Wales' Labour first minister says she'll call out Starmer

by Riley

Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan has said she will "call out" Labour in Westminster when it "gets it wrong for Wales".

In a major speech the Welsh Labour leader said she will "not stay silent" if Sir Keir Starmer's UK government takes decisions "we think will harm Welsh communities".

Referring to Gavin and Stacey, Morgan said what is right for Essex may not be right for Barry, the town that it was filmed in.

She called for UK ministers to halt part of its plans to cut disability benefits, rethink cuts to the winter fuel allowance, and demanded Wales benefit more from wind power via the Crown Estate.

Sir Keir Starmer said there would not be a rethink on winter fuel cuts, but that the government needed to "explain the decisions we've taken".

Meanwhile a poll published on Tuesday suggested that support for Labour among voters had fallen to a historic low.

It comes after the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, introduced changes to personal independence payments (PIP) and cuts to health-related universal credit during the Spring Statement.

Morgan told party members and politicians: "It's nation and the people of Wales before party for me."

The speech comes 12 months ahead of the next Senedd election, with Labour so far polling neck and neck with Plaid Cymru and Reform.

The Welsh Conservatives said it was a "last ditch, desperate attempt to save the Labour party's bacon".

Plaid Cymru said it was a "desperate attempt by a floundering first minister to reset her premiership".

Reform, which is hoping to win its first seats in the Senedd next year, said Labour was "more focused on slogans than solutions".

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