A letter from I. Richard, Swansea

Dear Editor

On studying Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's key team, his Cabinet and junior ministers, I note only one Welsh MP, Jo Stevens from Cardiff, as our Secretary of State for Wales.

Is that a snub to Wales who have returned mostly a solid core of Labour MPs for over a century?

I don't think so. I think it is a recognition that Welsh decision making is now mostly made in the Labour-run Senedd in Cardiff, and probably an indication that Labour will now devolve a lot more power to the promised future expanded Senedd. 

Gazing into my crystal ball, I have one fear, if that above is the motive, and not a snub, I fear that following the next Senedd election, with its proportional voting, the next Senedd will consist as a respite home for the likes of old former traditional Labour councillors and a large new brand of outsiders from the Reform Party.

Plaid Cymru with the Lib-Dems and Welsh Tories could mostly be swept away in 2026. Now that's a sobering nightmare for traditional cultured Welsh politicians.

Yours

I. Richard,

Swansea.