Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Labour Senedd member slams ‘Anglocentric’ reporting of election win

10 May 2021 2 minute read
Mick Antoniw. Picture by the National Assembly (CC BY 2.0)

A Labour Senedd member has slammed the “Anglocentric” reporting of the party’s election win.

Mick Antoniw, the MS for Pontypridd, hit out at the British media for its portrayal of “Welsh Labour was achieving its most successful results ever in the Senedd elections”, where it won 30 out of 60 seats.

Antoniw rejected suggestions in the London-based press that his party had “hung on” in an article in Tribune.

He also described the party’s defeat in the Hartlepool byelection as a “car crash” and criticised UK Labour for offering “barely a congratulatory remark” for its election victory.

Mick Antoniw said: “While the media were busy reporting on the imminent car crash of a Labour campaign in the Hartlepool by-election, Welsh Labour was achieving its most successful results ever in the Senedd elections.

“When they did come to report the results, it was the usual Anglocentric, London view of events in Wales: how Welsh Labour had hung on, how the Tory onslaught failed to make a dent, how Welsh Labour failed to secure an overall majority.

“Even at UK Labour level there was barely a congratulatory remark to recognise what is the best result Welsh Labour has ever achieved in 22 years of devolution.

“Like the Scottish Parliament, the electoral system in Wales makes it virtually impossible for any one party to achieve a majority.

“For Welsh Labour to increase the number of seats from 29 to 30 might not seem much, but in electoral terms in Wales, in the current post-Brexit political climate, it was spectacular: a resounding victory for First Minister Mark Drakeford and Welsh Labour.”


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
7 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
David Smith
David Smith
3 years ago

Very well articulated, Mick

Morris Dean
Morris Dean
3 years ago
Reply to  David Smith

Which makes it all the more puzzling why Labour in Wales consistently opposes devolution of media

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
3 years ago

I’m surprised that you’re surprised.
The London based media doesn’t know that anywhere else exists, that has always been the case and sadly likely to remain so.
This also applies to the Labour party. Totally oblivious to the differences here in Wales, Diane Abbott has been hailing the success of “our” party. ..

Linda Balfe
Linda Balfe
3 years ago

Completely agree with everything you’ve said.

stuart stanton
stuart stanton
3 years ago

Yes, certainly was. Watching from here in Leeds I saw, dismissive, patronising and downright untrue BBC reporting. Nowhere was there mention of Welsh Labour reconnecting with the hidden soul of the Valleys and beyond

Aled Griffiths
Aled Griffiths
3 years ago

I agree, but their coverage of the spectacular victory of the SNP is even more distorted.To suggest ,and to keep repeating, that Nicola Sturgeon ‘failure to achieve an outright majority is disingenuous..I am beginning to think that we need to organise a BBC fee strike.

Alun Llewelyn
Alun Llewelyn
3 years ago

And what conclusion does the new Counsel General of Wales reach from this?

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.