Labour outspends rivals on Facebook

WELSH Labour is outspending its rivals on Facebook advertising in the run-up to next month’s Senedd election, according to published figures.

Over the month from March 5 until April 3, Welsh Labour spent £11,600 on Facebook ads.

The messages attracted 19,000 likes.

In the same period, the Welsh Conservatives spent £6,910 and got 9,900 likes.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats spent £1,610 and received 4,200 likes.

Two small parties spent more than Plaid Cymru. Reform UK Wales – the latest party founded by Nigel Farage although he has already quit as its leader – forked out £663 and attracted 7,200 likes. Ukip Wales has spent £389 and in return got 11,800 likes.

For a relatively small amount of money, Plaid Cymru appears to have received the best return on its investment.

Having spent only £280 on Facebook adverts, the party got as many as 40,200 likes.

In Scotland, the top two parties have spent money on a different scale.

Over the same period, the Scottish Conservatives spent £27,000, in return for which they received 37,700 likes.

The SNP were in second place in terms of expenditure, having spent £19,900. However, in return for their investment they got as many as 330,700 likes.

The Scottish Green Party spent £8,220 and received 62,600 likes.

The Scottish Labour Party spent £7,520, less than its sister party in Wales, and got 29,300 likes.

Serious concerns were expressed by a group of academics and think tank directors in the run-up to the 2019 General Election about political advertising on Facebook and Google.

A Welsh Conservative spokesman said: “Welsh Conservatives are running a dynamic campaign using many different methods to deliver our positive message of change to the people and communities of Wales.”

Neither Welsh Labour nor Plaid Cymru would comment.