Neil Roberts was fourth on Plaid Cymru’s list in the new Caerdydd Penarth constituency, which covers Cardiff South and Penarth and Cardiff West under boundary changes for the 2026 Welsh Parliament election.
The tweet at the centre of the row dates back to 2021, when the platform now known as X was still called Twitter.
In response to another user discussing people having children “for the sake of it”, Roberts replied using a highly offensive slang term for children and said they were “for life not just for Christmas”. The message was highlighted in the current campaign after a screenshot was circulated by Reform in Wales, prompting calls for Plaid Cymru to act.
Roberts initially said the tweet came from an old, defunct account and argued that people familiar with online slang would know no immoral implication was intended.
He described the remark as a “crass attempt at humour” and admitted it was “inappropriate”, saying he regretted posting it. Plaid Cymru later issued a fuller statement on his behalf in which he accepted the language was “inappropriate and crude”, took full responsibility and apologised “unreservedly” for any offence or concern caused.
In that statement Roberts said he did not want the controversy to distract from Plaid Cymru’s wider campaign or the issues affecting communities across Caerdydd Penarth, including Penarth and neighbouring parts of Cardiff.
He confirmed he would step down as a candidate with immediate effect and wished the party well in what he called an “historic” election. As a fourth‑placed candidate on the regional list, he was always seen as an outsider to win a seat under the new electoral system, which is expected to favour those higher up their parties’ lists.
The row comes just days after fellow Plaid Cymru candidate Oli Bradley‑Hughes apologised for historic posts that used sexist language and referred to illegal drug‑taking when he was a teenager.
That case has added to scrutiny of social media activity by hopefuls standing in the Senedd elections, including those campaigning in and around Penarth. Reform’s Welsh leader Dan Thomas has urged Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth to give “urgent clarity” on his stance on the language used in Roberts’ tweet, as political rivals seek to make standards and behaviour online a key issue with voters.
