Welsh Labour Must Rediscover Its Purpose, Leader Says, After Senedd Defeat

Labour has lost touch with voters it previously represented, the party’s leader has said.

Officials are set to publish a review of Labour’s heavy defeat in the May Senedd election on Saturday.

Responding in BBC Wales, Ken Skates said it was “absolutely obvious” that the party needed to rediscover its purpose and reconnect with people across “the length and breadth of Wales”.

Labour was thrown out of power at the election, when its group in the Welsh Parliament was reduced from 30 seats to nine.

It is holding its first party conference since going into opposition, while Plaid Cymru has taken control of the Welsh government.

After years of trailing Labour, Plaid won the largest number of seats, allowing its leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, to become first minister.

Labour had led the Welsh government since devolution began 27 years ago.

Skates, who became leader after the election, said: “According to the review, it’s absolutely obvious that we needed to rediscover our purpose”.

He said the party needed to “strengthen” its “soul” and “reestablish that powerful contract between us as a movement in Welsh Labour and the people of Wales who share our values”.

He said he could not disclose what the review by Professor Anand Menon of King’s College London would say the day before the conference.

“But I can say this – that people still believe that we share the fundamental values that they have and that they hold dear.”

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