Senedd

Vaughan Gething, who lasted 139 days as first minister, is rumoured to be in line for a peerage

Mark Drakeford has vowed to be “radical” and “ambitious” in government as his party looks set to remain in power in Wales. Labour has equalled its best ever Senedd election result by winning 30 seats – just one short of a majority – though it is not expected to take any of the remaining four […]

Mark Drakeford’s Welsh Labour has declared its strong Senedd election performance as “an extraordinary set of results in extraordinary times” as the party look favourite to retain control of the Welsh government. The party has exceeded expectations as counting for the Welsh parliament election continues, having so far lost just one of its seats and […]

Welsh Labour appears to have exceeded expectations as counting for the Welsh Parliament election continues. Only one of Wales’ so-called red wall seats, the Vale of Clwyd, fell to the Welsh Conservatives, while Labour sources are also confident of unseating the former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood in Rhondda. Changes to ensure social distancing at […]

The resonance, or otherwise, of constitutional issues will be a key factor in a dramatically unpredictable Senedd election For those of us living in Hen Wlad fy Nhadau, it feels that Welsh devolved politics only makes it onto the radar of UK politicians when it’s given a kicking as part of the game of political […]

The Welsh government has been refused permission for a High Court legal challenge against the Westminster government over post-Brexit legislation. Counsel General for Wales Jeremy Miles tried to bring a full High Court challenge over the Internal Market Act, which he argued “severely curtails” the powers of the Senedd and could prevent it from making […]

The Welsh government is taking legal action against the UK government over its post-Brexit Internal Market Act which it says “severely curtails” the powers of the Senedd. Counsel general for Wales Jeremy Miles is trying to bring a full High Court challenge over the Act, which he argues could prevent the Senedd from making laws on […]

UKIP’s Wales leader has defended an election candidate who sent offensive tweets about Muslims. Stan Robinson, who is running on the South Wales West list, sent several derogatory messages in the past fortnight about Islam and Muslims. He has also retweeted a message labelling migrants “parasites” who should be “arrested” or “shot” to “stop the […]

UKIP has promised to hold a referendum on scrapping the Welsh parliament if it is elected in May. Its manifesto, launched Tuesday morning, also includes pledges to scrap measures to help asylum seekers and refugees in Wales, end the smacking ban and stop sex education in primary schools. UKIP Wales leader Neil Hamilton said it was […]

Welsh Labour would not support holding a referendum on Welsh independence unless Plaid Cymru won a majority in the Senedd, leader Mark Drakeford has said. Plaid is committed to holding a referendum by 2026 if the party forms the next government in Cardiff Bay. But Drakeford, the Welsh Labour leader and current first minister, said […]

The Welsh secretary has accused the first minister Mark Drakeford of being “fixated on politics” after said that Boris Johnson “really, really is awful”. Simon Hart said that he hopes the first minister now “slightly regrets” a clip of him saying the prime minister “really, really is awful”, which emerged during an S4C film. The Welsh […]

Wales’ elections in May could be delayed – but when they eventually happen they will help make history. The scene was set for May 6 2021 to be a historic day for democracy in Wales. It would be the first time that 16 and 17 year olds would be able to vote in an election. […]

JAC LARNER and RICHARD WYN JONES on what lessons progressives can learn from the Welsh experience of devolution. The establishment in 1999 of what is now formally known as the Senedd was the culmination of a century and more of argument in favour of what used to be known – more pleasingly, we suggest – […]

Almost half of Welsh voters would rejoin the EU, a new poll has found.  Despite a Brexit deal being reached at the eleventh hour, 44% of Welsh voters told ITV News they would vote yes if EU membership was put to another referendum. By comparison, 38% would reject rejoining and almost a fifth – 19% – said […]

A senior Welsh Conservative politician has come under fire after comparing the storming of Capitol Hill by Donald Trump protesters to politicians who supported a second referendum on Brexit. Andrew RT Davies is facing calls to remove a tweet aimed at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Labour MS (member of the Senedd) Alun Davies. […]

Welsh politician Vaughan Gething has criticised the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s decision to travel to Wales as Covid-19 cases rise, saying he would prefer it if “no-one was having unnecessary visits”. Health minister Gething said he was not “particularly bothered or interested” when asked during by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if he thought the […]

Boris Johnson is a “disaster” as well as being the “greatest recruiting agent” for Scottish and Welsh independence, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has claimed. Price criticised the UK government over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic as he predicted Welsh and Scottish elections in May next year could usher in “the Indy summer of ’21”. […]

Nearly 60% of Welsh people believe Westminster should cede more powers to the Senedd, new polling has found. In a survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of YesCymru, the campaign for Welsh independence, 59% of respondents who had a view said they would support a “devo-max” option in a referendum. The “devo-max” option would see […]

Former Tory party chairman James Cleverly has been mocked after tempting to smear Labour by telling people to look at the situation in Wales. The Foreign Office minister saw his name to trend on Twitter as he tried to turn users against Labour by using the example of the Welsh government to prove his own […]

Wales’ first minister Mark Drakeford has described Boris Johnson’s proposals for travel restrictions for coronavirus hotspots in England as “inadequate”. It came as Wales’s health minister said there is now evidence that travel to and from areas of England with high rates of Covid-19 has contributed to the spread of the virus to other areas of […]

Wales’ first minister has hit back at Donald Trump after criticisms of his country over local lockdowns, saying he thinks Americans would be “delighted” to be more like Wales in tackling coronavirus. Fox News presenter Laura Ingraham tweeted “Your future under Biden: ‘Rolling lockdowns’ will become norm in Wales” along with a link to a BBC News article […]

Few political autobiographies contain actual revelations. The occasional tit-bit, perhaps, a humorous aside from a foreign dignitary. Which is why the one which comes in the memoirs of Carwyn Jones comes as almost a lightning bolt: that, throughout his final year in office, the former Labour first minister of Wales was battling severe clinical depression. […]