rise in voter support. Despite its change in approach, the party has retained its anti-nuclear policy, although debate exists within the party on this issue.
However, an increase in the number of anti-nuclear voices across urban councils and devolved governments may not have any real effect on future developments. The areas where the Green Party expects to succeed are unlikely to host nuclear projects.
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