FM criticises UK minister for saying she backs cuts

First Minister Eluned Morgan has criticised a UK cabinet minister and Welsh Labour colleague for saying she backed the chancellor's benefits cuts.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told BBC Wales last week that the first minister had "welcomed" the reforms.

In a fiery session in the Senedd dominated by rows over changes to disability and sickness payments, Morgan said: "I had somebody else last week trying to speak for me. I speak for myself."

Sources close to the first minister confirmed to the BBC that the comment referred to Stevens. The UK government has said it is not commenting on the matter.

In her strongest comments on the issue so far, Morgan said she lamented the reforms and that people were "suffering" and "worried".

But the first minister repeatedly declined to condemn the cuts outright as she came under sustained criticism from the opposition in first minister's questions (FMQs).

She had written to Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall asking for an assessment of the cuts' impact on Wales on 11 March.

On Tuesday the response was published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - with no impact assessment included, although the DWP promised to look "at specific impacts for those living in Wales" in future.

The response had been received over a fortnight since Morgan's initial request. The Welsh government had declined to publish the letter itself.

The issue is set to return to the Senedd again on Wednesday, after a Plaid Cymru proposal for a debate was agreed to by Welsh Labour and backed unanimously by the Senedd.

At a committee meeting on Friday Morgan refused to support the welfare cuts until she knew what the impact would be in Wales.

She responded with silence when Stevens' claim that she supported the changes was put to her.

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar accused Morgan of a lack of transparency for not releasing the letter.

In her Spring Statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a number of benefit changes, including tightening qualification rules for Personal Independence Payments (Pips) - the main disability benefit - claimed by more than 250,000 working aged people in Wales.

In the Senedd Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth reminded the first minister of Stevens' comments, as he accused her of being fearful of upsetting the UK government.

In response Morgan said: "I've got a lot of people trying to put words into my mouth these days, haven't I?

"You summarized my position? I had somebody else last week trying to speak for me. I speak for myself. I speak for the Welsh government.

"The UK government can speak up for itself, and they can defend their positions. I will defend the position of the Welsh Labour government here in Wales."

Morgan came under pressure from a number of Plaid Cymru MSs, who called for her to condemn the reforms.

"What contempt Westminster shows us, leaving us in Wales to second-guess the effect that these benefit cuts will have because Westminster refuses to tell us," said Delyth Jewell, Plaid MS for South Wales East.

Morgan replied that she was "exercised about the proposal".

She said: "When we talk about changes, we have to understand that people are suffering here, and that we need to stand with them and listen to them and ensure that we speak for them.

"All over Wales today there are tens of thousands of people who are really worried about the impact that proposed reforms could have, but they don't know to what extent it will happen, they don't know when it will happen.

"I am determined to make sure that Welsh voices are heard when it comes to welfare reform," she added, promising to present concerns "plainly and unambiguously in the evidence that we will present in response to welfare reform".

While she argued there were some things in the plans that were positive, Morgan said: "One of the things that I lament is the fact that really, ideally, it should have been about putting people and the benefits system and the need to reform it first and then to worry about how that is organised afterwards."

In her letter to Eluned Morgan, Kendall said: "As the people of Wales know all too well, many of these challenges are concentrated in places which were decimated in the 80s and 90s when whole industries closed. 15% of working age people in Wales receive a disability or incapacity benefit – significantly higher than in England – and around a quarter are neither in work nor looking for work."

She said the UK government was working with Welsh ministers on the design of "a Get Britain Working Trailblazer" to look at how work, health and skills support could be "best joined up".

No impact assessment was included. However, a DWP spokesperson said it "will work with the Welsh government and other devolved administrations to ensure their views are at the heart of what we do.

"This includes looking at specific impacts for those living in Wales to help support people back into work if they are able, while also protecting those who rely on our social security system."

The Welsh Conservatives' Darren Millar said in a statement: "The first minister promised accountability, but is delivering evasive answers and a complete lack of transparency.

"On a multitude of issues, Labour is hiding from scrutiny instead of giving the people of Wales the answers they deserve. On top of this, they're failing to stand up for Wales against Keir Starmer's wave of new taxes, hitting Welsh farmers and businesses."

Rhun ap Iorwerth said in the Senedd: "The first minister made opportunity for every family one of her top priorities. Now, the words are good, but on the deeds, she's falling well, well short."

By Gareth Lewis, BBC Wales political editor

Welfare reform is getting messier for Labour.

After some of the party's MPs and MSs spoke out against the plans, we now have the FM more explicitly taking issue with her Labour colleague at Westminster Jo Stevens.

Morgan's response last week to the claim that she welcomed the reforms was a silent, stony stare.

Some Labour MSs have been looking for the FM to assert herself on welfare, a tricky balance when the plans are being introduced by your own party.

Although she declined another opportunity to condemn the cuts, the language – "exercised", "lament" – is carefully chosen to go about as far as she feels comfortable without actually condemning them.

The problem for Morgan is that she is caught in a bind and risks pleasing no one.

One of her own MSs has already warned that his constituents are "terrified". Opposition parties are on the attack.

The Conservatives argue she is not being transparent enough about her dealings with the UK government; Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems that she is not fighting hard enough to stand up for Wales.