For the first time in over a century, Welsh Labour has been ousted from power, finishing third in the Senedd election with just nine seats in the 96-seat chamber. Pro-independence Plaid Cymru is set to form a minority government, marking a seismic shift in Welsh politics.
First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her own seat in Ceredigion Penfro and immediately resigned, describing the result as a clear rejection by the people of Wales. Ken Skates, MS for Fflint Wrecsam, has been appointed interim leader. The party’s collapse was so total that Labour issued a pre-result statement predicting a single-digit seat return.
Analysts cite a combination of factors: Labour’s long incumbency, deteriorating public services on its watch, and a perceived lack of interest from Keir Starmer’s Westminster government. Starmer warned his cabinet against “overly deferential relations” with devolved administrations, and last year 11 Labour Senedd members wrote to him accusing his government of “constitutional outrage” over devolution promises.
Plaid Cymru’s campaign, which urged voters to back it as the only way to stop Reform UK, proved effective under the new proportional voting system. Meanwhile, support for Labour had been ebbing since the brief, disastrous tenure of Vaughan Gething in 2024. Despite the party’s proud 100-year legacy, the result leaves it with no strong base to rebuild upon.
