[1][2] This was because the second largest overall party, Plaid Cymru, had entered into government as part of the One Wales coalition with Welsh Labour.

[3] Bourne's Conservatives also participated in negotiations to enter a 'rainbow coalition' with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

These negotiations fell through after the Welsh Liberal Democrats failed to approve the agreement, with an internal vote resulting in a tie.

[5] In June 2008, the group was reshuffled to remove Alun Cairns from the Shadow Cabinet, after he described Italians as "greasy wops" on BBC Radio Cymru.

David Melding stood back from the Shadow Cabinet, with a focus on devising the Welsh Conservatives' Manifesto for 2011.

Andrew RT Davies would later become the leader of the Welsh Conservatives after a leadership contest, and form his own Shadow Cabinet.