Hain warns of 'very bad' results

Peter Hain said there was no doubt Labour was in a "bad place"

New Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has admitted that the European election results are going to be "very bad" for Welsh Labour.

Mr Hain told the BBC Wales Politics Show: "I'm not expecting any other than a very bad result tonight.

"I can't predict where we will come in the pecking order but this could be one of the worst results that Welsh Labour have faced in our recent history".

He said voters were angry with all parties over the expenses issue.

But the Neath MP said Labour were "carrying the can" because they were the party of government.

"There's no doubt that the Labour Party is in a bad place," he said.

"In Wales, we'll see that tonight in the European elections and across the United Kingdom we are not where we want to be."

At the last European election, Labour took two of Wales' four seats in the European Parliament with Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives each winning a seat.

When results are announced it is thought that Labour could be left with just one seat.

Mr Hain refused to predict the result but he said: "I think it's going to be very tough for us to hold onto the two seats."

The count for the whole of Wales after last Thursday's poll is being carried out in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.

Mr Hain, who returned to Gordon Brown's Cabinet in Friday's reshuffle, after nearly 18 months away, also said he had been talking to Welsh Labour MPs ahead of tomorrow's meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

The Prime Minister is expected to address his backbenchers at that Westminster meeting.

Mr Hain said that Welsh Labour MPs "almost to a person were united around the prime minister".

He said MPs were saying that "we've got to move forward" and that divided parties did not win elections.

He added that "that was the lesson that every Labour MP and party member knows".

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