WELSH LABOUR DECLARE VICTORY

Mark Drakeford at his count yesterday in Cardiff

Labour have equalled their best ever performance in a Senedd election, but once again have fallen short of a majority.  Labour required 31 seats to form a majority government, but stalled on 30.  This is a net increase of one from 2016.  The Tories had their best ever election in Wales, up five seats to 16.  Despite opinion polls predicting seats for the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party, seats were distributed among only four parties, as follows.

Senedd Election 2021

Labour 30 (+1) 

Conservative 16 (+5)

Plaid Cymru 13 (+1)

Liberal Democrat 1 (n/c) 

The seven gains were courtesy of UKIP losing all their seats.

Mark Drakeford will continue as First Minister, potentially relying on the solitary Liberal Democrat MS in order to govern effectively.  It had been widely anticipated that Labour would fall well short of a majority and be forced to seek a coalition with the separatists of Plaid Cymru.  The end result 'exceeded expectations' admitted Drakeford.

The Conservative vote share was up 5 per cent overall across Welsh constituencies and 6.3 per cent up in the regional lists.  However, as in the 2019 general election, the red wall of south Wales stood rigid.  In spite of everything Drakeford has thrown at Wales since he took over in 2018, the Labour vote share was up 5.2 per cent in constituencies and 4.7 per cent up in the regional lists.

Jeremy Corbyn was among those congratulating Mark Drakeford as it became clear his protégé would stay on as First Minister.

At the time of writing Keir Starmer has not publicly acknowledged his party's success in Wales.

For Wales constituency results click here.

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