This article was written by Steven Morris, for The Guardian on Tuesday 10th May 2011 12.56 UTC

Labour is to go it alone to form a government in the Welsh assembly, its leader, Carwyn Jones, has announced.

Welsh Labour took half of the assembly’s 60 seats at last week’s election, triggering speculation that it would forge an agreement with one of the other parties.

But after a meeting of Labour’s assembly group, Jones said despite lacking an overall majority it would form an administration.

Jones said Labour “clearly won this election” but there would be no “triumphalism or tribalism” from his party. He said talks would continue with the other parties over the coming weeks and months.

Speculation had grown about Labour governing with the Liberal Democrats. But the Lib Dems’ coalition with the Tories at Westminster – which Labour attacked fiercely during the assembly election campaign – appears to have made that option too difficult.

Labour has governed in coalition with Plaid over the last four years but the nationalists’ poor showing last week – it ended up with four fewer seats – always made the renewal of such a relationship less likely. Some Plaid members believe they lost ground partly because they have been a junior party in a coalition.

Flanked by Labour assembly members, Jones said there had been a “period of reflection” over the weekend and discussions within the party and with other parties.

He said: “As a result of these discussions I will seek to form a government later this week consisting solely of Labour ministers.”

He said Labour would not pretend to hold all the answers. All four main political parties had produced manifestos “that were full of new ideas and fresh perspectives”, he said.

Labour has governed with 30 members before, under the leadership of Rhodri Morgan.

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