If Andy Burnham and Rhun ap Iorwerth establish a positive relationship that works for Wales, Reform UK will be irrelevant

Martin Shipton

In the two weeks since Andy Burnham was installed as their leader, the mood of Labour Party members I know in Wales has transformed from depressive resignation to a sense of hope.

The party’s spectacular victory in the Greater Manchester Mayoral by-election has seen positivity nudge towards euphoria.

Looking at the breakdown of votes cast in what is being touted as the biggest UK by-election of all time, it’s easy to understand the feeling. In the May council elections, Reform won 31% of the vote in Manchester against 24% for Labour. On Thursday the share of votes was transformed, with Labour winning 47% against just 21% for Reform.

While part of the change can doubtless be attributed to the burgeoning scandal of donations to Reform and Nigel Farage himself, there is no doubt that Burnham’s personal popularity was the bigger factor.

Jeff Jones is a former Labour leader of Bridgend council who has been around for a long time. Although late to the table, he is an ardent contributor to X, where he has developed a reputation as a knowledgeable but curmudgeonly commentator.

Readers could be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that he specialises in accentuating the negative rather than the positive as he observes the political scene in Wales, the UK and internationally.

But in the brief period since Burnham took over, he has made what could almost be described as a born-again-style conversion to the merits of the new Prime Minister.

He told me: “For the first time in many years, he is a politician who gives me hope.”

Jones has been impressed by what he sees as Burnham’s two important qualities: his perceived determination to change things for the better – or put more simply, to get things done – and his ability to get that message across to the public.

“I didn’t vote for him when he stood for the party leadership in 2010 and 2015,” Jones told me. “On those occasions he didn’t impress me. But it’s clear to me that he has learnt a lot during his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, and that he now has something impressive to offer.

“He wants to change things for the better and he’s prepared to listen to what people have to say.”

Jones cites Burnham’s plan to deal with the problem of what are inelegantly referred to as “NEETs” – young people who are not in employment, education or training. It will involve giving teenagers a taste of vocational training in technical subjects from the age of 14.

“It’s not going to be easy, and Burnham may have to overcome resistance from the Civil Service to ensure change takes place, but I think he’s determined to get things done,” said Jones. “Most ministers unfortunately go along with the status quo. They don’t have any ideological motivation, and let things drift on. We need dynamic leadership and I think we’re going to get it from Burnham.”

In the devolved landscape that we in Wales inhabit, it’s easy to see how a strong UK leader who wants things done in a certain way could find himself at odds with the Welsh Government.

But Jones is all in favour of a Metro Mayor for Cardiff and South East Wales , and another in North East Wales: “There needn’t be a clash about this. A Metro Mayor able to pull all the levers could do a power of good for the economy in both these regions. If we don’t get one in South-East Wales, we’ll be leaving the field free for Bristol and South West England. Likewise in the North East of Wales, where it’s natural to have partnerships with the North West of England rather than Cardiff.”

This is the kind of approach that Plaid Cymru’s Welsh Government is likely to have to contend with. Looked at cynically, it could be seen as a variation on muscular unionism dressed up in devolutionary sheep’s clothing.

Perhaps the right response is for the Welsh Government to do things itself that change the lives of ordinary people for the better. There are plenty of issues to get stuck into.

NEETs

When I asked the Welsh Government how it was responding to Burnham’s NEETs initiative, a spokesperson told me: “From September 2027, 14 to 16-year-olds in Wales will be able to take the new-style VCSE qualifications in a range of work-related subjects through a practical approach to learning and assessment.

“Additionally Junior Apprenticeships offer pupils who might otherwise be at risk of disengaging from education, work-related education with work experience built in.”

The spokesperson added a note: “In Wales, all learners aged 14 to 16 are entitled to support in considering and planning their post-16 pathway. Schools should offer broad and balanced choices that reflect the needs and contexts of their learners. This should include general, vocational and skills-based qualifications at all appropriate qualification levels.”

Clearly the Welsh Government has a strategy of its own regarding the issue that predates Burnham’s announcement. But there’s no reason why that should be seen as a cause for conflict.

‘Practicable’

Jeff Jones has little time for Plaid Cymru, and seeks to contrast their start in government with that of Burnham: “It’s the same old slogans about the billions owed because of HS2, the Crown Estate and so on. Most of their announcements about their first 100 days amounted to setting up committees or commissioning reports. That didn’t convince me they had a real plan for government. Instead, they should be concentrating on things that are practicable and achievable,” he said.

Despite what Jeff Jones says, it’s right that the Welsh Government should be demanding fair funding for Wales and not drawing a line under past and present injustices when they haven’t been rectified. But he is right to say that governments should be seen to be doing things of benefit to their citizens.

Let’s hope that Andy Burnham and Rhun ap Iorwerth can establish a positive and collaborative relationship that works for Wales. If they succeed in doing so, the discordant noises from Reform UK will be rejected by more and more people.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.