Story perspectives

Skates Warns Labour Rebuild Could Take Years

By Drooid · Sep 27, 2026, 3:59 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Ken Skates says rebuilding Welsh Labour will be a marathon, not a sprint.
Labour fell to third place in the May Senedd election, winning nine of 96 seats, down from 30 of 60.
Eluned Morgan resigned after losing her seat, and Skates became interim then permanent leader in July.
Skates is optimistic about next year’s local elections but warns rebuilding may take years.

History

Historical Context

In 1999, the inaugural Welsh Assembly election delivered Labour a 35-seat majority, cementing its dominance under First Minister Rhodri Morgan. The Labour Party, led by Tony Blair nationally, secured 49.5% of the vote, outpacing Plaid Cymru’s 13% and the Conservatives’ 12%. Ken Skates’s 2024 interim leadership, following Eluned Morgan’s defeat and Labour’s drop to nine seats, mirrors the party’s need to rebuild after the 1999 surge. That 1999 foundation set expectations for sustained governance, so contemporary setbacks may prompt strategic realignment and renewed focus on upcoming local elections.

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Story summary

Ken Skates says rebuilding Welsh Labour will be a marathon, not a sprint.
Labour fell to third place in the May Senedd election, winning nine of 96 seats, down from 30 of 60.
Eluned Morgan resigned after losing her seat, and Skates became interim then permanent leader in July.
Skates is optimistic about next year’s local elections but warns rebuilding may take years.

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