When Welsh election results are due to be announced as counting begins

LocalPolitics
8 May 2026 • 1:32 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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When Welsh election results are due to be announced as counting begins

  • The results of the Welsh Parliament election are expected on Friday, with ballot counting commencing and initial declarations anticipated from early afternoon, concluding by the evening.
  • This election marks a significant shift with an expanded Senedd, now comprising 96 members, and the implementation of a new proportional voting system where seats are allocated based on a party's overall vote percentage.
  • While Labour has historically dominated Welsh politics for over a century, recent opinion polls throughout the campaign indicated Plaid Cymru and Reform consistently leading, placing Labour in third position.
  • Baroness Eluned Morgan, the First Minister and leader of Welsh Labour, expressed concerns about potentially losing her seat and urged constituents not to cast a 'protest vote' against UK Labour.
  • Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth voiced ambitions to 'replace' Labour as the governing party, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage characterised the election as a referendum on the Prime Minister's leadership.

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