As Senedd is expanding Welsh Labour's presence is at risk of shrinking

Dr Nye Davies, a lecturer in Politics at Cardiff University, assesses how Welsh Labour is attempting to distance itself from the UK party

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MORE than two decades ago, Rhodri Morgan, then first minister of Wales, put "clear red water" between Welsh Labour and the UK party. It’s a phrase that became one of the most enduring clichés in Welsh politics.

Now his successor, Eluned Morgan, is trying to chart a fresh course with a new slogan: “the red Welsh way”. In a recent speech, Morgan set out Welsh Labour's core values ahead of the 2026 Senedd (Welsh parliament) election: “Solidarity, equality, sustainability and justice.” These, she argued, are progressive principles rooted in Wales’ political traditions.

But the speech also had a clear strategic purpose: to reassert Welsh Labour's distinct identity at a time when its dominance in devolved politics is under pressure.

Morgan pledged to stand up for Wales whenever she believed it was being neglected by Westminster or when UK Government policies disproportionately harmed the nation.

Deploying nationalistic language, while insisting she is not a nationalist, Morgan invoked a history of exploitation in Wales and vowed that such injustices would not be tolerated under Welsh Labour's watch.

It was also a notable shift in rhetoric. During the 2024 general election, Welsh Labour leaned heavily on the idea of “two governments at both ends of the M4” working together.