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Thread: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

  1. #1

    100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    This year marks the most astonishing achievement for a political party in western democracy: Labour’s undisturbed century-long reign over Wales.

    Not even the Conservatives, the natural party of government in England, or even tinpot dictators, can rival this feat of continuous dominance. Since November 1922, Labour in Wales have won the most seats at every general election, while devolution has ushered in twenty years of assured control over the levers of power in Cardiff Bay.
    Now seems like an apt moment to ask why.

    Some have instead decided to probe whether Labour’s long rule in Wales is deserved, understandably, but that is a non-starter: the electorate has already given the answer by voting in the party time and again to represent them.


    Welsh Labour, according to a recent Focaldata MRP poll, could again reach similar heights by winning all but three of Wales’ 40 constituencies if a general election were held imminently.

    Meanwhile, in Cardiff Bay, Mark Drakeford is recognised as the most powerful politician of the devolved era – not just in terms of the powers at his disposal, but because of his popularity in the Labour movement and beyond – reaffirmed by another decisive victory in the Senedd election in May.

    That result was brushed away by opposition as an example of the power of incumbency, with some merit. There is no question that Welsh Labour are a well-oiled electoral machine with thousands of organised grassroots campaigners too, or that the movement’s traditions and history remains embedded across constituencies, particularly in former mining communities across south Wales.

    To boot, the party have been skilful pragmatists when under threat from nationalists, like in the 1950s and 60s; Labour politicians saw the danger of Plaid Cymru and adapted to the needs and desires of Welsh nationhood, notably affirming a progressive position on a Welsh Office with administrative powers.

    But an unbroken record of winning – not just seats, but more recently government – has often bred complacency. Though its electioneering remains unrivalled, and devolution was a strategic gift to solidify the party’s dominance in the Celtic nations,

    Labour’s rule has a shabby record in Wales: an NHS suffering from years of underperformance, education records at the bottom of the UK league table, and a stagnant economy that has led to an exodus of young people and reliant on cherry-picking inward investment successes. The party is now trying to reverse some of these failures.


    As it tries to do so, blaming successive Conservative governments in Westminster for funding cuts will continue. During the devolution era, this has been a constant and clever diversion tactic, trailed most enthusiastically by media outlets, at times of acute pressure over policy delivery. Of course, there are structural funding issues to address, yet it is obvious some decisions cannot be explained away – now and especially post-pandemic – by the Treasury purse.
    Take the recent Covid-19 regulations, the latest in a pandemic saga that has demonstrated the measured and composed nature of the First Minister; exaggerated, if not amplified, simply by holding a mirror up to Mark Drakeford in contrast to the haphazard leadership provided by Boris Johnson.

    As before, the new restrictions announced by the Welsh Labour Government on Boxing Day were strict and cautious, significantly impacting businesses and livelihoods, and were a clear break from the reckless ‘hope for the best’ approach adopted by Downing Street.

    Wales has, by-and-large, supported Labour in its management of the pandemic. Its communitarian strategy has been commended, though not without flaws, while Johnson remains hamstrung by the Tory backbenches and beset by accusations of corruption. While devolved government in the pandemic has proven that decisions are better made by leaders locally, there is growing disquiet at the easy ride Welsh Labour has in making the rules, an underappreciated explanation for the party’s dominance over politics.

    For example, scientific evidence from the Welsh Technical Advisory Cell and Wales' Chief Medical and Scientific Officers to justify curbs on hospitality and events such as Parkrun was not published as the government made its announcement before Christmas. Drakeford carried on regardless. This after the First Minister and his ministers spent months dismissing the prospect of a Welsh-only Covid inquiry, at the same time emphasising their position of authority when under pressure from Conservative politicians suspicious of devolution.

    It leads to a vicious cycle: as Tories attack Mark Drakeford and Welsh devolution more broadly, even sceptics of the First Minister’s policies rally around him and his party to defend its mandate to make the rules. It exposes, in short, that there is one national party in Wales, synonymous with power but cleverly aligned to the cause of the people it represents – despite a debatable record.

    The ease to which Welsh Labour can govern, particularly in the face of recent criticism, exposes the weakness of our democratic accountability and explains, in part, how the public have come to accept a wider culture of mediocrity across policy areas.

    The former First Minister, Carwyn Jones, said this week that the public are not “sheep” simply following a red rosette. But let’s assume they are. Remember, you can herd sheep in different directions. The problem is that opposition politicians are poor shepherds.

    Plaid Cymru are, at least, honest in being a political party focused on pushing policy rather than gaining power. The Conservatives, meanwhile, can only protest about devolution and amplify messages from Westminster in response to disagreement with Welsh Labour. They play the ball and the man ineffectually.

    Therefore, it should be little surprise that Welsh Labour – so pragmatic on constitutional questions, accustomed to weak opposition and comfortable sidestepping potentially damning scrutiny – remains in power after 100 years.
    Now, more than ever, the party is as dominant as it ever was: with a renewed mandate, influence over the wider Labour movement, and with a co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru that will radically mould Wales even more in its ideological vision, and confuse both opposition parties’ strategy.

    Then again, nationalists have one solution to ending a one party state: if you can’t beat Welsh Labour, join them.

  2. #2

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by life on mars View Post
    This year marks the most astonishing achievement for a political party in western democracy: Labour’s undisturbed century-long reign over Wales.

    Not even the Conservatives, the natural party of government in England, or even tinpot dictators, can rival this feat of continuous dominance. Since November 1922, Labour in Wales have won the most seats at every general election, while devolution has ushered in twenty years of assured control over the levers of power in Cardiff Bay.
    Now seems like an apt moment to ask why.

    Some have instead decided to probe whether Labour’s long rule in Wales is deserved, understandably, but that is a non-starter: the electorate has already given the answer by voting in the party time and again to represent them.


    Welsh Labour, according to a recent Focaldata MRP poll, could again reach similar heights by winning all but three of Wales’ 40 constituencies if a general election were held imminently.

    Meanwhile, in Cardiff Bay, Mark Drakeford is recognised as the most powerful politician of the devolved era – not just in terms of the powers at his disposal, but because of his popularity in the Labour movement and beyond – reaffirmed by another decisive victory in the Senedd election in May.

    That result was brushed away by opposition as an example of the power of incumbency, with some merit. There is no question that Welsh Labour are a well-oiled electoral machine with thousands of organised grassroots campaigners too, or that the movement’s traditions and history remains embedded across constituencies, particularly in former mining communities across south Wales.

    To boot, the party have been skilful pragmatists when under threat from nationalists, like in the 1950s and 60s; Labour politicians saw the danger of Plaid Cymru and adapted to the needs and desires of Welsh nationhood, notably affirming a progressive position on a Welsh Office with administrative powers.

    But an unbroken record of winning – not just seats, but more recently government – has often bred complacency. Though its electioneering remains unrivalled, and devolution was a strategic gift to solidify the party’s dominance in the Celtic nations,

    Labour’s rule has a shabby record in Wales: an NHS suffering from years of underperformance, education records at the bottom of the UK league table, and a stagnant economy that has led to an exodus of young people and reliant on cherry-picking inward investment successes. The party is now trying to reverse some of these failures.


    As it tries to do so, blaming successive Conservative governments in Westminster for funding cuts will continue. During the devolution era, this has been a constant and clever diversion tactic, trailed most enthusiastically by media outlets, at times of acute pressure over policy delivery. Of course, there are structural funding issues to address, yet it is obvious some decisions cannot be explained away – now and especially post-pandemic – by the Treasury purse.
    Take the recent Covid-19 regulations, the latest in a pandemic saga that has demonstrated the measured and composed nature of the First Minister; exaggerated, if not amplified, simply by holding a mirror up to Mark Drakeford in contrast to the haphazard leadership provided by Boris Johnson.

    As before, the new restrictions announced by the Welsh Labour Government on Boxing Day were strict and cautious, significantly impacting businesses and livelihoods, and were a clear break from the reckless ‘hope for the best’ approach adopted by Downing Street.

    Wales has, by-and-large, supported Labour in its management of the pandemic. Its communitarian strategy has been commended, though not without flaws, while Johnson remains hamstrung by the Tory backbenches and beset by accusations of corruption. While devolved government in the pandemic has proven that decisions are better made by leaders locally, there is growing disquiet at the easy ride Welsh Labour has in making the rules, an underappreciated explanation for the party’s dominance over politics.

    For example, scientific evidence from the Welsh Technical Advisory Cell and Wales' Chief Medical and Scientific Officers to justify curbs on hospitality and events such as Parkrun was not published as the government made its announcement before Christmas. Drakeford carried on regardless. This after the First Minister and his ministers spent months dismissing the prospect of a Welsh-only Covid inquiry, at the same time emphasising their position of authority when under pressure from Conservative politicians suspicious of devolution.

    It leads to a vicious cycle: as Tories attack Mark Drakeford and Welsh devolution more broadly, even sceptics of the First Minister’s policies rally around him and his party to defend its mandate to make the rules. It exposes, in short, that there is one national party in Wales, synonymous with power but cleverly aligned to the cause of the people it represents – despite a debatable record.

    The ease to which Welsh Labour can govern, particularly in the face of recent criticism, exposes the weakness of our democratic accountability and explains, in part, how the public have come to accept a wider culture of mediocrity across policy areas.

    The former First Minister, Carwyn Jones, said this week that the public are not “sheep” simply following a red rosette. But let’s assume they are. Remember, you can herd sheep in different directions. The problem is that opposition politicians are poor shepherds.

    Plaid Cymru are, at least, honest in being a political party focused on pushing policy rather than gaining power. The Conservatives, meanwhile, can only protest about devolution and amplify messages from Westminster in response to disagreement with Welsh Labour. They play the ball and the man ineffectually.

    Therefore, it should be little surprise that Welsh Labour – so pragmatic on constitutional questions, accustomed to weak opposition and comfortable sidestepping potentially damning scrutiny – remains in power after 100 years.
    Now, more than ever, the party is as dominant as it ever was: with a renewed mandate, influence over the wider Labour movement, and with a co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru that will radically mould Wales even more in its ideological vision, and confuse both opposition parties’ strategy.

    Then again, nationalists have one solution to ending a one party state: if you can’t beat Welsh Labour, join them.
    Source:
    https://www.thenational.wales/news/1...r-party-wales/

  3. #3

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Where is this from? Source? Why post it on the main board and not on The Politics board? I don't agree with cutting and pasting articles without attributing their source. You say it's an interesting read, at least post a link to the source material. Please.

  4. #4

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Politics board please.

  5. #5

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Citizen's Nephew View Post
    Where is this from? Source? Why post it on the main board and not on The Politics board? I don't agree with cutting and pasting articles without attributing their source. You say it's an interesting read, at least post a link to the source material. Please.
    I have written the same thing a number of times as LoM copies and pastes from other sources without making it clear that he has done so. Fortunately, there's a surefire way to identify material that he lifts from elsewhere: it is coherent.

  6. #6

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie View Post
    Fortunately, there's a surefire way to identify material that he lifts from elsewhere: it is coherent.
    Rather gives it away, doesn’t it.

  7. #7

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Interesting Read😂😂

    I give up after a few lines.

    Dont know why its on the football board.

  8. #8

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )


  9. #9

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Simple. Wales has never trusted the Tories in the last 100 years. Even in the last Senedd election, where at one point there was a prediction that the Tories would take over, the voting public decided that mustn't happen.

    Wales has never done particularly well out of the Conservatives, who continue to oppose the idea that people in Wales should decide what's best for people in Wales from within Wales. Support for devolution continues to grow, as does support for independence.

  10. #10

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    support for independence is growing, but still too small to effect the overall election picture.
    if any of the constituencies were in England instead of Wales I doubt that their tendency to vote labour or conservative would be much different. this is just a question of socio economic demographics rather than any blind following.

  11. #11

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Hilts View Post
    Interesting Read����

    I give up after a few lines.

    Dont know why its on the football board.
    Why not just not click on it? Let alone going to the effort of commenting twice

  12. #12

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Citizen's Nephew View Post
    Where is this from? Source? Why post it on the main board and not on The Politics board? I don't agree with cutting and pasting articles without attributing their source. You say it's an interesting read, at least post a link to the source material. Please.
    It's from The National

    In fairness to LOM I think the The National have a paywall

  13. #13

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Hilts View Post
    Politics board please.
    Definitely

  14. #14

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    He was on the pop again

  15. #15

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    https://www.thenational.wales/news/1...r-party-wales/

    it's an opinion piece, I don't know much about the author

  16. #16

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Wales relationship with the Labour Party really is quite extraordinary.

    Of course, prior to 1999 there wasn't a homogenous Welsh political institution for people to vote for, but even since then it's very rare in a global context for people to keep returning the same government.

    The norm in most successful economies and societies is periods of centre-left government followed by centre-right and repeat..

    Not so here.

  17. #17

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by JamesWales View Post
    Wales relationship with the Labour Party really is quite extraordinary.

    Of course, prior to 1999 there wasn't a homogenous Welsh political institution for people to vote for, but even since then it's very rare in a global context for people to keep returning the same government.

    The norm in most successful economies and societies is periods of centre-left government followed by centre-right and repeat..

    Not so here.
    there's a pretty obvious reason for that.
    most democracies will naturally fall into a system where there is at least a semblance of balance between left and right wing parties. that is because they are all competing to win and operating left or right the centre ground for any particular given country give the parties their best chance of success.

    in Wales we don't have a political system that operates in isolation. it is very intertwined with that of the rest of the UK.

    if we were independent then you would probably find that the tory party would shift considerably to the left in Wales to become competitive, based on the demographics of the Welsh population.
    they cannot do that as they would be going against the Westminster Tory party l, who do not want to lurch to the left, as they have a large right wing support base in England.
    this hamstrings the opposition in Wales, and means that labour will have a much easier ride here.

  18. #18

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Rjk View Post
    there's a pretty obvious reason for that.
    most democracies will naturally fall into a system where there is at least a semblance of balance between left and right wing parties. that is because they are all competing to win and operating left or right the centre ground for any particular given country give the parties their best chance of success.

    in Wales we don't have a political system that operates in isolation. it is very intertwined with that of the rest of the UK.

    if we were independent then you would probably find that the tory party would shift considerably to the left in Wales to become competitive, based on the demographics of the Welsh population.
    they cannot do that as they would be going against the Westminster Tory party l, who do not want to lurch to the left, as they have a large right wing support base in England.
    this hamstrings the opposition in Wales, and means that labour will have a much easier ride here.
    Plaid becoming arguably more socialist than Labour is proof of this.

  19. #19

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by City123 View Post
    It's from The National

    In fairness to LOM I think the The National have a paywall
    The link I posted works without a paywall.

  20. #20

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by JamesWales View Post
    Wales relationship with the Labour Party really is quite extraordinary.

    Of course, prior to 1999 there wasn't a homogenous Welsh political institution for people to vote for, but even since then it's very rare in a global context for people to keep returning the same government.

    The norm in most successful economies and societies is periods of centre-left government followed by centre-right and repeat..

    Not so here.
    Also that there’s only really been 1 Labour government in 50 years in the 70’s which ended in disaster by all accounts, My old man never forgot it. Of course I’m discounting the Bliar gov as everyone tells me he was a Tory anyway…..

  21. #21

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie View Post
    The link I posted works without a paywall.
    Well that's me proven wrong, I seem to recall a paywall but maybe that was for specific articles/if you go over a certain number

  22. #22

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Rjk View Post
    there's a pretty obvious reason for that.
    most democracies will naturally fall into a system where there is at least a semblance of balance between left and right wing parties. that is because they are all competing to win and operating left or right the centre ground for any particular given country give the parties their best chance of success.

    in Wales we don't have a political system that operates in isolation. it is very intertwined with that of the rest of the UK.

    if we were independent then you would probably find that the tory party would shift considerably to the left in Wales to become competitive, based on the demographics of the Welsh population.
    they cannot do that as they would be going against the Westminster Tory party l, who do not want to lurch to the left, as they have a large right wing support base in England.
    this hamstrings the opposition in Wales, and means that labour will have a much easier ride here.
    I know what you mean, but whilst Wales is wedded to the Labour party, I don't think Wales is some bastion of left-wing politics, certainly not in the cultural or social sense in which it tends to be most associated nowadays. I dont for example view Wales as being particularly left wing on most social issues, in fact we are arguably one of the more socially conservative parts of the UK.

    Definitely agree that the relationship with Westminster complicates it all though.

  23. #23

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by Rjk View Post
    https://www.thenational.wales/news/1...r-party-wales/

    it's an opinion piece, I don't know much about the author
    Thanks to you and TBG for posting the source. I don't know much about the author either.

  24. #24

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    Quote Originally Posted by City123 View Post
    Well that's me proven wrong, I seem to recall a paywall but maybe that was for specific articles/if you go over a certain number
    You are merely human, old fruit. No-one died

  25. #25

    Re: 100 Years Of Labour ( Interesting read )

    ...and, even though LoM didn't post the original source, we got there in the end and I found a few more articles on the site about The Green Party and Plaid Cymru, so *group hug everyone*

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