It's not all rosy, admits First Minister under grilling

FIRST Minister Eluned Morgan has admitted "not everything is rosy" for her government as she faced questions about its performance in four key areas.

- ELLIE GOSLEY

Ms Morgan is under significant pressure as she approaches the end of her first year in office, with Labour trailing in the polls ahead of the Senedd election in May 2026.

When pushed by Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister chair David Rees on how well she thinks her government has been performing, Ms Morgan said: "I'm not going to pretend everything is rosy" and admitted more work still needs to be done.

However, she claimed people in Wales appear to be "more optimistic" than they had been before.

Three consecutive polls have now shown Labour would come behind Reform UK and Plaid Cymru in next year's Senedd election. Polling for Sky News released this week showed a better figure for Labour - at 23% - but still way behind Plaid Cymru and Reform UK.

The committee meets three times a year to hold the First Minister to account on behalf of the people of Wales.

On this occasion, Ms Morgan was questioned on performance in four key areas announced as priorities in September 2024, six weeks after she was appointed as First Minister.

These are:

"Iechyd da" - A Healthier Wales - cutting NHS waiting times, including for mental health; improving access to social care and services for women's health;

■Green jobs and growth - creating green jobs that tackle the climate crisis and restore nature, while making families better off; accelerating planning decisions to grow the Welsh economy;

■Opportunity for every family - boosting standards in schools and colleges and providing more homes for social rent, ensuring every family has the chance to succeed; and

■Connecting communities - transforming railways and delivering a better bus network; fixing roads and empowering local communities to make choices on 20mph.

A significant portion of the session was devoted to health in Wales.