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We know Labour has ‘challenge ahead’ before election, says Eluned Morgan

24 Jan 2026 2 minute read
First Minister Eluned Morgan – Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire

The First Minister has said her party faces a challenging few months ahead of the Senedd election in May.

Speaking at the launch of a manifesto commitment on Friday, Baroness Eluned Morgan said there are “a number of reasons” why the Labour Party is performing poorly in the polls.

A recent poll by YouGov for ITV Cymru Wales has forecast the lowest popularity for the party in Wales since devolution began, falling behind Plaid Cymru, Reform UK and the Greens.

Lady Morgan said: “We know that there’s a challenge ahead, and we know that what we need to do is give a forward offer.

“The Wales Labour Party is committed to public service, it is committed to making sure that the support is there, that the money is there.

“There are other parties who would slash our public services. That is not who we are.”

At a school in Ely, Cardiff, on Friday, the First Minister said school support staff would receive year-round pay if Labour leads the next Welsh government.

This would include teaching assistants, cooks, cleaners and caretakers, and is aimed at ensuring “fairness of opportunity” for school workers, she said.

“Today is about making sure that people realise we’re on their side,” Lady Morgan said.

Asked if she blames Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for Welsh Labour’s poor performance in the polls, the First Minister said: “There are a number of reasons why [Welsh Labour] are challenged at the moment.

“What is important is that we look to the future with hope, that people recognise that now is the time for a new chapter for Wales.

“For the first time, we are seeing more money coming into the Welsh Government after years of Tory cuts.

“This is a one-off moment of opportunity, a generational shift when it comes to the economy, in particular, boosting those jobs, creating new jobs, and using that extra money as a result of those new jobs to pay for our public services.”


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Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
13 hours ago

Still no word from the First Minister on President Frankenstein’s disrespect for our soldiers sacrifice in Afghanistan…

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
13 hours ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Labour First, Wales Second

She and they have to go,

Come on the ‘Separatists’…

Blinedig
Blinedig
3 minutes ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

As a former Labour supporter, it grieves me to agree with your comment, as traditionally Labour was of Cymru, and of Yr Alban. Not now. Yes please, bring on the separatists.

Gareth
Gareth
13 hours ago

The Wales Labour party can be as committed as much as it likes, to whatever it likes, and can even promise each citizen a gold Rolex each, if they are returned to power, however, as Labour MP’s have shown in the debate over rail devolution, they hold the power, and again have stated we will be staying as we are, with little to no investment, as we continue the “England and Wales” project regarding funding. Voting out of power unionist party’s in Cymru and using every legal challenge available to the way we are funded is the only way we… Read more »

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
10 hours ago

“We know Labour has a challenge ahead”, says Eluned Morgan. Now that’s an understatement. You are not a leader Eluned. Face the truth. A real leader stands up for Wales not doffs its cap and allows Whitehall to insult us to our face. That leader is waiting in the wings. Rhun Ap Iorwerth. As predicted Welsh Labour are beginning to empty its war chest with preelection goodies with the aid of Labour machine in London. Oh, but with with a caveat. You must reelect us first. Effectively it’s a thinly veiled threat. Sorry but it’s too late. It won’t work… Read more »

Padi Phillips
Padi Phillips
6 hours ago

We are all well aware that there are some political parties out there who would cut funding, and sadly one of them is polling significantly better than the other party of ideological austerity, with the added bonus of crytpo-fascism as well as leaning towards Trump. Labour is now a busted flush in Cymru, they had an opportunity, but successive Assembly and Senedd governments have blown it. However, there are also two parties there who would, if they could, go way beyond where Labour says it will go. Wasn’t it after all a Plaid Cymru policy that all children receive free… Read more »

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