In an extraordinary exchange at the Senedd, First Minister Eluned Morgan lashed out at the Welsh Conservatives, accusing them of “just making stuff up”. She specifically targeted the Tories, urging them to inform their associates at The Telegraph that the information they publish is false. The tension arose during the weekly First Minister’s Questions, where Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies raised concerns about reports claiming the Welsh government intended to transfer Welsh patients awaiting NHS treatment to England.
The allegations surfaced just before the Conservative Party conference in Liverpool and were presented to Mrs. Morgan on the day of her conference speech. Despite initially expressing openness to the idea of Welsh patients seeking treatment in England if it expedited their care, she could not provide specifics about how such a plan would function when pressed by Davies. Health Minister Jeremy Miles later clarified that Wales operates under a distinct healthcare system that does not align with the reported narrative.
When Davies revisited the topic on October 8, questioning the inconsistency between statements made by Mrs. Morgan and the Health Secretary regarding healthcare policy, the First Minister responded by advising him to focus on factual statements rather than interpretations. She emphasised the importance of accuracy in reporting and urged listeners to pay attention to official statements rather than assumptions or misinterpretations.
In another segment of the session, Conservative MS Janet Finch-Saunders inquired about potential changes to income tax in Wales. Mrs. Morgan promptly shut down any speculation by asserting, “There are no proposals to increase income tax in Wales.” When Finch-Saunders referenced concerns about possible tax hikes voiced by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, Mrs. Morgan rebuked the Tories for fabricating claims and emphasised the government’s stance against tax increases.
Mocking the Conservatives’ alleged misinformation, Mrs. Morgan dismissed the idea of tax hikes proposed by Drakeford, highlighting that decisions on taxation involve a detailed process within the Senedd. She affirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining current tax levels and contradicted claims made by the opposition. The exchanges exemplified the combative atmosphere within the Senedd and underscored the intense confrontations between political parties on critical issues affecting Wales.