Labour suffers historic defeat in Wales after 27 years in power as Plaid Cymru becomes largest party

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The final results have been declared in the election for the Welsh Senedd, with Plaid Cymru announced as the largest party, bringing an end to Labour's decades-long dominance of the country's politics.

However, the party has fallen short of an overall majority with 43 seats - six short of a majority.

The First Minister of Wales, Baroness Eluned Morgan, announced she will resign as leader of Welsh Labour after losing her seat in the Senedd, with Sir Keir Starmer paying tribute to the "tireless champion".

Lady Morgan losing her seat marks the first time a sitting Welsh leader has lost an election in the Welsh Parliament.

After the result, she announced: "I take responsibility for the Labour result in Wales".

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Labour has led Wales since the Senedd was first established as the National Assembly for Wales in 1999, and has been the largest party in the country for more than a century.

She had been a member of the Senedd since 2016, became a minister in the Welsh government a year later and was the first woman to hold the role of First Minister in Wales.

She took over at a turbulent time in Welsh Labour, with former first minister Vaughan Gething lasting just five months in the role.

Lady Morgan’s departure comes amid a brutal day for the party across Wales and the UK.

Speaking to LBC's Bronwen Weatherby, Lady Morgan dodged answering whether she thinks Keir Starmer should step down, reiterating she "takes responsibility".

She added: "There are lessons for the Prime Minister, it is clear he needs to think about focussing I think on the working classes, to make sure that we see a better redistribution of wealth across our nation."

Her full statement read: "I’m very proud of what Welsh Labour has achieved over all the years we’ve led in the Senedd, but today, the pressures on public services are enormous.

"That change is clearly not coming fast enough. We’re living in turbulent times. There are challenges in all directions.

"Many expect simple answers to very complex questions, but there are no simple answers, and the budgets are limited.

"We all understand the anger, but Wales is stronger when we stand together. We need to heed the anger, not feed the anger."

Sir Keir paid tribute to the "formidable First Minister and tireless champion for Wales".

The PM said: "She broke barriers and has never stopped fighting for families in the communities she loves.

"Together, we have worked to lift children out of poverty, cut hospital waiting lists, and create thousands of new jobs.

"I want to thank Eluned Morgan for the over 30 years of service she has already given to our country and our party."

Huw Irranca-Davies, the deputy first minister, earlier suggested he accepted Labour would not return to power in Wales as ballots were being counted across the nation.

Asked if Labour would be in a position to form the next Welsh government, he replied: “I don’t think we’re going to be in that situation.”

Mr Irranca-Davies insisted Welsh Labour had put forward a “very positive manifesto”, adding: “I think it has been a good manifesto, it really has, and we have tried to argue on policies and also the next chapter for Wales.

“But if it hasn’t cut through to the people of Wales, we’re not going to be in that position then to actually form the next government.”