Welsh Labour leader accused of ‘giving up’ after skipping leaders debate
Emily Price
First Minister Eluned Morgan has been accused of “giving up” on the Senedd election after she chose to host a Facebook live stream instead of taking part in a televised debate with Welsh party leaders.
On Thursday (April 16), the BBC aired a special Question Time Senedd election programme live from Cardiff ahead of the May 7 vote.
Leaders from Wales’ main parties took part in the show, including Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth, Welsh Conservative Darren Millar, Reform UK’s Dan Thomas, Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds and the Green Party’s Welsh leader Anthony Slaughter.
However, Labour’s leader in Wales, First Minister Eluned Morgan did not take part, with Deputy Leader Huw Irranca-Davies answering questions in her place.
During the panel discussion, leaders were pressed by a live studio audience on issues such as taxes, the Welsh NHS, the cost of independence and education.
Reform’s Dan Thomas hit out at Morgan accusing her of skipping the show because she had “bottled it”.
Presenter Fiona Bruce pressed Irranca-Davies on why Welsh Labour’s leader didn’t want to take part.
He said Baroness Morgan was “busy out campaigning” and added that, as her deputy, he was stepping in on her behalf.
During the live television broadcast, the First Minister appeared to be at home hosting a question and answer session on the environment via Facebook live.
In a post to Facebook alongside the live video feed, she wrote: “There’s been a huge number of questions submitted in RE: the environment and I’ll be addressing as many as I can over the next half hour.
“The level of engagement on this has been fantastic and it really shows how deeply people care about our rivers, our wildlife & how we move towards cleaner energy.”
‘Giving up’
During the half hour session, the Ceredigion Penfro Senedd election candidate answered questions about climate change, recycling, cleaner energy, extreme weather and pollution.
Opposition politicians hit out over Morgan’s absence accusing the Welsh Labour leader of “giving up”.
A Welsh Labour spokesperson argued that Morgan had been “travelling all over the country campaigning as leader” and had taken part in “multiple TV debates and interviews” including BBC Ask the Leader the previous night.
The spokesperson added: “Having come back from north Wales she took the opportunity to speak to constituents.
“Any party criticising a candidate for talking to voters is clearly confused about how an election works.”
Significant
The May 7 vote is expected to be the most significant since the dawn of devolution in 1999 with an end to Labour’s dominance in Wales predicted by recent polls.
An ITV Wales opinion poll published in March predicted that Morgan is on course to lose her own seat in Ceredgion Penfro.
Plaid Cymru accused the First Minister of “giving up on Wales” ahead of the May 7 vote.
A Plaid Cymru source said: “All party leaders were on Question Time last night except Eluned Morgan who chose instead to do a Facebook Live.
“Is the First Minister embarrassed of her Government’s record on the things that matter to the people of Wales, or could she simply not be bothered?
“Either way, it’s clear that Labour’s time is up, and they know it – they’ve given up on Wales.
“The upcoming Senedd election is a two-horse race between new leadership with Plaid Cymru or chaos and division with Reform, that is the decision the people of Wales have to make on 7 May.”
The Welsh Liberal Democrats also hit out at the FM.
A spokesperson for the Lib Dems said: “Eluned Morgan should have been fronting up to voters, answering questions and defending Labour’s record, not hiding on a Facebook livestream while others took part in a national debate.
“People across Wales are frustrated with years of missed targets, rising waiting lists and a government that too often looks like it’s run out of ideas. Dodging scrutiny only reinforces that sense that Labour no longer has the answers.
“With several polls suggesting the Liberal Democrats could win the final seat in Ceredigion Penfro, meaning Eluned Morgan may not be re-elected, we will be fighting hard to offer voters a real alternative: one that fixes public services, grows the economy and finally delivers the change Wales needs.”
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A lot of issues go far beyond politicians. I am currently traveling Crewe to Swansea. When I changed trains in Cardiff I asked the train manager why there were no Welsh language announcements on the train and was told the PA system was not working; I then asked why she did not come thought the train to tell everybody in Welsh – she replied that she does not speak Welsh. This is outrageous that TfW is not employing bilingual staff in customer facing roles. I am now on a Great Western Train that has zero Welsh language announcements. The question… Read more »
Eluned Morgan’s recent utterances seem to me to convey a tacit weary resignation that, for now at least, she knows that Labour’s star has irretrievably waned in Wales. They’ve been ‘top dogs’ here, politically speaking, for 103 years, and the reality is that they can’t reasonably assume that status must last for ever!
Having said that, having her deputy – an effective campaigner – speak for the party on ‘Question Time’ isn’t any sort of total cop-out. Declining to participate at all would be another matter entirely!
I’m afraid that someone informed her of the Tuesday night S4C program Ysbyty Dim Lle . As a previous health minister and her lame excuse on Wednesday night she was not going to face the hostile cross examination from those on Question Time
Huw Irranca-Davies showed himself to be a lightweight. He seemed wholly unprepared and couldn’t address the most straightforward question. It was an absolutely shocking display from the govt no. 2. He was marginally better than the shambling Green Slaughter. I fear his performance will have killed off a number of chances for the Greens to win some seats. All of them were pretty poor. Dan Thomas looked like a cocksure slick Tory, scattergunned everybody but said absolutely nothing. Rhun Ap Iorwerth looked like he was terrified and struggled to put any coherent points across until talking about young people leaving.… Read more »
Shameful political cowardice by Morgan – labour should have been empty chaired (not allowed to send a stooge in her place). Wonder if she’ll bother to show up to the live ITV Wales debate on Sunday?
Wanting to say this tactfully, but she looks like she needs to step away for a few days and recharge. It’s clearly a stressful time with many hours away from family. Those saying she ‘bottled it’ should be ashamed, she’s first minister and stood up when labour was probably at their nadir in WG. Her podcast either Campbell and Rory Stewart shows she’s clearly a good person, as the vast majority of our politicians are. As for the QT debate, I’m afraid it added absolutely nothing – really no one said anything enlightening or interesting. It really wasn’t worth staying… Read more »
She ought to have been there although those that did turn up, all 6, were lacking in ability to convince. Sadly, that is the choice that confronts us early next month. Take your pick from a mixed bag of poor quality goods.