## Senedd Showdown: First Minister Eluned Morgan Rebukes ‘Daft’ Welfare Question
Tempers briefly flared in the Welsh Parliament this week as First Minister Eluned Morgan publicly dismissed a question from Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth as “daft”, during a heated exchange over impending welfare cuts. The clash occurred during First Minister’s Questions in the newly returned temporary Senedd chamber, highlighting ongoing tensions over controversial welfare reforms proposed by the UK Government.
The background to the row stems from Westminster’s recent announcement of sweeping changes to welfare provision, including significant adjustments to Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments. The government claims these measures, intended to save £5 billion, are necessary for fiscal responsibility. However, the proposals have been met with fierce criticism for their potential impact on the most vulnerable in Welsh society.
Plaid Cymru’s leader, seeking clarification amid widespread uncertainty, asked Eluned Morgan whether she or Labour leader Keir Starmer would direct Welsh Labour MPs on how to vote when the reforms reach the UK Parliament. Specifically, ap Iorwerth requested assurances that no Welsh Labour MP would support measures that could worsen poverty among Wales’s most vulnerable residents.
It was at this point that Morgan, visibly frustrated, shot back, “Well, that’s a daft question if ever I heard one.” The First Minister continued, explaining the limitations of her authority, “I work with our Labour group here in the Senedd. I do not control the Labour group in Westminster, and they will obviously make the decision that they think is appropriate.” She nonetheless insisted, “We are going to engage seriously on the welfare reform issues… we will be doing what is right for the people of Wales and I’ll be setting some of that out a bit more clearly in a speech I’ll be giving next week.”
This exchange comes against a backdrop of mounting concerns in Cardiff Bay regarding the UK Government’s refusal—so far—to release detailed regional impact assessments. On 16 March, Morgan wrote to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, seeking clarity on how the cuts might affect Wales specifically. By the time of the recent Spring Statement in late March, no response had been received, a silence described by Morgan as “disappointing”.
In a recent interview with WalesOnline, the UK Chancellor commented that sharing such impact data with devolved governments was “not usual practice”, though he assured that efforts were being made to consider the Welsh Government’s concerns. This ongoing absence of concrete data has fuelled anxiety among both Welsh ministers and local campaigners, who fear that key questions are being left unanswered.
Within Labour itself, divisions have emerged. Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens and the First Minister have openly disagreed about the practical and political response to the reforms. Meanwhile, Health Minister Jeremy Miles stressed to WalesOnline that, had it been a devolved decision, the Welsh Government would not have chosen to pursue these welfare cuts at all.
As the Senedd settles into the refurbished Ty Hywel chamber—a temporary measure while the main Parliament building prepares for expansion from 60 to 96 Members—this clash highlights the political complexities that can exist between Cardiff Bay and Westminster. The episode also raises fresh questions about the autonomy of Welsh Labour MPs in matters where UK-wide policy directly affects Wales.
Ultimately, the First Minister’s refusal to guarantee a united Labour opposition to the reforms in Westminster may underline the limits of devolved influence over UK Government policy. However, it equally points to an emerging fault line within Labour itself, one that is likely to remain under scrutiny as the date of the Commons vote approaches and as the impact on communities across Wales becomes clearer.
This ongoing dispute not only underscores the fraught politics of welfare reform, but also the broader challenges facing devolved administrations when the actions of Westminster directly affect their constituents. As the debate continues, all eyes will be on both the UK and Welsh Governments to see who ultimately prevails in setting the direction for welfare policy in Wales.