Drakeford links Welsh Labour's collapse to lack of new powers from UK government

Drakeford links Welsh Labour's collapse to lack of new powers from UK government52 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDavid DeansWales political reporterPA MediaMark Drakeford won the 2021 Senedd election for Labour before stepping down as first minister in 2024Former Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford says the UK Labour government offered "so little" to Wales in terms of new powers since it came to power in 2024.Drakeford attacked Welsh Labour MPs in Westminster, arguing the lack of a devolution agenda from them was a significant factor in the party's Senedd election defeat this month.Drakeford said Labour's "unique selling point" of supporting Wales having more control over its own affairs within the United Kingdom, rather than going it alone, had been weakened by his own party. But a Welsh Labour source described Drakeford as the "architect-in-chief" of Labour's crushing defeat and demanded a period of "silence" from him.It comes after Drakeford, the last Welsh Labour leader to win a Senedd election, called for Sir Keir Starmer to set a timetable for his resignation.Former first minister Mark Drakeford says Andy Burnham should be PMWelsh first minister confirms he raised independence with StarmerWelsh government to get some control over youth justice for first timeLabour lost control of the Welsh government to pro-independence Plaid Cymru at the 7 May election, and was pushed into third place for the first time.It had won every Cardiff Bay election since 1999 and held half of the Senedd's seats until its defeat, when it was relegated to just nine Members of the Senedd (MSs) - less than 10% of the total.Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Drakeford defended his government's record on health and education, but said the "sense that somebody else needed to turn to address" problems in those services was "very real".Complaints about changes to the winter fuel allow...