Welsh Labour should, by all accounts, be deliriously happy.
The party had a Senedd election in 2021 that defied even their expectations. The 30 seats they won – exactly half those available – meant they could, with a little help, pursue the agenda Mark Drakeford wanted.
The pandemic has resulted in not just a public recognition and profile for Mr Drakeford but a positive one that voters engaged with while their Conservative rivals in Westminster have created an almost infinite number of negative headlines. Recent polling showed that the Conservatives would be wiped out in Wales in a general election.
