Keir Starmer declines to say Welsh Labour is blueprint for power

Mark Drakeford and Keir Starmer at this year's Welsh Labour conference, in Llandudno

Sir Keir Starmer has twice declined to repeat his previous claim that Welsh Labour was his "blueprint" for power.

Speaking ahead of the Labour Party conference, he admitted that he "can't pretend" there are not challenges in his relationship with the Welsh Labour government.

But he said there was a lot in Wales that he "was proud of".

Welsh Labour's recent 20mph law has drawn fierce criticism and a record-breaking petition against it.

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Sir Keir was asked if the Welsh Labour government was still the "blueprint for what Labour could do in government across the UK".

It was a phrase he used at the Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno last year.

He chose not to repeat it, saying: "There is a lot of stuff going on in Wales that I am proud of, that the Welsh government is very proud of."

'Constant conflict'

Sir Keir's quote in Llandudno has been seized upon by the Conservatives who have warned, amongst other things, that it could lead to the introduction of a 20mph law across England, if Labour win the next general election.

Sir Keir said: "I don't think anybody watching this would suggest there aren't challenges.

"Of course, there are challenges. The question is how do we rise to those challenges? Are there different ways of doing this?

"An incoming Labour government would work with the Welsh government to overcome the challenges.

"What we've got at the moment is a Westminster government that just is in constant conflict with the Welsh government.

"In the end, that doesn't really help anybody.

"So I think it'd be a different mindset if you like, if we're able to win that general election."

A number of Welsh Labour MPs have expressed concerns in private about the 20mph law, which they fear could hit them on polling day.

One described it as throwing the "drowning" Tories "a lifeline", another called the new law "madness".

Sir Keir criticised the Conservatives for describing it as a "blanket" 20mph law.

Local councils in Wales have the power to exempt roads from the new limit.

He also appeared confused about the Welsh government's preferred term of "default law", telling BBC Wales that that was incorrect, even though it is the word the Welsh government uses.

Sir Keir said that 20mph was "a matter for the first minister", and that he was not going to "second guess" him.

He said that in England "local authorities"' and "local people" should decide where 20 zones should be.

He also revealed "his office" was in constant contact with the first minister and when pressed said he and Mr Drakeford spoke "quite frequently".

The first minister has been a long-standing and vocal critic of what he perceives as a lack of communication from the current UK Conservative government.

The Labour conference, in Liverpool, begins on Sunday.