MORE than half the people of Wales believe that the Welsh government is doing a bad job, according to an opinion poll published today.

When polling firm Beaufort asked people: “Do you think the Welsh Labour government is doing a good job for Wales?” there was more bad news for Welsh Labour, with just 29 per cent said that they thought the party was performing well.

With 57 per cent saying that Welsh Labour is not doing a good job, the poll increases the pressure on First Minister Eluned Morgan.

Recent opinion polls have shown Plaid Cymru and Reform UK in the lead for next year’s Senedd elections, while Labour languishes in third place.

Consistent polling results have put Welsh Labour on around 18 per cent, with Plaid and Reform neck and neck on about 30 per cent.

But a poll earlier this month for online news site Nation.Cymru has Welsh Labour top of its survey of Senedd voting intentions.

That poll shows Labour leading on 27 per cent, followed by Reform UK on 25 per cent and Plaid Cymru on 21 per cent.

But with a survey sample of just 400 people, this may be an outlier, as other polls show Labour consistently in third place.

Three recent council by-election defeats, in Carmarthenshire and in the Labour heartlands in Bridgend and Torfaen, have also rocked the party.

But last week, Labour won the Baglan council by-election, with an independent taking second place and Reform coming third on a turnout of 34 per cent.

Baglan lies in the borough of Neath Port Talbot, which Reform leader Nigel Farage had recently targeted by making a speech in Port Talbot.

He had been derided for calling for the closed blast furnace at Tata Steel to be reopened and the resumption of coalmining across Wales.

Welsh Labour activists have also expressed discontent at the party’s selection process ahead of next May’s Senedd election.

Some selections have been confirmed, but other would-be candidates are still awaiting a decision and complain they have had little or no communication from the party.

Welsh Labour told the BBC that that ranking of all those seeking re-election had been “completed” and that shortlisting for the “remaining slots” was ongoing.