Prime Minister pledges EU reset, British Steel nationalisation and youth jobs guarantee — but critics say Wales was left out

SIR KEIR Starmer has been accused of ignoring Wales in a major “reset” speech aimed at saving his premiership after Labour’s disastrous election results.

The Prime Minister used the speech on Monday (May 11) to admit that mistakes had been made and to promise a new direction for Britain.

He said Labour’s election losses had been “tough, very tough”, but insisted he would not walk away from the job and would fight any attempt to remove him as party leader.

But while the speech was billed as a major attempt to relaunch his government, Welsh opponents said it failed to address the political earthquake which has just taken place in Wales.

Welsh Labour is still reeling from last week’s Senedd election, which saw the party suffer a historic collapse after decades of dominance in Welsh politics.

Despite that, critics said Wales was not directly mentioned in the Prime Minister’s speech.

Lib Dem criticism

Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster spokesperson David Chadwick MP said the omission showed how out of touch Labour had become with Welsh communities.

He said: “Keir Starmer’s speech today showed just how out of touch Labour has become with communities in Wales.

“Despite years of Labour failure in Cardiff Bay and last week’s election results, the Prime Minister did not even mention Wales, let alone offer the fresh thinking people are crying out for.

“To make matters worse, Labour has rubbed salt in the wounds of communities like Port Talbot by announcing a further nationalisation of British Steel in Scunthorpe after refusing to do the same for workers and families in South Wales.

“The Liberal Democrats will continue using our 72 MPs in Westminster to stand up for Wales and fight for the fair deal our communities deserve.”

Three key pledges

Starmer’s speech centred on three main pledges.

The first was a promise to rebuild Britain’s relationship with the European Union.

The Prime Minister said the UK would set a “new direction for Britain” at the next EU summit, putting the country “at the heart of Europe” on the economy, trade and defence.

He also announced plans for an “ambitious” youth experience scheme, allowing young people to work, study and live in Europe as part of a renewed relationship with the EU.

Starmer said the government would also go further on apprenticeships, technical excellence colleges and special educational needs, with a guarantee that every young person struggling to find work would be offered a job, training or work placement.

The third major pledge was on British Steel.

Starmer said legislation would be brought forward this week to give the government the power to take full ownership of British Steel, subject to a public interest test.

He said the move was needed to protect what he described as an “ultimate sovereign capability” and to support industrial renewal.

Steel row reignited

The British Steel announcement is likely to be one of the most politically sensitive parts of the speech in Wales.

The UK Government took control of British Steel’s Scunthorpe steelworks from Chinese owners Jingye last year, following fears over the future of the site.

Starmer has now gone further, saying ministers will seek powers for full public ownership.

But in South Wales, the decision has revived anger over the handling of Tata Steel in Port Talbot.

Thousands of jobs were put at risk during the transition away from blast furnace steelmaking, with unions and opposition parties repeatedly calling for stronger government intervention.

Critics say Port Talbot workers and their families were not offered the same level of protection now being proposed for Scunthorpe.

That contrast is now being used by Labour’s opponents as evidence that Wales has again been treated as an afterthought by Westminster.

Leadership pressure

The speech came as Starmer faced growing pressure from within his own party after Labour’s poor election performance.

He admitted the results had been painful and said he understood that people were frustrated with him.

Starmer said: “I know I have my doubters, and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will.”

Asked whether he would fight a leadership contest, Starmer said he was “not going to walk away”.

He also warned that Britain was facing “dangerous opponents” and said Labour had to offer hope and optimism rather than allow the country to go down what he described as a “dark path”.

The Prime Minister argued that Labour had made mistakes but had got the “big political choices” right, pointing to the economy, public services and foreign policy.

However, early reaction from within Labour suggested the speech may not have been enough to calm unrest.

Some Labour figures were reported to have felt the speech lacked detail on the cost of living, immigration and defence, while others said it did not amount to the transformational reset some MPs had wanted.

Welsh problem remains

For Wales, the political problem is particularly acute.

Labour’s dominance in Welsh politics has been shattered, with Plaid Cymru now the largest party in the Senedd and Reform UK making major gains.

The result has left Labour searching for a new direction at both Cardiff Bay and Westminster level.

Starmer’s speech was intended to show that he understands the scale of the challenge facing his government.

But for Welsh critics, the failure to directly address Wales after such a dramatic election result will only deepen concerns that Labour’s Westminster leadership has not yet grasped the scale of the change taking place here.

The row also gives the Liberal Democrats an opportunity to position themselves as a pro-Wales voice at Westminster, particularly in rural and mid-Wales areas where the party has been seeking to rebuild.

For Starmer, the speech was designed as a moment of renewal.

In Wales, his opponents say it has instead become another example of Labour failing to listen.

Senior Conservative MS says he has the experience and procedural knowledge needed for the role

PAUL DAVIES has confirmed that he will put his name forward to become the next Llywydd of the Senedd following growing speculation after the Welsh election.

The former leader of the Welsh Conservatives and long-serving Member of the Senedd said he had decided to stand after discussions with colleagues and encouragement from others.

In a statement issued on Sunday (May 10), Davies said he believed he had the experience needed to champion the Welsh Parliament and oversee proceedings fairly.

He said: “There has been much speculation since the election about who will take on the role of the next Llywydd in the Senedd.

“I want make it clear that, after consultation with colleagues and having been urged to do so by others, I will be putting my name forward to be the next Presiding Officer.

“I have the experience to champion the Welsh Parliament and have a clear understanding of its Standing Orders and procedures.

“As the Temporary Presiding Officer in the previous Senedd, and as a former Committee Chair and Business Manager in the Welsh Parliament, I have the necessary skills to take on this important role.”

The role of Llywydd is one of the most senior positions in the Senedd, with responsibility for chairing debates, maintaining order in the chamber and ensuring parliamentary rules are followed.

Davies, who represents Ceredigion Penfro, has been a prominent figure in Welsh politics for many years and previously served as leader of the Welsh Conservatives.

Sam Kurtz disappointment

Davies’ announcement also comes against the backdrop of disappointment within Welsh Conservative circles after Sam Kurtz failed to win a seat.

Kurtz, the former Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MS, had been placed second on the Conservative list in Ceredigion Penfro behind Davies.

That decision was controversial locally, with many party supporters believing Kurtz had built a stronger personal following in Pembrokeshire and was one of the party’s most visible and energetic campaigners in west Wales.

His failure to return to the Senedd is likely to be seen as one of the most significant Conservative casualties of the new electoral system, particularly given his profile in rural affairs, farming, tourism and local campaigning.

There is already speculation about Kurtz’s next move, including rumours that he could seek to stand for Parliament in the future.

However, speaking to The Herald at the declaration, Kurtz was tight-lipped about his plans and even suggested he may return to journalism.

Before entering politics, Kurtz worked in local journalism, including at The Pembrokeshire Herald and the Western Telegraph.

Davies said he was saddened that Kurtz had not been returned, describing him as a hard-working colleague who had given strong service to Pembrokeshire and west Wales.

The announcement comes as parties continue discussions following the historic 2026 Senedd election, which resulted in no overall majority and a dramatically reshaped Welsh political landscape.

PLAID CYMRU leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has signalled he is ready for confrontation with Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the biggest political earthquake in Welsh devolution history.

Following Plaid’s dramatic Senedd election victory, which saw the party emerge as the largest force in the Welsh Parliament for the first time, ap Iorwerth has made it clear he intends to push aggressively for more powers and funding for Wales — including reopening rows over HS2 funding, policing, justice, and control of natural resources.

Speaking during a series of high-profile interviews on Sunday, the likely next First Minister said the UK Labour government now faced a choice: work with Wales or risk being seen as punishing Welsh voters for rejecting Labour dominance.

The comments are likely to raise tensions between Cardiff Bay and Westminster just days after Welsh Labour suffered a historic collapse at the polls.

Plaid plans minority government

Plaid Cymru won 43 seats in the expanded 96-member Senedd, leaving the party short of an outright majority but comfortably ahead of rivals.

With support expected from the two Green MSs, and the Liberal Democrats indicating they will abstain rather than oppose him, ap Iorwerth now appears on course to become Wales’ next First Minister as early as Tuesday.

The result marks the end of more than a century of Labour electoral dominance in Wales and the first time Labour has failed to emerge as the largest party since devolution began in 1999.

Ap Iorwerth has insisted he wants Plaid to govern alone rather than form a coalition, although he acknowledged cross-party cooperation would be necessary.

Fresh pressure over HS2 and funding

One of the clearest signals from the Plaid leader was his intention to revive demands over the HS2 rail project.

Welsh politicians have long argued Wales was unfairly denied billions of pounds in consequential funding after HS2 was classified as an England-and-Wales project despite no track entering Wales.

Ap Iorwerth suggested a future “Wales Bill” at Westminster could include demands on fairer funding, policing and criminal justice powers, and greater Welsh control over natural resources.

The remarks are likely to concern Labour strategists in London already facing growing pressure after heavy losses in Wales.

Labour admits “catastrophic defeat”

Interim Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates described the election result as a “catastrophic defeat” and confirmed the party would carry out what he called a “forensic” review into what went wrong.

Skates is also expected to enter the race to become permanent Welsh Labour leader following the shock loss of former First Minister Eluned Morgan, who lost her own seat during the election.

Meanwhile, Reform UK, which surged to 34 seats, said it intended to become an aggressive opposition force inside the Senedd.

Tensions with Reform

Ap Iorwerth also appeared to take a swipe at Reform leader Dan Thomas after claiming he had been unable to arrange a courtesy call following the election.

Reform denied the allegation, insisting contact details had been provided and that Plaid had been told to communicate through Thomas’s staff.

Despite the row, Reform MS Llŷr Powell suggested the party would not simply oppose everything brought forward by Plaid, saying Reform would judge proposals individually and focus heavily on government spending and scrutiny.

“A new era” for Wales

The weekend celebrations outside the Senedd increasingly resembled the atmosphere of a government-in-waiting, with Plaid supporters openly speaking of a “new era” in Welsh politics.

For the first time since the Senedd was created, Wales now faces the prospect of a nationalist-led government prepared to challenge Westminster far more openly than previous Labour administrations.

Whether that leads to meaningful constitutional change, or confrontation with London, could define the next chapter of Welsh politics.