Wales' First Minister has said that Welsh Labour are the most successful political party in the democratic world. Speaking ahead of an event to mark the 100 years of Wales being the largest party in Wales, Mark Drakeford said that the reason for the party's electoral success is that they "don't take the Welsh public for granted. November 15 will mark a century of Labour being the largest party in every Westminster, European and Senedd election.
Speaking about the event, Mr Drakeford said: "Labour has much to celebrate by being the most successful political party in Wales and indeed in the democratic world. Even when the Party had difficult times across the UK, in Wales, support remained solid especially at the local government level.
"A part of the reason for that success is because we have never been complacent, and we do not take the Welsh public for granted. Our politicians are rooted in our communities and we retain a strong link with our trade unions which gives us a real sense of what the public wants. Our work is never complete and we will continue to fight for social justice at every opportunity adapting to the demands of a changing society."
Read more: Met Office issues rain warning as temperatures drop
The First Minister recently clashed in the Senedd with leader of the opposition Andrew RT Davies. Mr Davies was challenging Mr Drakeford on the sky high NHS waiting lists in Wales. The video went viral and you can view it here.
To mark the 100 years since Labour became the largest party, an event will be held in Cardiff Bay involving music and speeches by key Welsh Labour figures at the Norwegian Church. The National Library for Wales in association with Mr Drakeford and Eluned Morgan will present a lunchtime lecture setting out the Labour story by Sir Deian Hopkin at the Pierhead reflecting on the journey from 1922 to 2022.
Marking the centenary, Labour leader Keir Starmer paid tribute to a “remarkable and unparalleled achievement". He told the Mirror: “Labour’s success in Wales reflects two things: first, the role of Wales in our party’s history. Welsh trade unionists were instrumental in the founding of our party, and it was a UK Labour government that created the now Senedd.”
“Devolving power to the Welsh people was about respecting the Welsh way of life and recognised that Welsh people are best placed to make decisions for their nation; this respect is held as firmly by the UK party today as it was then.
“And second, earning continued public trust is possible when we have and are guided by a firm set of values and principles. Labour’s record in Wales is an inspiration to our whole movement - but it’s more than electoral success. Successive Welsh Labour governments since 1999 have been able to put those values into practice to deliver for the Welsh people.”
You can get more politics news straight to your inbox by subscribing to our Wales Matters newsletter here.
Read more:
- Why is Wales missing out on the UK's biggest-ever rail infrastructure spending spree?
- Welsh Labour MP says the party would consider introducing ID cards
- Plaid Cymru Senedd member suspended following 'alleged breach of code of conduct'
- The strange world of former climate change denier, devolution and same-sex marriage opponent David Davies
- What we learned from the Plaid Cymru party conference
