Welfare cuts: ‘I reserve my place’ on them, says Eluned Morgan

Wales’ first minister has refused to again UK authorities welfare cuts introduced by the Labour chancellor earlier this week.

Giving proof to a Senedd committee on Friday, Eluned Morgan stated she wished to “reserve my place” till she knew what the affect could be on Wales.

Welsh Labour chief Morgan additionally confirmed she was nonetheless ready for a response from Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall to her request for a Wales-specific affect evaluation and stated she was now looking for a gathering together with her.

Morgan wrote to Kendall requesting an evaluation on 11 March. She has beforehand described the delay as “disappointing”.

In her Spring Assertion on Wednesday Chancellor Rachel Reeves introduced quite a lot of profit modifications, together with tightening qualification guidelines for Private Independence Funds (Pips) – the principle incapacity profit – claimed by greater than 250,000 working aged folks in Wales.

In her tackle to MPs, Reeves stated “it will possibly’t be proper” to “write off” a complete technology who’re out of labor and improperly utilizing Pips.

Reeves additionally confirmed health-related common credit score for brand new claimants, which was already as a result of be halved from April 2026 below a bundle introduced final week, could be frozen at its new decrease stage of £50 per week till 2030.

Well being-related funds can be frozen for current claimants.

A Division for Work and Pensions evaluation discovered 3.2 million households throughout England and Wales could be worse off on account of the modifications, with 250,000 extra folks pushed into relative poverty.

On the precept of transferring folks from advantages to employment, Morgan advised Friday’s committee “it might be a very good factor to have extra folks in work in Wales”.

“Our employment fee is just not practically nearly as good as another nations, and we have seen a surge, notably because the pandemic,” she stated.

Requested instantly by Plaid Cymru Senedd member Llyr Gruffydd to substantiate she supported the modifications, Morgan replied: “I’ve but to get a agency understanding of how that can affect on Wales, and till I am clear concerning the impacts I need to reserve my place in relation to that.”

Gruffydd then identified that Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens had advised BBC Wales on Wednesday the primary minister had “welcomed” the reforms.

At that time within the committee listening to Morgan merely sat quietly and declined to deal with the comment.

The primary minister advised the Senedd on 18 March that she had written to Kendall and “personally spoke to No 10” about modifications to the advantages system.

Throughout her proof session, Morgan confirmed she had not spoken to the prime minister himself.

Requested by Gruffydd to substantiate who she had spoken to, Morgan stated: “It was some folks within the No 10 unit, I am unable to bear in mind their names”.

Pressed additional she stated: “I am unable to bear in mind each single identify of each individual I meet as a result of I meet a whole lot of individuals each single day.”

Morgan stated she would get again to the committee on the names of these in Downing Avenue she had spoken to.

Talking after the listening to, Gruffydd advised BBC Wales: “The truth that she could not bear in mind who she spoke with speaks volumes about that individual’s affect in Downing Avenue.

“If it wasn’t the prime minister it ought to at the least have been a cupboard secretary or a minister. Who was it? So far as we all know it may have been Larry the cat.”

Extra reporting by Adrian Browne

By Gareth Lewis, BBC Wales political editor

Silence speaks a thousand phrases.

One of many key moments in immediately’s listening to got here when Eluned Morgan determined to say nothing, after being advised that the Welsh Secretary, Jo Stevens, stated she had welcomed the reforms.

Morgan did inform the Senedd final week that reform was wanted, however nonetheless would not have the Wales-specific knowledge to deal with her issues about its affect.

Do not anticipate opposition events to remain quiet.

They’re going to add this to the checklist of issues the place they are saying Eluned Morgan doesn’t shout loudly sufficient for Wales.

In equity to the primary minister she seems to have spent a good period of time this week pushing for that Wales advantages evaluation.

However Labour trumpeted the thought of two Labour governments working higher for Wales throughout final summer season’s normal election.

Right this moment can be remembered for that awkward silence throughout the committee listening to.