Eluned Morgan marks one year as Welsh First Minister

Eluned Morgan says her government has delivered what people in Wales want, since taking over as the nation’s first female First Minister a year ago today.

In a post on her social media channels, the FM said: “One year ago, I became your First Minister, and I made a promise to listen, to learn and to deliver on the things that matter most to you.

“You were clear: Wales needs action – not more words – on four big things: health, jobs, homes and transport.

“We’ve invested record sums in the NHS, with the number of people waiting longer than two years for treatment falling by more than half over the past 12 months. We’re creating Women’s Health Hubs in every health board area by next spring, and we’ve worked with unions and employers to improve pay and conditions for social care staff.”

Welsh businesses

She continued: “We’ve helped create more than 40,000 jobs this Senedd term so far, backed Welsh businesses, and secured one of the biggest rises in inward investment anywhere in the UK. Right across the country, regeneration projects are transforming town centres, and we’re investing three times more in arts venues than a decade ago.

“We’ve unlocked land, backed new housing and protected over 4,600 homes and businesses from flooding. Every primary school pupil in Wales now gets a free school meal and we’ve put an extra £262 million into schools, giving every child the best start in life.

“The completion of the Heads of the Valleys road is speeding up journeys and unlocking new investment. We’ve fixed thousands of potholes, invested hundreds of millions to make our roads safer and most journeys are now on new trains. We’ve invested £110m in better buses, safer school routes, £1 bus fares for young people and more EV charging points.

“This past year, I’ve stuck to the promise I made to listen, to learn and to deliver. But we’re not done yet. There’s still more to do, more voices to hear and more communities to back.

“Together, we can build a stronger, fairer, more connected Wales.”

Stubborn

Opposition parties have taken a much less positive view of the last 12 months.

Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan said the First Minister has not only failed to improve public services, but has been stubborn to new ideas to tackle the challenges facing Wales and has failed to stand up to the UK Labour government over policies which disproportionately impact Wales.

She 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. This is not how things should be.

“And yet, the First Minister has been stubborn to new ideas – such as Plaid Cymru’s calls to introduce a child payment proven instrumental in tackling child poverty levels in Scotland. It’s clear that this Labour government is out of ideas, out of time and Wales will only see change when Labour’s First Minister is out of office.

“Not only has she failed to deliver better public services, but she has failed to stand up to Starmer every time: on HS2, disability benefit cuts, winter fuel payments, the Crown Estate – I could go on.

“Today’s anniversary makes it clear that Wales needs a new government with fresh ideas and ambition to put Wales first, always.”

‘Clapped out’

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Darren Millar MS, said: “One year on and nothing has changed. Whether it’s 20mph speed limits slowing Wales down, or Labour’s plans to waste £120 million on more politicians in the Senedd, the same old problems remain. Our NHS is broken, our education standards have slipped, and our wages are the worst in Britain.

“Whether it’s under the leadership of Mark Drakeford, Vaughan Getting or Eluned Morgan, this clapped-out Labour Government has run out of ideas, and is rapidly running out of road.

“The current First Minister has proven that she doesn’t have answers to undo the damage her party has done over the past 26 years. Only the Welsh Conservatives can and will fix Wales.”