Prime Minister Andy Burnham will address Welsh Labour at its conference in Llandudno, Conwy, calling on the party to "listen" and "take stock" following its devastating defeat in May's Senedd elections. According to BBC News, Burnham will urge the party to "do things differently" as an independent review into the election loss is published on Saturday.
Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates acknowledged that voters felt their support had been taken "for granted" and that the party had stopped listening to communities. The May election marked a historic turning point: Welsh Labour won just 9 of 96 seats with 11.1% of the vote, down 35 seats and 25.1 percentage points from the 2021 election. For the first time since devolution began, Labour lost its position as the largest party in the Senedd, allowing Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth to become first minister.
Labour had dominated Welsh politics for over a century and had governed Wales continuously since devolution in 1999. The scale of the reversal underscores the magnitude of the challenge facing the party as it enters opposition for the first time in the devolved era.
What will Burnham say at the conference?
Burnham, who was not prime minister when the election took place, is expected to acknowledge the depth of the defeat when he addresses party members at Venue Cymru. The former Manchester mayor will emphasise the need for genuine change rather than mere rhetoric. He will 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."
What is Burnham's vision for Welsh devolution?
Burnham is expected to repeat his calls for greater devolution of powers to local communities in Wales, a theme he first raised when he met ap Iorwerth in Glasgow in October. Under the current constitutional settlement, local government powers remain centralised in Cardiff Bay rather than being distributed to communities. Burnham will argue that devolution to the Senedd was a "huge step forward" but was "never just about moving power from Westminster to Cardiff". He will say:
"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."
However, Burnham's advance speech extracts offered no specifics on which powers would be devolved to communities or who would exercise them, leaving questions about the practical implementation of his vision.
What does the review reveal about Labour's defeat?
Prof Anand Menon from polling company Public First will present his independent review into the party's election loss at the conference on Saturday. Skates said the findings were "difficult" and that the party takes them seriously.
"People felt that we had stopped listening, public services were not improving quickly enough and we had taken their support for granted."
Skates characterised the election results as "catastrophic" and "a pivotal point for Welsh Labour", but stressed that understanding the reasons for the losses required "a dispassionate assessment". Skates said Labour had lost its connection with previously loyal voters and needed to rediscover its purpose and reconnect across Wales.
What is Labour's path forward?
Skates outlined the party's immediate priorities:
"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."
Skates, who represents Fflint Wrecsam in the Senedd, was appointed Welsh Labour leader in July following the May election defeat. The conference represents the party's first major gathering since entering opposition, providing an opportunity to reset its direction and begin rebuilding support among Welsh voters.
