Senedd election sees political landscape transformed in Swansea

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

Plaid Cymru won three out of six Senedd seats in Gwyr Abertawe in an election in which Labour trailed a distant third behind the Party of Wales and Reform UK.

On the day naturalist Sir David Attenborough turned 100 different political forces stirred in the constituency undergrowth and sprang to life in Swansea and throughout Wales.

The dominant political species had been stalked for months and was almost ousted entirely by rivals whose calls had been heard far and wide across the landscape.

It was more revolution than evolution as the traditional political order crumbled.

The six winning candidates were Dr Gwyn Williams, Dr Safa Elhassan and John Davies (all Plaid), Francesca O’Brien and Steven Rodaway (both Reform UK) and Mike Hedges (Labour).

“I’m very grateful indeed to the good people of Swansea – the city where I live, the city where I work – for giving us, Plaid Cymru, the opportunity to better the futures of the people of Swansea and the people of Wales,” said Dr Williams, a consultant ophthalmologist at Singleton Hospital. “I’m humbled by the fact that we won three seats.”

Ms O’Brien, who will give up her role as a Mumbles councillor, said: “It’s a huge result for us here today in Gower and Swansea and I really look forward to serving everyone in this constituency.”

Dr Elhassan – also a consultant ophthalmologist – thanked voters, adding: “We have a huge amount of work to do and we want to get through that work and achieve success in Wales. And I believe Plaid Cymru can and will do this. We will work hard to achieve what we pledged in our manifesto.”

Mr Hedges said he was both relieved and disappointed after a day in which many of his colleagues in Wales had been rejected by voters. “I’m really disappointed for some of the people standing in Swansea and Gower including councillor Rob Stewart and Rebecca Fogarty who worked really hard, and they both deserved to win,” he said.

Mr Rodaway praised everyone who’d voted no matter for who. “Thank you very much for voting for change and getting us in the Senedd so we can get there and work with humility to try to make a difference,” he said.

Mr Davies said he was “the proudest Welshman there could be” but that he has also been “ashamed to be Welsh too because we have accepted second best for so many years”.

That, he felt, would change. “We will be looking forward to creating a new Wales, a new vision, and restructuring the economy to make that future (better) for our young people, and I’m looking forward to being part of it,” he said.

It was another disappointing episode for Cllr Stewart who many people had expected to get the Labour nomination for Swansea West in the 2024 general election before Torsten Bell was chosen.

His profile is certainly high in Swansea after serving as council leader for over a decade.

“Obviously, this is not the result we worked for,” said Cllr Stewart, who was second on Labour’s list for Gwyr Abertawe. “Nationally, it has been a really difficult night for Welsh Labour and UK Labour.

“I’m proud of what the Labour Welsh Governments have delivered for Wales over many years.

“Here in Swansea, my work continues and will increase in pace. The work Swansea Labour has been doing resonated with voters on the door, and clearly we will be standing on our record of delivery at next year’s elections.”

The turnout was 50.8% in Gwyr Abertawe and the results were:

Winning candidates: Dr Gwyn Williams, Dr Safa Elhassan and John Davies (all Plaid), Francesca O’Brien and Steven Rodaway (both Reform UK) and Mike Hedges (Labour).

Plaid Cymru 25,076 votes

Reform UK: 21,641

Labour: 11,195

Conservatives: 7,523

Green Party: 6,383

Liberal Democrats: 6,262

Heritage Party: 227

Trade Union and Socialist Coalition: 119

Katon Bouzalakos (Independent): 111

Dan Brown (Independent): 104

Emma McNamara (Independent): 81