Labour has lost its century-long grip on Wales after last week’s historic Senedd election result saw the party finish a distant third behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK.

The party that had equalled its best ever Senedd election result five years ago could not even return double digits to a chamber that had increased by 36 seats this time. Therefore, it was never a ‘given’ that Sir Fynwy Torfaen would get a Labour MS. However, Lynne Neagle, who is one of the Senedd’s ‘Class of ‘99’ and was Education Secretary in Eluned Morgan’s Cabinet, just held on to her seat.

Speaking after the declaration, she said that it had been a difficult day for the party and her colleagues across the country.

“There is no doubt that this has been a very difficult election for Labour,” she said on Friday afternoon.

“I believe we put forward a sensible plan for government to the people of Wales and published a fully-costed manifesto. But it is clear that the people of Wales want change.”

Ms Neagle stopped short of saying whether she blamed the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, for the party’s poor showing but conceded that Labour had to go back to the drawing board and have some difficult discussions about what went so badly wrong.

“We need to pause and have a period of reflection now,” she continued.

“I will work as hard as I possibly can to hold the new Welsh Government to account with my Labour colleagues in the Senedd.”

Just moments after the Labour MS had spoken to The Chronicle the news that the First Minister had lost her seat in west Wales swept through the gathering of reporters and staffers behind the cameras.

For the first time in modern history, a sitting leader of any government had lost their seat at an election. At this point, the Prime Minister, blamed by several losing Labour candidates across Wales by this point, stepped in publicly and thanked her for her service to Wales.

She later resigned as Welsh Labour leader, with Ken Skates, the former Transport Secretary, swiftly made interim leader.

Meanwhile, back on the English border, there was no seat for Torfaen’s Labour Council Leader, Anthony Hunt nor was there room for the Abergavenny councillor, Laura Wright. The former of the second and third listed Labour candidates had welcomed Andy Burnham to Big Pit in Blaenavon just days before.

Since the devastating results in Wales, Scotland and English Council elections figures within the party have once again called for the Prime Minister to allow him to return to parliament at the earliest opportunity.

In the neighbouring constituency, Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili, Rhymni, Labour was wiped out altogether. Alun Davies, who had been an MS for 15 years, had requested a partial recount after needing just 56 votes to potentially get the sixth seat there. However, at the recount, the gap between Mr Davies and Reform UK’s Joshua Kim widened to over 200 votes.

The land of Bevan, Foot and Kinnock had completely rejected the party.

Labour may not even have a role to play in supporting the next Welsh Government. On Saturday outside the Senedd, Rhun ap Iowerth, who is expected to become the next First Minister, told the media Plaid Cymru will seek to form a minority government without coalition.