Labour admits defeat in Wales and Scotland

{"text":[[{"start":8.05,"text":"Labour has admitted defeat in Wales and Scotland, marking the end of more than a century’s dominance in the former and leaving pro-independence parties in dominant positions in both nations."}],[{"start":20,"text":"Sir Keir Starmer’s party conceded in the early afternoon on Friday, with leftwing nationalist Plaid Cymru set to govern at the Senedd in Cardiff and the Scottish National Party set to extend its 19-year rule at Holyrood in Edinburgh."}],[{"start":34.25,"text":"Labour’s collapse in Wales included its leader and first minister Baroness Eluned Morgan losing her seat and signalled the end of what experts called the longest winning streak in the democratic world. "}],[{"start":46.25,"text":"The party has been the biggest at every Senedd vote since devolution in 1999, and taken the most seats in Wales at UK-wide elections for more than a century."}],[{"start":55.95,"text":"But even before any of the 96 seats in the newly expanded parliament in Cardiff reported results, Labour said it was expecting to win about 10, down from half of the 60 seats in 2021. "}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":68.95,"text":"After winning his seat in Bangor Conwy Môn, Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said voters had “demanded” a “change of leadership”. Morgan, who under electoral system changes had needed only a fraction of the vote to win her seat, said her party had been “rejected”. "}],[{"start":86.85,"text":"Professor Richard Wyn Jones, director of Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre, said the results of the devolved elections were “existential” for Welsh Labour."}],[{"start":97.44999999999999,"text":"With almost all results declared, Plaid was confirmed as the largest party but fell short of an outright majority, leaving it to form a coalition with smaller parties."}],[{"start":108.79999999999998,"text":"Unlike in 2021, when it called for an independence referendum, this year the Welsh party campaigned on a softer platform of lobbying Westminster for more devolved powers plus flagship policies on council tax, business rates and childcare."}],[{"start":124.84999999999998,"text":"Experts said this was a tactic modelled on one adopted by the SNP in 2007: proving governability before seeking a vote on splitting from the UK in a second term."}],[{"start":135.84999999999997,"text":"In Scotland, first minister and SNP leader John Swinney early on Friday evening said the results showed an “emphatic victory” for his party. "}],[{"start":145.29999999999995,"text":"Swinney, who took over from Humza Yousaf two years ago, has stabilised the SNP’s fortunes and prioritised bread-and-butter issues since its resounding defeat to Labour north of the border in the 2024 general election."}],[{"start":159.14999999999995,"text":"The veteran politician, who failed in his past four attempts to lead the SNP to victory in a national campaign, has yet to discover whether his pre-election target of a majority of MSPs at Holyrood will be met. "}],[{"start":171.79999999999995,"text":"Securing a majority — as the SNP managed in 2011 ahead of the 2014 referendum — would act as a mandate for another vote on independence, he said. The BBC later on Friday forecast that the party would win between 60 and 63 seats, falling short of the 65 needed for a majority."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":192.19999999999996,"text":"After only seven results were announced, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar all but conceded defeat, with party insiders describing its performance across the central belt as “terrible”."}],[{"start":204.19999999999996,"text":"“We made the argument for change but ultimately it’s an argument we lost,” Sarwar said in Glasgow, adding that he “stood by” his February call for Starmer to resign as UK prime minister."}],[{"start":215.94999999999996,"text":"One senior Labour figure said: “SNP support is down across the country, but the addition of Reform has splintered the anti-SNP vote. Anas was clear that if you wanted the SNP out, then you had to coalesce around one party, but that hasn’t happened.”"}],[{"start":232.19999999999996,"text":"James Mitchell of Edinburgh university said a Swinney minority administration would require majority building on a vote-by-vote basis."}],[{"start":240.89999999999995,"text":"“With a fragmented opposition, Swinney has choices but they will come at a cost,” he said. “His biggest challenge is that the state of the public finances . . . will make this a fraught process.”"}],[{"start":256.79999999999995,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1778297572_7897.mp3"}