New General Secretary of Welsh Labour vows to ‘take power away from the Tories’
The new General Secretary of Welsh Labour has vowed to “take power away from the Tories”.
Jo McIntyre, who has recently been appointed to the top job, and will take up post at the end of January 2022, says she wants to give power “back to people and communities across Wales”.
The experienced organiser who has worked on a number of elections, began her organising career in the west of Wales, as well as in seats across the south, and later supported local government elections across London.
Since 2018, she has led on UK Labour elections strategy across the UK, including working with Welsh Labour colleagues for the 2021 Senedd and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
Incoming Welsh Labour General Secretary Jo McIntyre said: “I’m honoured to be appointed General Secretary of Welsh Labour.
“We have a big set of local government elections coming up, and I’m determined to make sure that voters know that Welsh Labour is the party that works for them, and works for Wales.
“There’s a lot of hard work ahead of us, but with the support of Welsh Labour voters, members, and activists we will take power away from the Tories and give it back to people and communities across Wales. I can’t wait to get started.”
‘Mountain to climb’
Deputy Leader of Welsh Labour Carolyn Harris said: “We’ve got a mountain to climb ahead of the next general election, and I’m glad we will have a tried and tested campaigner at the helm of Welsh Labour.
“I look forward to working with Jo again as we build the case across Wales for a UK Labour Government to work hand-in-hand with our Welsh Labour Government.
“So many people are suffering because of the Tories incompetence and carelessness. We’re serious about getting rid of them, and Jo is the fighter to help us do it.”
Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “I am delighted Jo is returning to Welsh Labour, bringing a wealth of experience and passion with her.
“She will play a key role in ensuring Welsh Labour values remain Wales’ values and we maintain the hard-won trust of people in Wales.
“As General Secretary, she will lead a fantastic team of campaigners who work every day to bring about positive change in our communities, and in peoples’ lives.
“Together, we will build on our Senedd election success, to campaign vigorously for Welsh Labour in May’s local government elections, and prepare the ground to remove the Tories from power at the next UK General Election.”
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Great optimism if your middle Left. If your far left then dream on.
Here is an easier way of taking power back from the tories, INDEPENDENCE!! They are part of the English establishment along with English Labour.
You still have to a Government in Westminster to negotiate that with accept Welsh Independence. Therefore you need a non-Tory UK Government.
Only an electoral mandate required. Could theoretically secure that at the next GE if one party stood on a single policy.
Plans on winning constituencies in the Tory heartlands does she. I mean Labour have lost so many Red wall seats in the North of England they have to. Either that or accept reality and form an alliance of the progressive left. Of course, Labour will NEVER do that because they’re too arrogant to.
The report says that …”Since 2018, she has led on UK Labour elections strategy across the UK,….” That means that her fingerprints can be found on Labour’s resounding late 2019 success when they lost a chunk of seats they hadn’t lost previously in decades. Some track record that.
Still she’s got nothing to worry about here. Labour have softened Plaid’s critical stance and will only deliver on whatever is Labour’s priorities with a few scraps here and there to keep Plaid sweet. Drakeford’s not so dull, this woman could learn a lot by watching him closely.
Establish a Welsh State then. Labour – Schrödinger’s party. Simultaneously wishing to be free of the Tory party whilst keeping Wales in the Tory State.
The only way to free Wales from the Tory UK regime IS to free Wales from the Tory UK. The UK is very unlikely to agree to any sort of federal system acceptable to the Welsh people. You can see that the Tories even refused to implement an fully elected House of Lords. If you trust them, they will treat you the same way as they did Nick Clegg. There are too many things wrong with UK. Just start afresh with a new independent Wales – a republic, perhaps regional assemblies within Wales to be represented in a 2nd chamber… Read more »
I think she is being over optimistic if she thinks they can take away power from the Tory’s. Labour has never had a majority in England, only gaining power with the combined votes of England Scotland and Wales, and Scotland is now lost to Labour. Englad has voted Tory in the past and will in the future. For us, a unionist Labour party trying to get a federal UK is not an option, as the English establishment will never go for it. We are left with only one option, Indy.
Since 1885 different incarnations of the Labour party have won the Westminster seat(s) of the Rhondda Valleys. For much of the last 136 years the Rhondda Valleys have languished at the bottom or near the bottom of every economic, social and health indicator. Yet still the Labour party seek to be elected with a promise to ‘take power away from the tories.’
The only guaranteed method of ‘taking power away from the tories’ is independence from Westminster. Any other approach (eg federalism) is naive and would merely prolong tory control in Wales.