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Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan positions herself as representative of a “new generation” within the Labour Party as it prepares for the upcoming Senedd election. With the party having governed Wales for nearly three decades, it now faces significant challenges in maintaining power. Of the current 29 Labour Members of Senedd (MSs), 14 have announced they will not seek re-election in May, signaling a major shift in the party’s composition. Morgan, who has served as a Labour Member of the European Parliament since 1994 and became an MS in 2016, emphasized that the incoming team will pursue a fresh agenda in Cardiff Bay.
Opposition parties, including Plaid Cymru, Reform UK, and the Conservatives, promise change and aim to form the Welsh government for the first time. They question Labour’s claims of offering new ideas, highlighting areas such as healthcare and education where they believe Labour has fallen short despite its long tenure. Complicating matters for Labour are recent public disputes between its representatives at the Welsh and UK levels concerning funding allocations and proposals for further devolution. During an end-of-year interview with BBC Wales conducted at Welsh government headquarters in Cardiff, Morgan addressed these internal tensions and outlined her vision for the party moving forward.
When questioned about the “new generation” she refers to, Morgan acknowledged the significant contributions of senior figures like Mark Drakeford and Jane Hutt but explained these leaders are stepping down. She expressed her commitment to collaborating with a fresh cohort of experienced and talented candidates who will shape a different future. “This is a brand new team that is going to be facing the public in the future. It’s a team that is looking to the future with hope, that is going to be setting a very different agenda,” she stated. Morgan also criticized other parties, warning voters against supporting Nigel Farage’s Reform UK due to concerns over handling the Welsh government’s £27 billion budget and opposing Plaid Cymru due to its pursuit of independence, which she argues could deter investment. She framed Labour as the stable choice amid uncertain times.
The party itself has experienced a difficult year. Alongside Morgan, prominent figures including former First Minister Vaughan Gething and current Health Secretary Jeremy Miles will not contest the next election. Labour also suffered a notable defeat in the Caerphilly by-election, where it finished third behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. The Welsh government’s ambitions for greater powers, such as control over the Crown Estate, policing, youth justice, and parts of HS2 rail funding, remain unfulfilled—issues Morgan raised in her “Red Welsh Way” speech earlier in the year. Despite these setbacks, Morgan noted some positive developments, highlighting recent UK government decisions like scrapping the two-child benefits cap, adjusting winter fuel payment reforms, and confirming plans for a nuclear power station on Anglesey. Funding announcements for Welsh railways were made too, although opposition parties criticized these as insufficient.
Tensions within Labour have also surfaced, with 11 backbench MSs expressing frustration toward the UK government’s ongoing management of funds previously provided through the EU, as well as the unmet devolution demands. Morgan maintained she shares the concerns of her backbench colleagues and emphasized her direct approach in communicating with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, dismissing the idea that her team is undermining her leadership. Meanwhile, Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford called for the repeal of the UK Internal Market Act, which permits UK ministers to intervene in devolved funding decisions. Morgan expressed that, although the current situation is better than during previous Conservative governments, her party opposes the Internal Market Act’s use in Wales and prefers open dialogue over formal letters when addressing such issues.
Responses from other parties have been dismissive of Morgan’s claims. Senedd Conservative leader Darren Millar criticized her longstanding tenure in politics, branding her as hardly part of a “new generation.” He argued that after nearly 27 years of Labour rule, supported at times by Plaid and the Liberal Democrats, Wales is in crisis, suggesting only the Conservatives have viable solutions. A Reform UK spokesperson echoed this sentiment, describing Labour’s legacy as one of failure and asserting that a meaningful break from traditional parties is needed. They suggested that with Plaid Cymru aligned with Labour, Reform represents the only real path to change
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