Labour wins Welsh Assembly Election

The Welsh Labour Party will form a minority government after falling just one seat short of an outright majority at the National Assembly for Wales election 2011.

The Welsh Labour Party will form a minority government after falling just one seat short of an outright majority at the National Assembly for Wales election 2011.

Labour comfortably won Welsh election held on 5 May 2011, gaining four seats compared to the previous 2007 election.

With 30 elected AMs, just one seat short of an overall majority, Labour now controls exactly half of the Welsh National Assembly.

The Conservatives gained two seats and emerged as the largest opposition party with 14 AMs, Plaid Cymru lost 4 seats and returned 11 AMs, and the Liberal Democrats lost one seat and returned 5 AMs.

After informal discussions with the other parties, Labour leader and First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones decided to form a minority government.

As he was nominated unopposed for the post, the First Minister told the Senedd: "I'm fully aware of the arithmetic within this chamber and of the need to work with other parties in order to deliver the best for the people of Wales."

The Welsh Conservatives increased their share of the vote and emerged as the largest opposition party with 14 seats. However, party leader Nick Bourne unexpectedly lost his Regional list seat as Wales' complex electoral system penalised the Conservatives for their success in the Constituency list.

After Mr Bourne lost his seat in the Welsh Assembly, fellow Conservative AM Paul Davies was elected interim leader of the party's Assembly group.

The Liberal Democrats share of the vote dropped significantly, but they returned five AMs to the Senedd with the loss of just one seat.

Former government coalition partner Plaid Cymru suffered a drop in its vote and lost 4 seats down to 11 AMs, the poorest showing of the party since the Welsh National Assembly was set up in 1999.

Plaid's leader Ieuan Wyn Jones announced he will step down from his post. Mr Jones was criticised by party members for leading a negative campaign strategy against former coalition partners in Labour, instead of focusing in Plaid Cymru's achievements in government.