This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c206zmj86mpo
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Eluned Morgan says she's facing the pressure after year as first minister | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Eluned Morgan took over as Wales' first minister last August | Eluned Morgan took over as Wales' first minister last August |
| First Minister Eluned Morgan says she is feeling the pressure as she gears up her party for the next Senedd election following her first year in the job. | First Minister Eluned Morgan says she is feeling the pressure as she gears up her party for the next Senedd election following her first year in the job. |
| Over the past few months polls have suggested Labour may lose its lead in a Welsh parliamentary election for the first time since the 1920s. | Over the past few months polls have suggested Labour may lose its lead in a Welsh parliamentary election for the first time since the 1920s. |
| Marking a year in charge, the Welsh Labour leader said she had a "historic responsibility" and knew when she took the job her party would be in for a "tough time". | Marking a year in charge, the Welsh Labour leader said she had a "historic responsibility" and knew when she took the job her party would be in for a "tough time". |
| Meanwhile she said the UK government was "probably" not listening to her at the time she made a landmark speech criticising Sir Keir Starmer's government. | Meanwhile she said the UK government was "probably" not listening to her at the time she made a landmark speech criticising Sir Keir Starmer's government. |
| Opposition parties have accused Morgan of "drift," "dithering" and "failure" in her first year on the job, claiming the "same old problems remain". | |
| Morgan took over her party after a tumultuous period, following the ousting of Vaughan Gething by senior figures in the Welsh government. | Morgan took over her party after a tumultuous period, following the ousting of Vaughan Gething by senior figures in the Welsh government. |
| Gething's short stint as first minister was dominated by a donation of £200,000 from a man previously convicted of illegally dumping waste to his preceding leadership campaign. | |
| Morgan was installed without a contest after other potential candidates ruled themselves out. | Morgan was installed without a contest after other potential candidates ruled themselves out. |
| Since then the first minister has sought to focus on a small list of priorities - particularly on reducing long NHS waits. | Since then the first minister has sought to focus on a small list of priorities - particularly on reducing long NHS waits. |
| Speaking to the BBC Wales podcast Walescast on Wednesday, Morgan said the longest waits were "definitely heading in the right direction". | |
| When it was pointed out to her that two-year waits had risen recently, she said there was a "particular problem" in the north Wales health board, Betsi Cadwaladr. | When it was pointed out to her that two-year waits had risen recently, she said there was a "particular problem" in the north Wales health board, Betsi Cadwaladr. |
| She said: "I am pulling my hair out. | She said: "I am pulling my hair out. |
| "But, look, we're all over them." | "But, look, we're all over them." |
| Morgan said the health board were getting some treatments "out into the independent sector, because you know what you're getting there", as well as opening a new orthopaedic hub. | Morgan said the health board were getting some treatments "out into the independent sector, because you know what you're getting there", as well as opening a new orthopaedic hub. |
| Figures released in July said those waiting more than two years went up by 6.5% on the previous month, to just under 10,300. | Figures released in July said those waiting more than two years went up by 6.5% on the previous month, to just under 10,300. |
| 'We have to remind people of what's at stake' | 'We have to remind people of what's at stake' |
| Morgan said Labour had to take the challenge facing the party seriously. | Morgan said Labour had to take the challenge facing the party seriously. |
| "I think we've got to remind people of what's at stake, things that they see every day in their lives, free prescriptions, free bus passes, free school meals. | "I think we've got to remind people of what's at stake, things that they see every day in their lives, free prescriptions, free bus passes, free school meals. |
| "Every time you win an election it gets more difficult for the time after, and of course, there's a historic responsibility, and there's a responsibility as the first woman leader as well. | |
| "So yeah, of course, I'm feeling the pressure." | "So yeah, of course, I'm feeling the pressure." |
| A significant moment in her term in office came in May, when Morgan delivered a speech in Cardiff Bay's Norwegian Church that was scathing of UK government policy. | A significant moment in her term in office came in May, when Morgan delivered a speech in Cardiff Bay's Norwegian Church that was scathing of UK government policy. |
| Dubbed by Morgan as the Red Welsh Way, the first minister promised to "call out" Labour in Westminster if ministers got "it wrong for Wales". | Dubbed by Morgan as the Red Welsh Way, the first minister promised to "call out" Labour in Westminster if ministers got "it wrong for Wales". |
| The first minister said the Welsh government had received more cash for coal tips and rail from the UK government. | The first minister said the Welsh government had received more cash for coal tips and rail from the UK government. |
| "So is it enough? No, I want more. I'll always want more, and I'm not going to apologise for that." | "So is it enough? No, I want more. I'll always want more, and I'm not going to apologise for that." |
| Morgan said she thought the UK government had "started sitting up and paying a bit more attention to us since I made the Red Welsh Way speech". | Morgan said she thought the UK government had "started sitting up and paying a bit more attention to us since I made the Red Welsh Way speech". |
| Asked if she made the speech because she was not being listened to at the time, Morgan said: "I think that that was probably the case at that time, but that is no longer the case. Since then the engagement has been transformed." | Asked if she made the speech because she was not being listened to at the time, Morgan said: "I think that that was probably the case at that time, but that is no longer the case. Since then the engagement has been transformed." |
| Morgan said she speaks to Sir Keir "at least once a month... probably more than any other first ministers had in the past". | Morgan said she speaks to Sir Keir "at least once a month... probably more than any other first ministers had in the past". |
| The Welsh Labour leader also defended her party's selection procedures, amid a row over how long the process is taking. | The Welsh Labour leader also defended her party's selection procedures, amid a row over how long the process is taking. |
| Morgan said it was slow because the party was "trying to make sure we do due diligence well". | |
| 'Internal political nonsense' | 'Internal political nonsense' |
| The first minister took over after months of bickering within her party. | The first minister took over after months of bickering within her party. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio Cymru podcast Gwleidydda with Vaughan Roderick, she said: "I think it's important that we concentrate on what's important to the people of Wales." | Speaking to BBC Radio Cymru podcast Gwleidydda with Vaughan Roderick, she said: "I think it's important that we concentrate on what's important to the people of Wales." |
| Morgan said she felt "hesitant" when she took the reins but things had "calmed down a lot" since then. | Morgan said she felt "hesitant" when she took the reins but things had "calmed down a lot" since then. |
| "I was confident I could fix that and quite quickly that's what happened," she said. | "I was confident I could fix that and quite quickly that's what happened," she said. |
| Morgan said Labour must concentrate on voters' priorities rather than "internal political nonsense". | |
| Responding to the suggestion people within Welsh Labour were briefing against one another, she said she "hated" that kind of politics. | Responding to the suggestion people within Welsh Labour were briefing against one another, she said she "hated" that kind of politics. |
| "I think we should rise above that, and I don't think there's a political split in the party," she added. | "I think we should rise above that, and I don't think there's a political split in the party," she added. |
| What have other parties said? | What have other parties said? |
| Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, Darren Millar, said: "One year on and nothing has changed. | Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, Darren Millar, said: "One year on and nothing has changed. |
| "Whether it's 20mph speed limits slowing Wales down, or Labour's plans to waste £120m on more politicians in the Senedd, the same old problems remain." | "Whether it's 20mph speed limits slowing Wales down, or Labour's plans to waste £120m on more politicians in the Senedd, the same old problems remain." |
| Plaid Cymru Senedd member Heledd Fychan said: "Eluned Morgan's first year as first minister is encapsulated by a record of failure: from missing her own target to eliminate two-year NHS treatment waits, to faltering educational outcomes and rising levels of poverty in our communities." | |
| Reform, which is hoping to win its first Senedd seats next May, said: "From day one, she promised leadership and delivery. What we got was drift, dithering, and distraction. | Reform, which is hoping to win its first Senedd seats next May, said: "From day one, she promised leadership and delivery. What we got was drift, dithering, and distraction. |
| "Public services are buckling, the economy is stagnant, and the people of Wales are being let down by a first minister more interested in headline-chasing than hard graft." | "Public services are buckling, the economy is stagnant, and the people of Wales are being let down by a first minister more interested in headline-chasing than hard graft." |
| Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said it was "fantastic" Wales had a female first minister and leading a party "was harder when you're a woman". | Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said it was "fantastic" Wales had a female first minister and leading a party "was harder when you're a woman". |
| "But the thing I've been thinking about a lot is that she doesn't stand up to Keir Starmer," she said. | "But the thing I've been thinking about a lot is that she doesn't stand up to Keir Starmer," she said. |
| "She promised to do that. She promised to make sure Wales' voice was strong and I don't see that." | "She promised to do that. She promised to make sure Wales' voice was strong and I don't see that." |