Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to deliver a stark message to Welsh Labour at their conference in Llandudno, urging the party to listen and take stock after its historic defeat in May's Senedd elections. In a speech at Venue Cymru, Burnham will call on his party to do things differently, ahead of the publication of a review into what went wrong.
A Historic Loss
Labour had dominated Welsh politics for a century and had run the Welsh government since devolution began. But the May elections saw Plaid Cymru become the largest party for the first time, allowing Rhun ap Iorwerth to become first minister. Burnham, who was not prime minister at the time, is expected to acknowledge the scale of the defeat.
Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates said the findings of the review were difficult and that voters felt their support had been taken for granted. "People felt that we had stopped listening, public services were not improving quickly enough and we had taken their support for granted," he said. "Our task is to earn trust again. We will listen carefully, develop a clear offer for Wales and demonstrate through our actions that we have learned."
Call for Real Power
Burnham is expected to say: "We have to listen. We have to take stock. And we have to commit to doing things differently. But we have to go further than that too. Because, let's be honest, politicians have always said they'll listen more. This time, we've got to do more than talk about giving people a voice. We've got to give them real power over the decisions that shape their lives."
He will repeat his calls for more powers to be devolved to local communities in Wales, which he last made when he met ap Iorwerth in Glasgow in October. Under the current rules, local government powers rest with Cardiff Bay.
Burnham will say that devolution to the Senedd was a "huge step forward" but was "never just about moving power from Westminster to Cardiff". He will add: "We were always supposed to keep pushing power down and out until it reached every postcode. I think that's the challenge for us today... to make sure Welsh Labour is not just the party that built devolution, but the party that takes it forward once again."
Review to Be Presented
Professor Anand Menon from polling company Public First will present his review into the party's election defeat at the conference on Saturday. Skates said the review's findings were difficult and that the party would take them seriously. He described the Senedd elections as a pivotal point for Welsh Labour, with results that were catastrophic for the party. "But the reasons for our losses, and there were a multitude of reasons, needed a dispassionate assessment," he said.
Skates, the Member of the Senedd for Fflint Wrecsam, was appointed Welsh Labour's leader in July following the May election. His comments come as the party seeks to rebuild and reconnect with voters.
