MP urges UK party to adopt Welsh Labour’s policy agenda after election success

Labour MP Beth Winter has credited Welsh Labour’s success in the local elections earlier this month to the party’s progressive platform and has called on the UK party to follow its example.

The Cynon Valley MP also paid tribute to First Minister Mark Drakeford, who she described as “ the UK’s most popular politician.

Welsh Labour outperformed the party elsewhere in the UK, gaining 66 councillors as it took control of Blaenau Gwent and Bridgend councils, whilst the Tories lost their only council in Wales and a total of 86 councillors.

Overall, the Tories suffered a loss of more than 400 councillors in elections across England, Wales and Scotland and Boris Johnson’s party suffered major setbacks in London as it also lost control of key authorities including Wandsworth and Westminster, both seized after decades of Conservative control.

Victories in Wandsworth and especially Westminster were high points for Labour as was the success in Barnet, a borough.

But despite gaining control of seven more councils and accumulating 240 more councillors results were patchy elsewhere and included the loss of Hull to the Lib Dems and losing overall control of Hastings.

Drama

“Whatever the record of good Labour local authorities and the merits of local Labour manifestoes, they often struggle to cut through and engage voters, especially when competing with the drama of national political news,” the Cynon Valley MP wrote in an article for Labour List.

“The enduring goodwill towards the UK’s most popular politician Mark Drakeford and his progressive Welsh government has kept Labour’s vote strong.

“Following last year’s resounding Senedd success and with the progressive policies of the Welsh government still in mind, Welsh voters stuck with Labour to deliver the best local election result for the party in many years.

“When people ask what a Labour government would do differently to the Tories, the answer in Wales is easy – from free prescriptions to free school breakfasts to getting rid of PFI.

“The Welsh government will soon be delivering free school meals to all Welsh primary school pupils. The real living wage is now being delivered for care workers, and there will be a basic income pilot for care-leavers.”

Transformative

“Voters can see the benefits of voting Labour because of tangible policies like these, alongside a transformative vision including the establishment of public companies to deliver public services – such as energy and housing construction – and the recommitment to universal provision with plans including a national care service,” she added.

“That’s the record. That’s the clear red action that has led to clear red water between Labour’s results in Wales and its results in the rest of the UK.

“That’s the policy agenda that Labour needs to advocate with real conviction across the UK if it is to catch up with Welsh Labour’s results.”