Labour heading for crushing defeat in Wales

Labour is heading for a crushing defeat in Wales after suffering disastrous local election results in England overnight.

The party has been the largest at country-wide elections in Wales for more than a century and had won the most seats in the Welsh Parliament since its creation more than two decades ago.

But after Wales went to the polls on Thursday, Labour is bracing itself for a brutal set of results in its former heartlands, with a senior figure admitting the party faced a “tough election campaign” under “difficult circumstances”.

Sir Keir Starmer has already said he takes responsibility for a “tough” set of local election results in England, where hundreds of Labour councillors have been voted out.

In Wales, a Labour source indicated the party’s vote had collapsed in Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni and said it would be a “struggle” to hold on to one seat – out of a total of six – in the constituency, which includes some of its South Wales heartlands.

Baroness Eluned Morgan, the First Minister and leader of Welsh Labour, has previously said she is at risk of losing her seat in this election, where she stood in the Ceredigion Penfro constituency.

At the close of polls on Thursday, Huw Irranca-Davies, Welsh Labour campaign chairman and Lady Morgan’s deputy, said: “After many years in government in Wales, and with Labour now governing across the UK, there was always going to be a strong mood for change and frustration.

“The ongoing pressures people face from the cost of living are real and hurt deeply. We take that seriously. There were many tough messages heard on the doorstep.

“And in the days ahead, we will reflect carefully and listen with humility to what voters are telling us. There will be no dodging. No deflection. Just determination to put things right.”

He added Lady Morgan had shown “determined leadership” in “very difficult times” for the party.

Plaid Cymru and Reform have topped opinion polls throughout this election campaign.

A Plaid Cymru source said: “From what we have so far…. It’s looking good.”

The Labour vote has “collapsed”, they added.

Helen Jenner, Reform’s deputy leader in Wales, told the Press Association things were looking “very positive” for the party but admitted Plaid Cymru had been “strong contenders”.

She said: “We are stronger in some parts than others… Some areas we’re very, very much neck and neck with Plaid, actually it’s quite reflective of what the polls have been saying.

“Obviously, we’ve done amazingly well across the border… Here, I think Plaid Cymru have been strong contenders and there might be an element of tactical voting as well.

“There is a bit of tactical voting that’s gone on, I think.

“However, I think we’re doing really, really well, and there’s pockets where we’re doing exceptionally well.”

Published: 08/05/2026 by Radio NewsHub