It was devolution that did for Welsh Labour

The Labour Party has long been the dominant political force in Wales.

It was inconceivable for many communities not to consistently vote Labour.

They, it was argued, were the workers and their families' political representatives.

It was, they argued,  the party of Aneurin Bevan, but often ignored, also the party of George Thomas.

Then along came devolution and the start of Labour’s problems in Wales.

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Devolution.

With devolution, Labour in Wales, became Welsh Labour and they were voted into government.

It was the start of 26 years of struggle for them, culminating in what is  a dramatic demise.

And all of their own making.

They started with a big problem. 

The Government of Wales Act 1997-1998, which created the then Welsh Assembly, was a very different model than that of Scotland. 

It created a ‘ corporate body ‘with powers to alter secondary legislation rather than a ‘ reserved powers ‘ model with primary law making powers.

That Welsh Labour, with the Labour Party in government in Westminster ,accepted this second class status is to its shame. A necessary concession as  parts of their own party were opposed to devolution and many remain ambivalent today.

The start of a dilemma of expectations of being a Welsh party dealing with Welsh issues and the party’s loyalty to the wider Labour Party and the Union.

A dilemma not resolved to the present day.  

A bigger problem and the biggest contributor to its demise, is that they have never decided on what devolution should be.

Devolution is a process they argue, but a process towards what has never been clear.

When Rhodri Morgan declared the clear red water, expectations of something different were raised, but in the end it was just rhetoric.

The actions didn’t match the rhetoric and it became clear that Welsh Labour's ambitions were limited and it seemed their desire for more government responsibilities also.

Rhodri Morgan was to be no gamechanger, he steadied a shaky start, but no gamechanger.

Although personable and with an easy manner a keen Welshman. He was also a product of Oxford and Harvard, an anti nationalist, pro Unionist and loyal to the wider Labour Party.

An academic whose dogma restricted his  vision and options in Welsh policy.

Future leaders, always Welsh Labour, continued the trend, which for all the rhetoric, was timid acquiescence to a Westminster government.

Over 26 years of Welsh Labour government the failure is plain to see.

Welsh GDP has remained static.

Wages of Welsh workers have remained below the UK average throughout devolution.

The productivity of Welsh based enterprises is 15% below the UK average.

Welsh education standards are the lowest of the UK nations.

The Welsh NHS struggles.

Poverty prevails.

Lack of ambition.

Throughout devolution, there have been four major opportunities for the Welsh Labour government to advance the status of Wales and gain more controls.

There have been two reviews and two acts of parliament which have given those opportunities.

Scotland, in similar circumstances gained control of rail infrastructure, enhanced tax control, control over some benefits and control of the Crown Estates. With policing and justice devolved from the beginning.

In Wales, no such ambitions, no forceful assertion of equal rights It was only in the 2017 Wales Act that even a semblance of ‘ reserved powers ‘ was devolved..

It is only now, when the boat is sinking, is Wales Labour seeking such equalities.

The economy.

Although under the present constitutional arrangements, there is limited scope to advance Wales' economy, there are improvements to be made. Opportunities to lessen Wales reliance on the UK.

Even here the thought of loosening the reliance on the UK pushed Welsh Labour back into its shell.

Any thought of a regional economic plan led by the Welsh government, was abdicated in favour of the system of financial transfers that forms today the basis of the Welsh economy.

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The open invitation for so-called ‘ inward investment ‘ which in reality means industrial policy is made outside Wales, profits goes abroad, tax revenues go to the UK Treasury and what is left is jobs. That is until the policy makers outside Wales decide to take the operation elsewhere.

Nowhere to be seen within this ‘ Plan ‘ is a coherent policy for developing and growing an indigenous SME sector where Wales lags significantly behind similar economies.

For it is here in this sector that lies the potential for growth, the higher value, higher paid jobs.

It is in this sector that lies the career paths that will keep young people in Wales.

This policy of resorting to merely dividing the cake, meant no opportunity for growth or for lessening the need for such financial transfers and they have just continued to grow.

It’s not just about money.

Policies were found wanting.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies refutes Welsh government claims that it is lack of money contributing to the fall of education standards, pointing to other regions of the UK and other countries, with less resources than Wales performing better.

They blame government policies.

Estyn, the Welsh education inspectorate also points to lack of government leadership in introducing policies citing lack of clarity and direction.

Numerous calls have been made for better coordination of Wales health and social care.

A strengthening of the social care sector to enable improved care in the community and reduced hospitalization.

Skills training, vital for the push for well paid jobs, again lacking government leadership. Described by the sector as policy being piecemeal, uncoordinated and incoherent.

It is a repetitive theme of government failure to turn the reports and advice into any sustainable action.

Recriminations

Alan Davies, the defeated MS from Blaenau Gwent, was among the first with the darts, firmly directed at the Westminster leadership. Kier Starmer must go, he says.

Next up Mark Drakeford. It was all Westminster's fault for not giving Wales more powers. This after 26 years ducking more powers.

Then Eluned Morgan. More of the same. Labour has lost direction.  Lack of support from Westminster.A bit rich after trying to persuade the Welsh public that things were much better and Wales were getting more goodies now that there was a Labour government in Westminster.

The prize however must go to Mike Antoniw, not for clarity, but for top of the pile in the denier stakes.

Mike Antoniw has written a post election analysis.

The gist of it is that Welsh Labour’s downfall is the failure of devolution promises. 

He praises Gordon Brown's report into further devolution and also the Wales Independent Commission, but criticizes the fact that the proposals from these reports were not enacted. 

Mike Antoniw along with others in Welsh Labour belongs to this parallel political universe that absolves them of any responsibilities.

The Gordon Brown report, which he applauds, has no mention of Wales in its plans, rather the aim was to elevate the status of the English regions.

Kier Starmer in an interview with the Daily Record, made clear that there would be no new powers for the devolved nations, rather they should make better use of the powers they have.

There were no promises made [ or broken ] of further powers.

They seem blind to the fact that although issues such as Vaughan Gethin and Labour’s unpopularity nationally may have accelerated the demise, even prior to the 2021 Senedd election, Welsh Labour was projected to have significant losses. It was Covid that saved them then, but as it turns out only temporarily.

Nor is there any explanation for Wales lagging behind, when for half the period of devolution there was a Labour government in Westminster.

As for the Welsh Independence Commission, that was a Welsh government initiative, a government which he was a member of

At a cost of £1.5 million, it came up with three viable options for a future Welsh constitution.

The logical next step it would seem, was to have each of the options expertly examined to guide the path of the best Welsh constitution. 

But no, another report, more advice destined for the basement.

We must stay with the Union.

Wales' future lies naturally as part of the UK. We do not need a Welsh version of Brexit.

We cannot escape the interdependence of Wales and England economically, social, historic and political nor should we. We share much in common.

So says Mike Antoniw who is simply parroting Mark Drakeford when First Minister ‘ Better together ‘ mantra.

No evidence as to why, or facts to support it and this from a man whose argument for a federal state was based on the Good Friday model.

He also continues the anti independence attack that seems to be embedded in Welsh Labour’s psyche.

Separatism is a threat to the UK as  was and is Brexit.

The consequences of separatism would be disastrous.

Again offering no evidence or factual support.

Believe me I’m a Labour politician just won’t do I’m afraid.

It is this bluff and bluster that have sustained Welsh Labour throughout devolution and now they have been found out.

The Welsh public, particularly the younger generation has a diminishing affection for remaining with the Union. 

Nor do they see Welsh sovereignty as having the disastrous consequences as being portrayed.

Plaid Cymru, the party of Independence, has formed the new government, or hadn’t they noticed.

Welsh Labour, by continuing with this disconnect with the public,  it is clear that they have learned nothing.