Think tank to analyse seat losses

Labour lost overall control and had to enter into a coalition

A think tank to analyse why Welsh Labour lost seats at the assembly elections last year is set up by the party.

The group, called Ideas Wales, was officially launched at Cardiff University on Saturday.

Its creators say they wanted to attract ideas from people beyond party members and officials.

The launch was chaired by Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy and was expected to attract around 60 participants.

Labour only gained 26 seats in last May's elections, forcing them to enter a coalition with Plaid Cymru and form the One Wales assembly government.

Academics and thinkers who look at issues beyond strictly party political lines were among those addressing the meeting.

The experience of being part of Wales today is not connected with a model of work that was designed for the industrial revolution Andy Middleton

One of those was Andy Middleton, managing director of TYF Smart Futures, a climate change and sustainability consultancy in St David's, Pembrokeshire.

He said he was less interested in where any specific party had gone wrong, but rather wanted to focus on where western thinking in general had gone wrong.

"The opportunity we have got is to start having some really big conversations about the really big possibilities for change that are present in Wales today," he said.

"For instance in terms of climate change, rather than thinking about the cost we need to look at the consequences of not achieving something like an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

"The experience of being part of Wales today is not connected with a model of work that was designed for the industrial revolution.

"So one of the questions I'd like to put to them today is what's the meaning of work today in a contemporary Wales?

"The recipe of school and university, work for 45 years, retire for 10 and die is not something to make you get up in the morning with a spring in your step."