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Tories lose all their seats in Wales, with Welsh secretary final to fall

05 Jul 2024 3 minute read
Former Welsh Secretary David TC Davies, at the Conservative Party Conference. Photo Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

The Tories have lost all their seats in Wales after Welsh Secretary David TC Davies suffered a defeat at the hands of Labour.

Plaid Cymru doubled its elected representatives in the Commons, with gains which ousted Conservative Chief Whip Simon Hart and Virginia Crosbie, who had been standing for re-election in Ynys Mon.

Mr Davies, the final Tory to fall, had been Monmouth MP since 2005 and Welsh secretary since October 2022.

Former ministers Alun Cairns, Stephen Crabb and Fay Jones also lost their seats, along with Rishi Sunak’s former parliamentary aide Craig Williams.

Betting scandal

Mr Williams, who lost in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, had been embroiled in the Westminster betting scandal after admitting earlier in the campaign that he had a “flutter” on the General Election date before it was called.

Labour’s Stephen Witherden, who succeeded Mr Williams, said he was “beyond humbled” to have been elected.

Mr Hart was not wearing the blue Conservative rosette when it was announced that he came third in the Caerfyrddin constituency, where Plaid Cymru’s Ann Davies won.

In total, Labour won 27 seats with Plaid Cymru on four, and the Liberal Democrats now have a Welsh seat after David Chadwick succeeded in Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe.

Plaid’s Llinos Medi succeeded in Ynys Mon with a majority of 637, taking 9,953 votes to Ms Crosbie’s 9,953 votes.

In an emotional speech following her election, Ms Medi said: “Someone said to me ‘Llinos, I’m so glad you want to be an MP’, I said ‘I don’t want to be an MP, I just want to represent Ynys Mon which I love so much’.”

She added: “Can I say to any young girl who doesn’t think she’s good enough, everything is possible if you go for it.”

The pro-independence party has had four candidates elected, with Liz Saville-Roberts retaining Dwyfor Meirionnydd and Ben Lake increasing his majority in Ceredigion Preseli.

Mid and South Pembrokeshire

Labour’s Henry Tufnell was elected in Mid and South Pembrokeshire where he defeated Mr Crabb, another former secretary of state for Wales. In the Vale of Glamorgan, Labour’s candidate Kanishka Narayan succeeded.

Labour’s winner in Swansea West, Torsten Bell, who is the chief executive of the Resolution Foundation think tank, previously received criticism for being “parachuted” in by the party.

Prior to the results, Mr Davies said he did not see himself back in Parliament, according to BBC Wales.

Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies said the Tories have “let a lot of people down” and taken voters for granted.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the member of Senedd said: “Let’s be frank: We’ve let a lot of people down.

“In Wales, the Welsh Conservatives have a solid record in our communities at all levels of government, from local government, to the Senedd, to Parliament.

“And we’re going to take the lead in rebuilding our party in the run up to 2026. Step one: Stop taking lifelong Conservative voters for granted.”


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Meg
Meg
4 months ago

Good. The Not The Tory party isn’t as bad, but is it any better really?
It’s like being served laver bread instead of dog poo.
Both are revolting but one won’t make you ill.
Still, the Tories wanted to eradicate my people entirely so I am enjoying a delicious schadenfreude that they have made themselves extinct in my homeland, even if they cling on to existence like particularly stubborn genital crabs across the border in Brexitland.
I mean! Cruella Braverman? What does she have to do to get kicked out? Personally DROWN an immigrant child in the Thames?

Last edited 4 months ago by Meg
Welsh Patriot
Welsh Patriot
4 months ago
Reply to  Meg

Nasty comments, do you not support democracy?

Meg
Meg
4 months ago
Reply to  Welsh Patriot

What’s nasty about the truth spoken passionately? I don’t support democracy. I think it’s a stage managed sham designed to give us proles the illusion of freedom. I take part only because there is nothing else and if we didn’t, they’d take even that from us too. What we actually have is a kleptocratic oligarchy. Even the populist politicians actually aren’t. They are not responding to the desires of the people. They are FEEDING ideologies to the people in a way they know the stupidest 30% will run with it. (EG Brexit, anti-immigration, anti-LGBT+). What came first? Everyone raging about… Read more »

John Ellis
John Ellis
4 months ago
Reply to  Meg

Nothing wrong with laverbread. OK, it looks revolting if you’ve never tried it before, but once I swallowed hard and tasted it, I found to my amazement that it was absolutely delicious.

Especially with bacon!

Meg
Meg
4 months ago
Reply to  John Ellis

It’s one of those acquired tastes. To me it tasted like Tenby harbour at low tide and left me with a horrible aftertaste for two days afterwards. Much like Labour under Kier Starmer

John Ellis
John Ellis
4 months ago
Reply to  Meg

Sort of like Marmite, I suppose? You either love it or loathe it when – if! – you first taste it. I first encountered it in my student days when I was staying in Cardiff with my then girlfriend’s family. I’d never even heard of it before, much less tried it. For me It recalled being a really little kid, at the age when you’re regularly introduced to new foods with novel flavours that you’ve never tasted before, some of which you like and some you don’t. As you get older you stop having that sort of experience, simply because… Read more »

Jeff
Jeff
4 months ago

Good. Most deposits lost since ever as well. This is where arrogance gets you. Labour now have to work at it or they face the same.
ARTD now upset I hear. He backed all the winners, Johnson, Truss, Sunak, maybe its time his party removes him and put a Conservative with vision in post, and not a Tory rubber stamp, before this is repeated on his watch in 2 years time (I mean, who is left to pull his strings now). 20mph tub thumping didn’t save their bacon.
(Truss out as well, wooo hoooo)

CapM
CapM
4 months ago
Reply to  Jeff

How long after 10pm yesterday did you realise that Labour was going to win a majority and you could stop worrying about the Tories getting back in?

Jeff
Jeff
4 months ago
Reply to  CapM

What has that got to do with the price of butter? Reform (the party that attracts racists) seemed to have skewed the numbers (and they make interesting reading). As with any vote, its not over till votes are counted. My takeaway, there was a lot of “don’t vote for them but don’t vote for them either”. At least farage will be measured now, I dont think he will get the ride he is planning. I expect Tory party to implode for a few years, braverman was already sharpening her back stabbing gear, she should have just done a truss (cleverly… Read more »

CapM
CapM
4 months ago
Reply to  Jeff

Regarding the “price of butter”

I assumed that you were the same Jeff who in the last few weeks has been issuing hyperbolic dire warnings that voting for Plaid Cymru would risk letting the Tories get back into government.

Johnny Gamble
Johnny Gamble
4 months ago
Reply to  Jeff

Just ignore him Jeff

Riki
Riki
4 months ago

So from ultra Tories to Tory lite – Wales will never change!

Llyn
Llyn
4 months ago
Reply to  Riki

So you’d see no difference the Tories winning 27 seats in Wales as Labour?

CapM
CapM
4 months ago
Reply to  Llyn

To be fair seven* of those Labour seats were actually won by the Parachute Party.
*at least, if you count historical Parachutees.

Johnny Gamble
Johnny Gamble
4 months ago
Reply to  Llyn

None at all

Rhufawn Jones
Rhufawn Jones
4 months ago

Da iawn. Gwynt teg ar ôl y ffernols.

Neilyn
Neilyn
4 months ago

A good(ish) day in Wales; Plaid solid in the West and the HS2 Englandandwales Tories vanquished. Good riddance Crosbie, Hart and Davies!!! Give my regards to the Earth’s core.

However, Starmer’s massive majority will in all likelihood see Wales’ needs and rights ignored thus perpetuating the Putinesque cycle of AngloUnionist hostility to our very nationhood. The next Senedd elections in 2026 will be so important.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
4 months ago

Rishi Sunak: The Destroyer of Welsh Tories…

A new God in the Hindu ferment…

Proud plus Karma brings a fall…

Frank
Frank
4 months ago

Fantastic coverage this morning on the state of politics in Cymru by S4C. I am being sarcastic!! S4C, a television channel that was hard-fought for, is showing cartoons!! The “broadcaster” is a total disgrace to it’s founders and to the people of Cymru.

Rob
Rob
4 months ago

I wonder how many of them will be standing for the Senedd come 2026? The very institution they tried to undermine or even want abolished.

Frank
Frank
4 months ago

Every person I speak to or overhear, say: “If Labour in Llanelli put in a chimp for election it would win”. If that feeling is so strong in the area how the heck does Labour win here most of the time? It’s a mystery!!

Llyn
Llyn
4 months ago
Reply to  Frank

So nothing wrong with your political convictions just blame the electors.

Frank
Frank
4 months ago
Reply to  Llyn

Speak sense man!!

Annibendod
Annibendod
4 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Llanelli has become a three way marginal. Plaid wasn’t too far away at all. Labour’s vote dropped. Tories collapsed and their vote went to reform.

Llyn
Llyn
4 months ago

Andrew RT Davies will try to blame all this on the UK situation. Remember he said nothing during Partygate and supported Liz Truss’ disastrous budget. The 2 most damaging events in the 14 year Tory gov. What benefits did his increasingly crazed social media campaign and right-wing populist leadership give the Tories during this election campaign?

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
4 months ago

I’ve just been looking at the comments section on Wales Online. I don’t normally bother with that cesspit of a ‘news’ website but it was worth it just to see all the Tory and Reform voters losing their sh1t! Firm believers in democracy one and all!

Llyn
Llyn
4 months ago
Reply to  Barry Pandy

I can only imagine. I bet there’s plenty of attacks on the people of Wales for being too stupid to know what’s good for them.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
4 months ago

Just like that…a rout down the A55…good riddance…

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
4 months ago

Yesterday was a double edged sword. Was happy to see the scummy Tories get their just deserts, although a vote for Keir Starmer & UK Labour was merely changing like for like. No change for Wales just more of the same. I was elated to see Rhun ap Iorwerth & Plaid win their target seats after the cynical boundary changes can only be a springboard to the upcoming Senedd elections. And in particular I was overjoyed to see that caustic Conservative David TC Davies and his treacherous Tories lose their seats meaning the wipeout of Tory MPs in Wales last… Read more »

Garycymru
Garycymru
4 months ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

I find a delicious irony in the fact that the reform voters are the ones who’ve allowed a Labour victory.
Much like they voted for Brexit to cut immigration, and multiplied it by 10.
Not so much shooting ones self in the foot, but more emptying a full magazine into ones head.

Ernie The Smallholder
Ernie The Smallholder
4 months ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

We have 2 years to organise to build Plaid Cymru membership and activism in South Wales from Llanelli to Newport, Welsh Labour lost votes in South Wales and in many valley seats Reform UK came 2nd. The irony is that Reform UK came 2nd in Port Talbot and that the main reason for the Port Talbot Steel works being rundown is due to the UK leaving the European Single Market. Brexit is the policies of UKIP/Brexit Party and Reform UK. Voting for a Brexit party such as Reform UK loses your jobs and wellbeing. It is shown that Labour is… Read more »

Brychan
Brychan
4 months ago

Holiday Home for Sale.

Location – Rhoscolyn, Ynys Mon.
Vendor – Former MP, Virginia Crosbie, Conservative.
Likes dogs, hates Plaid Cymru.
Reason for sale – Retuning to Essex.
Vacant possession.

Holiday home needed.

Location – Tenby, South Pembrokeshire.
Purchaser – New MP, Henry Tuffnell, just arrived.
Likes Essex and family baronets.
Reason for moving – Parachute.
Just vacant.

Gareth
Gareth
4 months ago

I dont know whether to laugh or cry, having got rid of the Tory Dic Sion Dafydd’s including Cairns and TC Davies, who actively campaigned against Cardiff airport and our share of HS2 money, we are offered, as a replacement, the equally condescending attitude of Jo Stevens, her of ” No” you will not get your fair share. I only hope the Senedd election will get rid of the unionists and their colonial attitude toward us, untill then I hope there are some among our 27 Labour MP’S who will stand side by side with Plaid, and for a change,… Read more »

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