Reform candidate Oliver Lewis says the party were "ecstatic" to get the third largest share of the vote in Wales.

Labour led the way while Reform was third with 223,018 votes in Wales, 16,985 behind the Conservatives in second.

Reform were also second in 13 of Wales' constituencies, including Lewis being runner-up to Labour in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, securing 20% of the vote.

He says he's "very pleased to have put the Conservatives into third place".

"The Conservative Party obviously has hundreds of years of infrastructure," he added.

Jamie Lucas was one of those almost 44% people in Wales that didn't vote.

“I just think whatever you vote it’s all underhand. I just don’t trust any of them," said the 35-year-old from Merthyr Tydfil where voter turnout was less than half - the second lowest in Wales.

Jamie isn't surprised by the low turnout, believing people would rather not vote than vote without trust.

"They only give you what they want you to hear," added Jamie. "They never deliver on what they say."

While Mali Warner and Thomas Roberts voted for the first time.

“I was quite nervous having that choice over something so big. I would do it again," said Mali.

Thomas added: "All you’ve got to do is put an ‘X’ on a piece of paper and it’s done."

Wales has seen the biggest fall in voter turnout in Britain - compared with Scotland and all English regions.

Only Yorkshire and Humber (55.7%) had a lower turnout.

The average turnout in Wales was 56.2% - which was more than 10% down on the last general election in December 2019.

The UK turnout stands at 60% with two seats remaining to be declared.

Key is how will UK Labour landslide will benefit Walespublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 5 July 2024

14:17 BST 5 July 2024

Gareth Lewis
BBC Wales political editor

The Conservatives have been wiped out here in Wales as Labour won big last night.

One of the Labour campaign mantras has been that Wales will benefit from two Labour governments working together. Voters will want to see that in action. Quickly.

Wales' former First Minister Mark Drakeford also says the drop in vote share means Labour need to "look under the bonnet".

The Conservatives had a shocker. They are now looking to rebuild, although there are already suggestions that there will be a very Welsh theme to how that's done here as opposed Westminster.

The dynamics in Wales have always been different because we have not one but two governments - both now Labour.

Once their celebrations die down we'll see how that story will play out, and how its outcome will affect you.

Despite the big win, with a low share and turnout in general low, voters look like they still need some convincing.

Image source, Getty Images

Afternoon all - it's been a busy one politically here in Wales.

So here's a quick briefing of the main headlines:

• Conservatives wiped out in Wales - going from 14 MPs in 2019 to none
• Labour resurgent as they win nine seats, including the old red wall in the north, but their vote share slips
• Plaid Cymru return four MPs, with two gains
• From no MPs last time, the Liberal Democrats now have one
• Reform come second in 13 of Wales' 32 seats
• Overall Labour wins a landslide UK general election

Labour's result in Wales, holding 27 of the nation's 32 seats in Westminster, has been branded "extraordinary" by First Minister Vaughan Gething.

"History has been made right across Wales, not just the first person of colour [in Wales] to be a member of parliament in the UK parliament, not just the first woman to represent Monmouthshire in the UK parliament, but a historic turnaround compared to the worst defeat we had ever suffered in a general election since 1935."

Speaking at an event in Monmouth, where Catherine Fookes took the Monmouthshire seat from the Tories, Mr Gething branded it an "extraordinary result that we can all be proud of".

Mr Gething thanked everyone who had cast a vote, whether for Labour or another party.

"For those who have not chosen to vote we need to think again about how these people come back to vote in the future... to think about the hope that should exist in politics".

Labour won one of their 27 Welsh seats in Llanelli, although with just a small majority over the Reform party.

Resident Faith Higgon, 20, says: "A lot of people have said they want Reform as we've had a Labour government [in Wales] for a while.

"People my age, surprisingly actually, have voted Reform."

Reform didn't gain any seats in Wales, but came second in 13 seats and took a 16.9% vote share overall.

Faith, who wasn't able to vote because of an application issue, says she wasn't surprised by the UK-wide result.

"A lot of people my age want change," she says.

Meanwhile, Glenys Davies, 73, says: "Businesses are struggling, kids are struggling.

"The way it's going, if things don't change, people will go for something different."

'While Labour celebrate, there are questions to answer'published at 13:23 British Summer Time 5 July 2024

13:23 BST 5 July 2024

There's been a change overnight with the Conservatives being wiped out as resurgent Labour take control in Wales as part of their UK general election landslide.

Rosie Mercer
BBC News

Image source, Getty/BBC

There are 13 new MPs in Wales, representing Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems.

Among the most interesting is Torsten Bell, the new Labour MP for Swansea West, who has been touted as the rising star of the party despite claims that he was "parachuted" into the constituency.

There's also Kanishka Narayan, the new Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan, who has become the first ethnic minority MP in Wales after ousting the former Conservative Welsh secretary Alun Cairns.

You can read more about all of Wales' new MPs here.

Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies says he wishes new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer well as he enters No 10.

"Our great country deserves effective leadership, and I say with utmost sincerity that I hope he succeeds," he says

"Britain wins if he does."

After walking into Downing Street with the cheers of supporters and a smattering of Welsh flags, Sir Kier Starmer says he's just accepted an invitation from the King to form the next government.

"Now our country has voted decisively for change and a return of politics to public service," he has said in front of No 10.

"Whether you voted Labour or not - in fact especially if you did not - I say to you directly my government will serve you.

"Politics can be a force for good. We will show that.

"We have changed the Labour Party, returned it to service that is how we will govern. Country first, party second."

The new prime minister continues by talking of the need for a "reset".

He says one of the strengths of the nation has been its ability to navigate to "calmer water" - but says this depends on politicians.

Labour took nine additional seats in Wales as part of the party's UK landslide.

It means the party holds 27 of Wales' 32 seats in Westminster, after a night that saw the Conservatives wiped out.

The party has been celebrating its overnight success in Monmouth, with First Minister Vaughan Gething in attendance.

Image source, Reuters

Sir Keir Starmer is on his way to Downing Street after being confirmed as prime minister.

Here he is meeting the King at Buckingham Palace.

A former Conservative spin doctor says the party has not lost seats to the "right in general".

Guto Harri, who was director of communication for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, tells BBC Radio 5 Live that seats have been lost to the Lib Dems and to Labour".

"Anyone who draws the opposite conclusion is deluded."

Ex-Labour leader Neil Kinnock took aim at George Galloway on the BBC's overnight election coverage, labelling him "repulsive" and a "chancer".

Veteran left-winger Mr Galloway lost the Rochdale seat he won only four months ago in a by-election victory.

The Workers Party of Britain founder - and a former Labour MP until 2003 - did not attend the count at Rochdale Leisure Centre to hear the general election result.

Use our election postcode checker to find the general election results in your area.

In Wales, all Conservative seats have been wiped out, as Labour made significant gains, with four seats for Plaid Cymru and a seat for the Lib Dems.

The Conservatives had a total wipe out in Wales for the first time since 2001 and for just the third time since World War Two.

The party had won 14 seats at the 2019 election but lost them all.

The share of the overall vote dropped to 18.2%, with Reform UK not far behind on 16.9%.

Steve Duffy
BBC Wales

Here's a slightly different way of looking at the political map of Wales.

The hex map shows how Labour is dominating the south - from Monmouthshire to Llanelli - as well as taking previously Conservative seats in the north east.

Plaid Cymru have added two seats and the Lib Dems have Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe.

"Delivering sustainable growth" should be a priority for the UK's new Labour government, according to Ian Price, director of employers group CBI Wales.

He says Labour's landslide victory has given Sir Keir Starmer "a clear mandate to take the tough decisions needed to get the economy firing on all cylinders".

"Business stands ready to bring its innovation, ideas, and investment to make that shared mission a reality," says Mr Price.

"What firms need now is a government that’s ready to hit the ground running."

After that speech from Rishi Sunak, let's have a look at some of the major casualties his party have suffered here:

• Wales' most senior Tory David TC Davies loses his seat after 19 years, becoming first sitting Welsh Secretary to be ousted since the post was created in 1964
• Chief Whip Simon Hart another has also lost his seat
• Former Welsh Secretaries Stephen Crabb and Alun Cairns lose their seats too
• Another former Welsh secretary Robert Buckland also lost in Swindon South
• Former aide to Rishi Sunak, Craig Williams, who lost the party's backing after being embroiled in the betting scandal lost Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr