Labour Senedd member slams ‘Anglocentric’ reporting of election win
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.”
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Very well articulated, Mick
Which makes it all the more puzzling why Labour in Wales consistently opposes devolution of media
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. ..
Completely agree with everything you’ve said.
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
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.
And what conclusion does the new Counsel General of Wales reach from this?