FMQs: Starmer must account for government’s actions on winter fuel, says Welsh first minister
Eluned Morgan was responding to questions from opposition members for the first time since she became first minister.
Keir Starmer has to account for his government’s decision to cut the winter fuel allowance for millions of pensioners, Wales’s first minister has said.
Eluned Morgan was speaking at first minister’s questions for the first time, after becoming the first woman to hold the post in Wales last month.
Both opposition party group leaders chose to ask about the UK Labour government’s decision to limit the winter fuel allowance payment to all but the poorest pensioners.
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said there was “genuine anger” about the decision in Wales and that 400,000 Welsh pensioners would miss out.
The UK Labour government has said the state of public finances was even worse than it expected when it came into office, which meant “difficult choices” had to be made.
“I’ll account for the actions of my government and Keir Starmer will have to account for the actions of his government,” Baroness Morgan, the leader of Welsh Labour, said.
“If you want to go and ask Keir Starmer, you should have got into Westminster.”
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Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said Labour’s general election campaign suggested “everything would be rosy” under a Labour government.
But the first minister said the campaign she witnessed “was very cautious about managing expectations because of the mess that we knew the Tories were leaving us”.
Mr ap Iorwerth also said the first minister had brought back predecessor Mark Drakeford to the Welsh cabinet as “an anchor” to her government.
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Baroness Morgan said she was “really pleased and proud” that Mr Drakeford had accepted the role of finance secretary, after originally agreeing to return as health secretary.
“He will be an anchor, but I tell you what, I’m the captain of the ship now,” she added.
The first minister also said the relationship between the UK and Welsh governments had “transformed” since the general election.
