First Minister sets out priorities for her government

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

Wales’ new First Minister Eluned Morgan vowed to focus on the issues that matter most to people as she outlined the Welsh Government’s priorities.

Baroness Morgan, who took the reins in August after Vaughan Gething was forced to resign, promised to prioritise health, education and the economy ahead of the next election in 2026.

She said her new-look Welsh Government has spent the summer listening to people in every corner of Wales, helping to shape her plans.

She told the Senedd: “Health and social care, particularly addressing those long waiting times for treatment, are the top priorities.

“There’s also a strong desire for us to make faster progress on improving education standards, and in creating jobs and growing the economy over the next 18 months.”

The first minister stressed that delivery, accountability and improved productivity will be the watchwords of her administration over the next 18 months.

‘Struggling’

Baroness Morgan, who was health secretary for three years before taking the top job, vowed to cut long NHS waits, including in mental health, and improve access to social care.

She told the chamber: “In Torfaen, young women told me they wanted more support for mental health and women’s health issues, like period pains and endometriosis.

“The business community and housing developers in our capital city told me they wanted to see a speed up of the planning process.

“In Brecon, I was told school standards need to be raised, and many across Wales told me how they were struggling to pay their rent. One man told me his family was delaying having a second child due to worries over the rising costs….

“In the valleys, people called for better public transport links. In Connah’s Quay nearly every conversation was about the need to fix the roads.

“These conversations and many others like them have helped define this government’s priorities. We are listening. We can’t do everything, so we are setting priorities.”

‘Black hole’

She recognised concerns about the roll-out of 20 mph as protesters once again gathered on the Senedd steps, accusing ministers of ignoring nearly 500,000 who signed a petition.

Baroness Morgan cautioned that tough decisions lie ahead due to a £22bn “black hole” in the UK’s finances which she claimed was left by the previous Conservative government.

“I know that this won’t be easy,” she warned. “And I know the damage that 14 years of Conservative mismanagement has done to the UK’s public finances.

“As Nye Bevan, the founder of the NHS, said: ‘The language of priorities is the religion of socialism.’ That’s what we’re going to do in government.

“Today, we have the best opportunity in more than 14 years to realise our ambitions.”

The first minister, who was appointed six weeks ago, hailed a new dawn – with a “partnership of power” between two Labour governments at either end of the M4.

In closing, she vowed: “We have listened, we have learned – and we will deliver.”

‘Light on detail’

Andrew RT Davies claimed it was the seventh such statement on priorities in the past year, saying it was the lightest on detail since he was elected more than a decade ago.

The leader of the Conservative opposition warned: “It’s no wonder those charged with delivering this … really don’t know which way to turn.”

Mr Davies criticised the first minister for “taking aim” at NHS chief executives in a BBC Wales interview, saying she appointed six of seven health board bosses.

The Tory pointed out that the Welsh Government has so far missed every target in its 2022 blueprint to reduce waiting lists.

“We’ve heard it all before,” he told the Senedd. “Time and time again, Labour ministers have come to this chamber to say that waiting lists are the priority.

“Well, the proof is in the pudding – waiting lists are going up here in Wales.”

Mr Davies also called for investment in universities and action to tackle “stubbornly high” school absenteeism rates in some of the poorest parts of Wales.

‘Summer of silence’

Rhun ap Iorwerth called the first minister’s statement “very, very thin” and claimed the Welsh Government wasted five weeks before appointing a permanent cabinet,

Plaid Cymru’s leader criticised a “summer of silence” from Wales’ new first minister, describing the listening exercise as a public relations stunt.

He said: “The result of the exercise … surprise, surprise was that health, education and the economy were the top priorities.

“Goodness me, if a party that’s been leading the Welsh Government for 25 years hadn’t realised those were the priorities then we’re in deeper trouble with Labour than I thought.”

Mr ap Iorwerth attacked the first minister’s “unwillingness” to fight Wales’ corner.

He said: “On the Barnett formula, HS2 consequences, on devolving the Crown Estate, justice and policing, Labour’s message to Wales is ‘no, no, no.”

Mr ap Iorwerth suggested the well of “clear-red water” between Welsh and UK Labour is beginning to run dry.