One-party dominance of Wales examined
1 August 2018
The consequences of one-party dominance for political life in Wales will be examined by the political communicator of the year at the National Eisteddfod.
Professor Roger Awan-Scully, of Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre, will examine why the Labour Party has won every general election in Wales for almost a century.
In every one of the last 26 UK general elections Labour has won the most votes and seats in Wales.
“The last person to defeat Labour in a general election in Wales was Lloyd George – and he had just won a world war!” said Professor Awan-Scully.
“Wales’s experience of democratic politics has long been very unusual, and arguably pathological.
“In this talk, I’ll be thinking about both the causes and consequences of a century of Labour dominance for politics in Wales.”
Professor Awan-Scully will explore why Labour’s dominance in Wales has proven so enduring, despite the reasons for the party’s rise having long since disappeared.
His session is based on his forthcoming book, Elections in Wales.
The leading political scientist, who was named political communicator of the year by the Political Studies Association, appears in the Cardiff University tent on Wednesday 8 August (13:00).
The 2018 National Eisteddfod takes place in Cardiff from 3-11 August.
