Welsh Labour group welcomes Starmer resignation and calls for devolution push

Nation.Cymru staff

A Welsh Labour grassroots organisation has welcomed the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer and called on his successor to deliver sweeping constitutional reforms, including devolving justice, policing and rail infrastructure to Wales.

Welsh Labour Grassroots (WLG), a coalition of left and centre-left Labour members, said the departure of the Prime Minister and Labour leader should mark a “clean break” from his leadership and an opportunity to move the party in a “more democratic socialist direction”.

The intervention comes days after the group congratulated Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham on his victory in the Makerfield by-election, describing the result as evidence that Labour could defeat the right by uniting around “an agenda of hope”.

In a statement issued following Sir Keir’s resignation, WLG said his leadership had begun and ended with “duplicity”.

The group accused him of abandoning the 10 pledges he made during the Labour leadership contest.

The statement said: “Starmer’s reign as leader started and ended with duplicity. First with his 10 pledges for leader, based on the policies of Jeremy Corbyn, which he quickly ditched after winning.

“Then with the lie that he inherited a party both morally and financially bankrupt.”

The organisation also criticised Sir Keir’s handling of Labour’s internal politics, his acceptance of gifts and his stance on the war in Gaza.

It said: “No-one on the left of the Labour Party should take lectures on morality from someone who appointed Lord Mandelson to high office, took endless freebies from a millionaire, parachuted cronies into safe seats, including two in Wales, endorsed human rights abuses being livestreamed to the world, and who expelled members speaking out against the genocide in Gaza.”

WLG said Labour must now hold a fully contested leadership election and and welcomed Andy Burnham as a potential candidate.

In a statement released after the Makerfield result, WLG said it agreed with Mr Burnham’s calls for constitutional reform and a rewiring of the British state.

It argued that Wales should receive powers over justice, policing, rail infrastructure and the Crown Estate, while also securing parity with Scotland’s devolution settlement.

The group also reiterated calls for the abolition of the House of Lords and its replacement with a senate representing the nations and regions of the UK.

Warning that Labour faces electoral threats from both left and right, WLG said recent polling suggested Wales could be left without any Labour MPs for the first time since 1900 if the party failed to change direction.

The statement added: “It’s vital that the next UK Labour leadership makes a clean break from the current one and moves in a more democratic socialist direction. If it doesn’t, the prospect of a Reform UK government looms large. A government that will be no friend to Wales.”

Devolution

Looking ahead to the leadership contest, WLG said it would continue pressing Labour’s next leader to support further Welsh devolution.

The group also renewed its criticism of Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, arguing she should be replaced by someone more supportive of transferring additional powers to Wales.

A spokesperson said Wales needed “a clean slate” and called for the appointment of a Secretary of State who believed in advancing Welsh devolution rather than, in its words, treating Wales “as an English colony”.

Welsh Labour Grassroots describes itself as a coalition of left and centre-left activists within Welsh Labour, including Senedd Members, councillors, trade unionists and constituency party activists. The organisation says it campaigns for socialist policies and greater internal party democracy.