Sir Keir Starmer was delivered a brutal Christmas message from the despatch box today, as he was told his own MPs are wishing for a "new leader" over the festive period.
The Labour leader faced pointed goading from Tory counterpart Kemi Badenoch during the final Prime Minister's Questions session before the holiday break. Badenoch seized on rising internal tensions within Labour's ranks, accusing Starmer of blaming others for his party's failures.
Devastating Poll Projects Welsh Labour Wipeout
The heated Commons exchange came against the backdrop of a catastrophic new poll for Labour in Wales. The survey projects the party faces a historic defeat in the Senedd elections next May, potentially being ejected from the First Minister's office for the first time since devolution began.
The latest research shows Labour's support has dwindled dramatically, with the party now polling at a dismal 10% of voting intention. This would represent Labour's worst performance in Wales since the Senedd system was introduced 26 years ago.
In a seismic shift, Plaid Cymru is projected to win 33% of the vote, with Nigel Farage's Reform UK close behind on 30%. Labour would be level with the Conservatives and only a single point ahead of the Greens.
A Transformed Political Landscape
The May election will see the Welsh Parliament expanded from 60 to 96 members, with new constituencies and the voting system also changing. Seat projections from the poll paint a stark picture:
- Plaid Cymru: 39 seats
- Reform UK: 34 seats
- Labour: Just 10 seats
- Conservatives: 6 seats
- Greens: 4 seats
- Liberal Democrats: 3 seats
This contrasts sharply with the 2021 result, where Labour won 30 of the 60 seats with an average vote share of around 37%.
Parties Frame the Battle for Wales' Future
Responding to the poll, a Plaid Cymru spokesman framed the upcoming election as a decisive two-horse race. "Coming so soon after our Caerphilly by-election win, this poll shows the momentum is firmly with Plaid Cymru," they stated.
The spokesman accused Labour of having "given up on Wales" after years in power, arguing that people are "yearning for something new: fairness, ambition, and a government that finally puts Wales first." They positioned the contest as a choice between Plaid's "positive vision" and a "billionaire-backed" Reform UK that would "privatise our NHS."
A Reform UK Wales spokesman countered, claiming the election would be a "two-horse race between Reform and Plaid." They argued that a vote for Plaid meant "more of the same extreme policies" delivered in tandem with Labour in Cardiff Bay, while Reform promised to "restore common sense to Welsh politics."
Leadership Under Fire at Westminster
The dire Welsh polling intensified the pressure on Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs. Kemi Badenoch's barb that "all his MPs want for Christmas is a new leader" was met with laughter in the chamber, highlighting the perceived vulnerability of the Labour leader.
The twin challenges of internal discontent at Westminster and an existential threat to the party's long-held power base in Wales present a severe test for Starmer's leadership as the political year draws to a close.
