Labour struggles to hold onto power in Welsh Assembly

Last updated at 17:42 04 May 2007


Wales first minister Rhodri Morgan will today begin examining how to stay in power after a mixed night for Labour in the Welsh assembly elections.

Although a few results are still to be declared, election results showed gains for the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru - which could significantly change the make-up of the 60-seat National Assembly.

Labour has 26 seats so far and is still the largest party.

But it is short of the overall majority Mr Morgan sought in his last election before his planned retirement in 2009.

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Rhodri Morgan

Plaid Cymru has 13 seats and the Conservatives, 11.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats said it was "clear that the people of Wales have decided that no one party should command a majority in the assembly".

Shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan MP said the results marked a "fundamental shift in support" for the Welsh Conservatives.

"People can see that we are working together at all levels of government in the best interest of Wales," she told the BBC.

"Never have we been so united or so optimistic about the future."

Mr Morgan - who had said he would "know in my bones" whether he should resign if voters desert his party has decided not to.

He said the result had "proved the doom-mongers wrong".

Speaking after keeping his Cardiff West constituency - the last time he will face the electorate - Mr Morgan said: "I feel very upbeat about the situation of Welsh Labour and our relationship with the people."

The Tories, in their first election under David Cameron, went from one to five first-past-the-post seats, taking crucial constituencies such as Clwyd West and Cardiff North from Labour.

Labour failed to defend Aberconwy or the ultra-marginal Llanelli from Plaid, who were on 11 seats to the Conservatives' nine, with top-up results still not in from two regions - south Wales west and south Wales central.

The Liberal Democrats, who went in with six seats, were on five and were confident of picking up more.

Independent Trish Law kept the former Labour stronghold of Blaenau Gwent.

Labour can take comfort from the fact it took Wrexham, in north Wales, back from Independent John Marek.

And the Assembly got its first ethnic minority member in the form of Plaid's Mohammad Ashgar.

Negotiations about who will govern the Assembly will now get under way. Labour could revive the Lib-Lab Cabinet that existed from 2000 to 2003.

Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones, who retained his Ynys Mon seat, described the result as "excellent news".

He said if Labour did not end up with a clear majority, then all parties had to work together to form the next Assembly Government.

He added that he would not work under a Tory-first minister or prop a minority Labour one, but added that "if an agreement can be reached, I'm ready to speak".

The Lib Dems' Assembly leader Mike German said: "We need stability around a programme. I'm prepared to sit down with others and discuss a programme, but it will take some time for the dust to settle.

"Clearly over the coming days party leaders are going to have to sit down and discuss what will emerge in Wales as to forming a stable government."

After most results were declared, Labour was on about 32% of the vote, Conservative 20% and Lib Dem 16%.

Labour's vote was down 8.5%, while Plaid and Tories were up between 1% and 2%.

Lib Dems were up about 1%.

Turnout was about 43% - up from 38% four years ago.

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