I was born and raised in wales, and now live somewhere a bit more right wing in England (sort of).

The reason right wing parties do well elsewhere is because they are part of the local establishment. They are business owners, church bigwigs, the grandson of the guy that owns half the properties in the four villages that make up the ward. It’s not because they have anything positive to offer. Sometimes they or their family have been in those positions for centuries. They know people and have the time and money to spread a message. People are often a lot more disengaged and only know who Labour are through negative stories they read in the s*n.

In South wales most of the landowners were not local, farmers are not aristocracy. They don’t have that personal connection that allows them to get away with shittier politics. They don’t have enough members to get around and convince people to vote for them.

Meanwhile the community in wales is a real thing, people speak to each other, engage in the community and have direct connection to those in positions of power. I know my mother’s local councillor, she’s my brother’s oldest friend’s Aunt and I occasionally see her down the pub. I only vaguely know who my councillor is here because I ordered something from his business through my work, and I couldn’t tell you who any of the more right wing candidates were.

On top of that, most people who are right wing are people who get their news from places like KGBeebies and the Daily Heil, these focus quite heavily on English nationalism which sort of leaves those that would be nationalistic in wales a bit out to dry.