Eluned Morgan ‘is equally as weakened’ as Keir Starmerpublished at 13:52 GMT
13:52 GMT
Image source, Senedd CymruImage caption,
Following lack month’s sacking by Conservative group leader Darren Millar of his shadow health secretary James Evans for talking to Reform – a party he has since joined – the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru have 13 members each in the Senedd.
So the two parties now take turns to ask the first leader’s questions to the first minister.
Plaid Cymru goes first today.
Rhun ap Iorwerth says, “The prime minister appointed Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the United States, despite knowing of his continued relationship with Epstein. That is not the level of judgment one would expect of a prime minister”.
He asks, “does the first minister agree with me on that? And assuming that she does, why didn’t she come out and say so publicly immediately?”
Eluned Morgan replies, “Keir Starmer was elected with a clear mandate to be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and I support him in the job that he was elected to do? When Labour succeeds in government, the people of Wales become better off, and that is my key concern. My job as first minister is to improve the lives of people in Wales, not to provide a running commentary on Westminster politics. I have never been a fan of Peter Mandelson. I never felt that he held the same kind of values as we do in Welsh Labour. The recent revelations that he shared sensitive government information with somebody who could benefit financially I think was a low that many people hadn’t expected. But also, of course, what is important now is that Keir Starmer takes this opportunity to refocus the issues relating to Epstein on to the women and girls who have been abused. That’s where the focus needs to be and that’s where the focus needs to stay. I think that the prime minister is an honourable man, he’s committed to public service, and I think that he wants to do right by the country.”
Rhun ap Iorwerth adds, “her attack on Peter Mandelson is no doubt justified; her continued defence of the prime minister, of course, raises more questions. And whatever the depths of chaos in Downing Street, the first minister’s record is one of, ultimately, defaulting to supporting Keir Starmer. But here’s a first minister not knowing, on this occasion, which way to turn. Having failed to join the criticism of Keir Starmer yesterday, neither did she come out to defend him until a day later, with a statement this morning. But I guess that it was inevitable that she would in the end.”
Eluned Morgan replies, “I am focused on the needs of the people of this country. I do not jump up in the middle of a Cabinet meeting to respond to issues going on in Westminster. That is not the way you run a country”.
Rhun ap Iorwerth claims “the real reason why the first minister is so passive when it comes to passing judgments on the prime minister is because she is equally as weakened as he is. She has invested so much political capital in supporting him she can’t back down now.”
On Tuesday morning, Eluned Morgan said in a statement that she backs Sir Keir Starmer remaining as prime minister, saying “the country needs stability in an age of instability”.
But in her statement Morgan also called the Lord Mandelson scandal “deeply troubling” and that “once again, the voices of women and girls were ignored”.
It comes a day after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for Sir Keir to resign, after which Morgan was criticised for remaining silent as Sir Keir battled to shore up his premiership.
UK cabinet ministers, including the Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, responded to Sarwar’s call by offering their support to the prime minister.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,
Eluned Morgan, seen here with Sir Keir Starmer at the 2025 Labour conference, was silent on the future of Sir Keir Starmer yesterday