Welsh Labour seeks allies to govern

10 May 07
Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan has been given approval to talk to the leaders of Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats as he seeks to continue Labour minority rule in the Welsh Assembly.

11 May 2007

Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan has been given approval to talk to the leaders of Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats as he seeks to continue Labour minority rule in the Welsh Assembly.

After Plaid's Dafydd Elis-Thomas was elected to continue as presiding officer on May 9, with Labour AM Rosemary Butler as his deputy, Morgan said: 'I will be seeking to have talks with Mike German and with Ieuan Wyn Jones so that we can see whether we can produce a sustainable government which can deliver for the people of Wales over the next four years.'

Although Labour's share of the vote fell by eight percentage points, it lost just three seats, down to 26 of the 60 in the Assembly. Plaid Cymru gained three to win 15. The LibDems remain at six and the Tories are up one at 12. There is one independent AM.

A first minister must be nominated by the end of May. Labour, which was in coalition with the LibDems between 2000 and 2003, is likely to need a more formal arrangement than was the case before the May 3 election.

PFmay2007

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