Who dunnit?
So who dunnit?
We know what happened to Labour councillors in Wales. We watched as the victims of May 1st's electoral rout fell - all 129 of them.
But who dunnit?
Remember Rhodri Morgan's line the very next day? That Labour was taking "a belting" in its heartlands because of wall to wall bad news about the economy, that it "has been unrelenting adverse news - no good news and an unrelenting series of adverse headlines really going back to the impact of the credit crunch suddenly hitting home".
And his advice to the Prime Minister? "
"Listen, listen, listen and just see how we need a strategy to get people to understand what it is Labour is trying to do to steer the ship of state through exceptionally choppy economic waters."
From AMs came stories of doors being closed in their faces, disillusioned former supporters turning elsewhere and a constant refrain of 10p, 10p, 10p.
So a niggling question: how come Labour did so well in Neath Port Talbot, the only authority in the UK where Labour held majority control before May the 1st and actually increased their majority? Weren't people bothered by the abolition of the 10p tax rate there?
And then another coming from worried campaigners: why hadn't Rhodri Morgan 'done enough' to counter the negative impact on the doorsteps of that other Labour leader, Gordon Brown?
And now it's Rhodri Morgan's turn to listen as the former Welsh Secretary, Peter Hain and Lynne Neagle, Labour AM for Torfaen - yes, that well known Labour marginal as Paul Murphy put it - warn that if Wales Labour don't listen, they will lose again.
Labour, says Peter Hain, is a victim of its own success in Wales. In government it's created social changes but then as a party, failed to keep up with people's aspirations. (Is he saying Labour have created a nation of Tories? Plainly he's hoping not.)
And there's more: here's a taste of what the Labour Group Chair in the Assembly, Lynne Neagle, had to tell party members in Monmouth:
"The electorate has just told us that we haven't done enough - and what we have done clearly hasn't been communicated well enough."
"The very idea that none of what happened in the local elections in Wales has ended up at the door of the Assembly is monumentally worrying - it must make us question just what kind of an impact the institution has made on the Welsh psyche?
"We control education, health, housing, community regeneration - and according to some - we've established clear red water between ourselves and an unpopular UK Labour Government.
"And yet on May 1st, the clear red blood of good Welsh Labour councillors ran thicker and faster than their counterparts in England. It is time to take some responsibility.
"It takes a strong character to ask for a discussion with the person who has just bloodied your nose - but that is what Welsh Labour must do with the electorate, starting today."
She may have a particular strong character in mind, she might not.
She may speak for some AMs though not for others.
Peter Hain may be the 'former' Welsh Secretary.
But the ball is firmly in the court of the Wales Labour leadership.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~58~RS~)
Comments
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Labour has been communicating its message very effectively and well for a number of years, I know what Labour stands for and that is where the problem is - we just don't want what they are offering. It is much much more than the economy, it is ID cards, the War in Iraq, the spin, spin and spin (and if hear Hazel Blears just once more telling people that the real story is something that she wants to talk about rather than actually talking about what people want to discuss I'll scream!) Labour is losing because it is no longer a political party, it is a machine, in power for power's sake. It tramples on our civil liberties, it ignores the working class and it treats us a idiots. It has had its day in power, they need to be out and out for a while, I just don't want the tories in, but as a veteran tory hater I find it sad to say I'd rather have them than Milliband, Brown and all the other Labour stooges hanging around (and I thought the same about the Blairites as well - they were just as bad as the present lot!)
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The blame must lie on Welsh Labour but also on Gordon Brown and the 10p tax fiasco. Nothing will have hit traditional Laborites than taxing the worst off even more.
At least Plaid is being seen as the alternative to Labour in many places. Because the Conservatives are no replacement to Labour and are nothing compared to Plaid.
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The people of Wales want a denmocratic socialist party. That's why they are leaving Labour and moving to Plaid. I live on Anglesey and Labour's Albert Owen is on his way out and he knows it
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This Government (In Westminster) promised much and delivered little. What they have given with one hand they have taken away with the other.
People are generally tired of ideas and schemes which only benefit the moneyed at their expense. ID Cards, an idea which will not work but which this government has already courted the IT Industry for. The lies over Iraq. The generation of a climate of fear, enabling the writing of some pretty lose and open to abuse legislation. The On The Spot fines enforced by private companies. The lack of a effective Police force. The reduction in public services across the board. The refunding of the banks, despite the obscene profits they enjoyed for decades. MP Expenses for homes they don't use. Lost data. Endless enquiries and consultancies.
One phrase we keep on hearing time and time again "Lessons must be learnt" but these are supposedly educated people who should be able to think through what they do and foresee problems which arise. The addage that we need business leaders and brains to maintain the quality of Government is a fallacy, as this Government, and indeed the previous one functions solely on self-interest, greed and arrogance and has little to do with the welfare of the larger populous.
MPs should be forced to spend a fortnight living on the lowest wages in thier constituences to experience the kind of lives ordinary people have to endure. Then they would have a very clear idea why they lost and will continue to lose.
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Remarkable!
Peter Hain, the Greek Godess of Welsh politics (nr. London), can survey Labour's crash and burn , but never reflect that the recent career activities of himself (WHO ME?) may have contributed to the now total cynicism of the former Newt Labour voting electorate (all 6) regarding "wadical" poseurs like ...er, Peter.
"Mirror, mirror ,on the wall..."
Maybe he should set up a "think tank" and reflect on his "contributions!
Time for a "family" meeting?
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Dear BLUESNIK I think you are on to something with this one! It seems that many politcians lack the integrity or self insight of their role in failure, and use all sorts of lingistic 'tricks of the trade' that distance themselves from such outcomes, but most interestingly, are right there with their claims of full and passionate involvement when there is any smell of success!!
I voted to let Welsh Labour know that we need to move to fully devolved powers before the Cameron-led Conservative Party take control of England. We need primary legislation powers very quickly indeed!
Lastly, for me, New Labour represents a way of life that is inconsistent with my welsh interests (e.g. competing for healthcare, endless testing for SATS, etc). If Labour cannot deliver what I want, then for the first time living in a Valley town I will vote for Plaid or the Lib Dems.
We need to move away from the metaphor of 'clear red water' and think in terms of 'thick red blood'. It is time for a new welsh labour leader to emerge, and time for the english labour leader to resign!!
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They may have won the majority on the Council but I do'nt believe Labour did that well in Neath Port Talbot. What is known is that they played a very dirty campaign in areas of the county, with lies, distorted facts, innuendos and reporting opposition party candidates with unfounded accusations.
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Betsan I am very tired of references to Welsh Labour needing to appeal to the new Welsh aspirational classes and the need to be more like New Labour in England. Lets ask Hain and Neagle which of the following they think will appeal to Welsh Voters:
Markets and privatisation in Health care
Virgin running GP practices (e.g. in Swindon)
Re introduction of SATS and league tables in Education
Specialist and faith schools with the syllabus influenced by private sponsors
Mass privatisation of council services
BBC journalists should do their jobs. Ask them for the specific policy changes they are referring to and ask them for evidence to support their position. I know no one on the doorstep (I was out there for weeks) who were asked for these changes and heard no criticism of Rhodri or the One Wales Government. It was all London 10% tax and Labour losing its morale purpose. The reason this impacted more in Wales is these London New Labour polices are an even less popular with Welsh voters than English. If Welsh Labour follow this Hain/Neagle route the result will be disasterous as Welsh voters with their natural sense of fairness and social justice are more and more disaffected and vote to show their distaste for it. The solution is London Labour learning from the progressive lead of Welsh Labour not the other way about.
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It's NOT NATIONAL POLITICS in Wales it's ineffectual councils NOt PROVIDING THE SERVICES we pay a fortune for!
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