Overview
- Labour fell to nine Members of the Senedd in its worst result in Wales, with party leader Eluned Morgan losing her seat.
- The defeat followed months of leadership turmoil after First Minister Vaughan Gething quit over a £200,000 campaign donation scandal.
- Links to UK Labour under Keir Starmer, plus rebuffed Welsh bids for more funding and devolved powers, fueled a sense that Westminster ignored Wales.
- Voters moved into the space Labour left, with Plaid Cymru drawing progressive supporters and Reform UK gaining on the right.
- Commentators say the collapse reflects years of stalled progress, as promises on health, housing, education, and the economy failed to produce clear gains.