“One of the keys to Welsh Labour’s continued success is its combination of boldness and Welshness. From the very start of devolution, Welsh Labour decided to tread its own path.”
By Jack Sargeant MS
I am writing this column the day after a very successful Welsh Labour conference, the highlight of which was an extraordinary speech from Welsh Labour leader and First Minister Mark Drakeford. Mark spoke of his moral purpose at a time of intense grief for himself and of how the older he gets the more radical he becomes.
Mark is an incredibly popular politician who has shown how his bold politics can defy negative polling and deliver victory. One of the keys to Welsh Labour’s continued success is its combination of boldness and Welshness. From the very start of devolution, Welsh Labour decided to tread its own path. Figures like the late Rhodri Morgan, Jane Hutt and Mark Drakeford championed this approach and it has made Welsh Labour the most successful electoral force anywhere in the UK. Look back at the last Senedd elections and you will see this in action. On a day that saw Labour elsewhere lose seats that were once considered safe, Welsh Labour won its biggest ever victory in over 20 years of Senedd elections.
As we look to the next chapter in the devolution journey the best way to deliver continued success whilst making the case for the United Kingdom is to continue with this bold Welsh approach. That is why I was so pleased conference overwhelmingly supported a motion to further devolve the party rulebook to Welsh Labour. I have been working with Welsh CLP’s and affiliates to get the motion to conference and spoke in favour of the motion.
What was really striking was the nature of the results, the party in Wales is united behind these changes and has spoken very clearly. I am confident that UK Labour, the party that has a fantastic track record on devolution and continues to promote the benefits, will respond positively.
For me the best way to approach the matter of devolving control to Welsh Labour is to mirror the devolution settlement and take a reserved matters approach. Everything is devolved apart from a small number of defined competencies that remain in the centre. This is an approach we understand and one that preserves our uniqueness.
Labour only delivers when it wins, and we have seen the struggles of the party elsewhere in the UK when it has been framed as just a branch of the UK party. Welsh Labour is about winning and delivering for our communities and that is what conference was all about. The next step is to get UK conference to support these changes. It is vitally important that the UK Party continues to recognise that decisions about Welsh Labour should be made by Welsh Labour.
- Jack Sargeant is a member of the Senedd representing Alyn and Deeside and a regular contributor for Labour Outlook. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- If you support Labour Outlook’s work amplifying the voices of left movements and struggles in the UK and internationally, please consider becoming a supporter on Patreon.
