Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan has urged voters not to punish her party for frustration with Westminster in the upcoming Senedd elections, which could end Labour's 27-year grip on power in Wales. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror on Barry Island, the First Minister sought to distance herself from the UK government, insisting: 'Keir Starmer is not standing in this election, I am.'
Labour's Fight for Survival
With polls suggesting historic losses for Labour's election-winning machine, Ms Morgan warned that backing rival parties like Reform or Plaid Cymru could jeopardise public services. 'If people are frustrated with what's happening up in Westminster, this is not the time to send a message, because it could impact on your public services for four years,' she said. 'You might feel better for five minutes, but it's not going to change things.'
The election on May 7 is shaping up to be a make-or-break moment for Welsh Labour, which holds the world record for its 104-year winning streak. Reform and Plaid Cymru are both posing serious threats, with Plaid's Rhun ap Iorwerth leading in some polls for the position of First Minister.
Drawing a Line with Westminster
Ms Morgan has increasingly pursued a 'Red Welsh Way', breaking with the UK government on winter fuel payments, disability benefit cuts, and the two-child benefit cap. She compared the split to the TV show 'Gavin and Stacey', saying: 'We're part of the same family, but there'll be differences between us because of where we come from and what's appropriate for our geographic areas.'
When asked about the Peter Mandelson scandal dominating headlines, she expressed frustration: 'It hasn't been helpful, but we've kept trying to bring the focus back to issues that matter to Welsh people.' She added: 'I will always be true to our values. Our values would mean that we would never have appointed somebody like Peter Mandelson.'
Criticism of Rivals
Ms Morgan reserved her sharpest criticism for Reform UK, which she has ruled out working with. 'Reform would represent a huge step that would really start to challenge our communities. They're interested in creating divisions, not in bringing people together. Those are not Welsh values,' she said.
She also expressed concerns about her own party's immigration plans, which would extend the wait for indefinite leave to remain to 15 years. 'We've got to think through the implications and the knock-on effect for our public services,' she noted.
A Personal Battle
Ms Morgan faces a tough fight to hold her own marginal seat in Ceredigion Penfro. 'I've always fought in a marginal seat. It would have been the easiest thing in the world for me to go and get a nice, safe seat as a party leader. That's not who I am,' she said.
During a campaign stop, she accidentally told Labour members to vote for Plaid Cymru while speaking Welsh, but quickly recovered with a cheerful attitude. Voter Emlyn Skym, 80, interrupted her interview to express disbelief that people were forgetting about austerity under the Tories.
Final Appeal
In her closing message, Ms Morgan urged voters to be cautious: 'Be very careful with their vote, because there are real risks involved here. The services that they've relied on for many years may not be there for them in future, because other political parties are promising things that are un-costed and undeliverable.'
She added: 'We know that this is the most challenging election we've ever faced, and that people are really struggling. But now is not the time to take a risk. The world is a really unstable place. Oil prices are still going up. Petrol prices are affecting people's abilities to pay their bills. So we need to make them recognise that instability is not good in the face of the global instability we're facing.'
