Welsh Labour to set timetable for new leader after election loss

Welsh Labour is expected to set out a timetable to elect a new permanent leader over the weekend.

The party's Welsh Executive Committee is due to meet on Saturday, and will also discuss a remit for a review into its crushing Senedd election defeat.

Ken Skates took over as interim leader last month, following the resignation of former first minister Eluned Morgan who failed to win a seat.

Labour lost power in a seismic election, returning just nine Senedd members, after running the Welsh government for 27 years.

The review into what went wrong is likely to take place over the summer.

Party insiders are understood to be in favour of asking an external figure to lead it.

It is not clear if the review will be published, but it is expected to form part of a wider, longer-term debate about the Labour party's future in Wales.

Several figures including former first minister Mark Drakeford, current Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens and former Senedd members Alun Davies, Lee Waters and Mick Antoniw have gone public on what they see as some of the reasons for Labour's defeat.

Skates previously told Wales Online that he does not expect there to be a leadership contest but that he would not "resent" anyone stepping forward.

Drakeford has described Skates as "setting out a sensible prospectus" but has called for a contest to take place.

A new permanent leader could be unveiled at Welsh Labour's conference in Llandudno in November.