Mark Drakeford says grief will not stop his work in emotional speech

In an emotional speech to his party, First Secretary Mark Drakeford said his grief over the loss of his wife will not stop his work for Labour.

In tears, he thanked those who showed him kindness after his wife Clare died in January.

He also called on Sir Keir Starmer to be the first to step down behind the post in favor of proportional representation.

But the British Labor leader said it was not a priority for a new Labor government.

Earlier, Sir Keir said he would hand back control of economic aid to Welsh ministers if he became Prime Minister.

Mr Drakeford spoke at the Welsh Labor Conference in Llandudno on Saturday.

He said he had received “words of kindness and sympathy from people within our party and also from people I’ve never met” in recent weeks.

“That was a strength for me personally – a heartfelt thank you to all of you.”

He later added, “Even though our hearts are weighed down by the unbearable burden of grief, we know our duty, our moral obligation…that this party must face the dangers that are destroying so many lives, and never run from them.”

In his speech, he voiced his strongest support yet for sweeping reforms of Westminster’s electoral system.

He urged Sir Keir Starmer to end the first post-voting system, whereby MPs are elected on the basis of the candidate who gets the most votes in a constituency.

“The next Labor government must lead the task of democratic renewal,” he said.

“I don’t think we can simply accept a system that consistently produces conservative majorities in a minority of the votes cast.”

Apparently addressing critics of proportional representation within his own party, Mr Drakeford said: “To those who remain fearful of a change in the electoral system.

“I say just look at what we’ve done here in Wales – 25 years of winning and working within a proportional voting system.”

He accused the Conservatives of undermining democracy with a “horrible brand of selfish, self-serving politics where even a football commentator is expected to stick to the Tory line or see his job in jeopardy”.

Responding to Mr Drakeford’s calls for electoral reform, Sir Keir said he praised Mr Drakeford’s “powerful speech”.

“I don’t think anyone could not be moved by Mark’s speech.” He added: “It is not a priority for a new Labor government.”

This was an emotional speech from Mark Drakeford, whose enthusiasm for public life is clearly undiminished by his recent tragedy.

With all eyes on the conference on the expected 2024 general election, he gave a rousing endorsement to British Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer.

But while Mr Drakeford is passionate about securing a British Labor victory, it is also true that the two men have very different views on some policy issues.

Sir Keir looked uneasy when Mr Drakeford pleaded for electoral reform in Westminster, and the avowed socialist Mark Drakeford seemed less than enthusiastic about Sir Keir’s emphasis on ‘sound money’.

The Welsh Labor Conference has always loved Mark Drakeford as First Minister and his enthusiastic welcome continued this time.

Delegates gave Sir Keir a much warmer welcome than at previous Welsh caucuses, perhaps a sign of the party’s growing confidence ahead of the next general election.