Eluned Morgan in explosive FMQs debut
Emily Price
Eluned Morgan has blasted opposition party leaders in the Senedd in an explosive FMQs debut telling them to “go to Westminster” if they want to question Keir Starmer.
The Baroness of Ely dubbed herself the “captain of the ship” on Tuesday (September 17) as politicians gathered in the Welsh Parliament for the first time since the summer recess began in July.
Leader of the Senedd Tories Andrew RT Davies sat speechless as the newly installed FM hit back at his questions on the UK Government’s plans to strip 10 million pensioners of their winter fuel payments.
The controversial policy is expected to affect over 400,000 households in Wales.
The Tory leader said: “It is not too late. Will you write to the Chancellor and implore the Prime Minister to rescind this policy decision and put that money back onto pensioners pockets this winter so they can keep themselves warm?”
Ms Morgan told Mr Davies to go to Westminster if he wanted to ask the Prime Minister questions about the actions of his government.
She said: “I’m not going to come here week in and week out to respond to questions that should appropriately be given to Keir Starmer. If you want to go ask Keir Starmer, you should have gone to Westminster.”
Apology
The First Minister went on to demand an apology from Mr Davies for the “mess” the previous Conservative government had made of the UK.
Shouting across the Chamber and banging the desk, she said: “Where’s your apology?Where’s your apology? I tell you what, you want to hold me to account? You can hold me to account on what happens in this Chamber.
“But the responsibility for fixing the mess that you left remains with Keir Starmer.”
Plaid Cymru’s Leader Rhun ap Iorwereth also used his time on the floor to quiz the First Minister on Labour’s winter fuel payment cuts.
Baroness Morgan told him he should have stuck with his “plan A” and gone into Westminster.
Mr ap Iorwerth urged the First Minister’s party to “stand up to its London masters” and “fight for Wales”.
He said: “I’m being critised by the First Minister for demanding for Wales what Wales needs in terms of fair funding. It’s the Labour Party that told us everything would be rosey in the garden as soon as we had a Labour Government in Westminster – and now we have.”
The First Minister said that if every time something changes in Westminster she’s expected to “fill a hole” then they won’t “get very far”.
Baroness Morgan’s first FMQs session marks a new chapter for Welsh Labour following a string of controversies surrounding her predecessor Vaughan Gething who stepped down in July.
His time in office was marked by a series of rows over donations to his leadership camping from a convicted polluter, Covid-era text messages and his decision to sack one of his junior ministers.
Mr Gething was not offered a place in his successor’s Cabinet and says he will stand down at the next Senedd election.
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I thought everything would be sweetness and light when we had Labour in Westminster and Labour in the Senedd? Turns out, there is now no one to blame!
Not the cushy little number she expected. Shifty Starmer and his deviant crew will do things that poor little Barreness Eluned can’t explain away with a round of “it’s them wicked Tory barstewards, innit luv”. She and the Bay mob have no one to blame but themselves and their big bruvvers up in London.
The SNP probably can’t believe their luck in having support for Scottish Indy revived by Starmer robbing pensioners of their winter fuel payments. The fabled clear red water between Cardiff Bay and Westminster will freeze to ice in the minds of ripped off chilly Labour voters as they reject the party for the Senedd 2026 election.
Seems like the “gotcha” didn’t work out. Far rather both opposition leaders tackled what happens in the Senedd, NHS is rather important, along with dentistry and social care. Did Davies tackle Johnson and the Lettuce and Sunak for their ruining of the country? No? Did he tackle them on food banks? No? Energy costs? He gave Johnson a free pass despite the evidence and Johnsons background until the Sue Gary report was out then went quiet. Supported Johnson, the Lettuce and Sunak to the hilt. Well, there we are. Disingenuous oik with a tub he like to bang on demand… Read more »
There’s no point in blaming and shaming the nasty Tory government et al they’ve got zero commitment to improving Cymru’s situation within the UK. The Labour party isn’t much better. Cymru’s a source of MPs but that little bitty lever has gone with the “super” majority Labour now has. The Labourpartyinwales should be, if even just for appearances sake, going head to head with Starmerlabour on behalf of the people of Cymru. However Eluned Morgan et al are basically Starmer’s people in Western Britain. They will do what they’re told and probably more for the Party. Eluned’s hissy fit might… Read more »
Don’t mess with the Morgan she is a bad arse
In other words, since the Westminster election is now over, London forgets about Wales as it always does and Welsh Labour washes its hands clean and evades responsibility as it always does…
Duckin’ and divin’ so low she’ll be in a permanent state of breakdance !
She gives the boys a scolding, but when it comes to apologies, where is your’s First Mate, for the thousands of bereaved…
@smug, smirk and anger management…facial.recognition and body language consultants…
Mr RT D has a new hairdryer and Rhun is up against Rank and Privilege in spades…
It is now proven that Labour and Conservative are 2 sides of the same top-down monopoly imperialist system.
Can you trust this labour FM to put Cymru Cymru first and party second ?
Where does her loyalty lay as the ‘Baroness of Ely’ ?
We only have Plaid Cymru to speak for CYMRU.
Plaid Cymru – The party of Wales has one loyalty – that is to the peoples of Cymru.
Voted for plaid for the first time this year.
Aristocratic leaders of the Labour party, who would have thought it?