Former Senedd member points the finger at Downing Street for Labour’s catastrophic showing at Senedd Election

Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

The former Senedd Member for Blaenau Gwent, Alun Davies, failed in his bid to be elected to the new larger Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili and Rhymni constituency.

As the counting took place at Caerphilly leisure centre on Friday, May 8, it became apparent from glum Labour faces that Mr Davies was struggling to get one of the six seats.

After an unsuccessful recount – the result was announced which saw all seats shared between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK.

After speeches from five of the six newly elected Senedd Members, Mr Davies took his turn at the lectern, congratulated the winners and said they would do a “fantastic job” representing the community,

He then turned his thoughts as to why Labour had suffered a historically catastrophic defeat at the ballot box throughout Wales.

Mr Davies said: “It’s been a difficult day and is a historic turning point for Welsh Labour.

“This is the first time in modern history where there is no Labour representatives elected in the valleys of Gwent.

“Labour has clearly lost the trust of the people from whom we were born.

“It happens because the party has lost its way and its ability to speak for and with the people we sought to represent.

“This is also a defeat manufactured in Downing Street.

“It’s clear to me from the conversations I had over the last few months that Downing Street has walked away from the people that we are seen to represent.

“There needs to be fundamental change, not simply in the policies and the politics but also in the personnel, and I hope that my words are heard across in London.”

He hoped that the election result would not be dismissed by Labour chiefs as “mid-term blues” or a “protest vote.”

Mr Davies recalled conversations with electors who had voted Labour for decades but decided to support other parties this time around, as they felt “let down” by the Labour governments.

Mr Davies said that he was told: “you’ve done a great job, but I can’t support you this time.”

Mr Davies continued: “It’s important that if Welsh Labour is serious about turning a corner it needs to recognise that its own organisation has been part of the problem in this campaign.

“We cannot simply have a reset – we need to look hard at what we are and what we seek to do.”

“Welsh Labour needs to stand up for Wales whoever is in Downing Street or we are nothing.

“Welsh Labour must rediscover what Welsh Labour was born to be and to do.”

Mr Davies who was born in Tredegar and attended Tredegar Comprehensive school was first elected as a regional list Assembly Member(AM) for Mid and West Wales in 2007.

In 2011 he was elected as the AM and subsequently Senedd Member for Blaenau Gwent.