First Minister tells Tories 'you're just making stuff up' (original) (raw)

Eluned Morgan let rip at her Conservative rivals in the Senedd telling them "you're just making stuff up" during a heated exchange. She told Tories to tell their "little friends" at UK newspaper The Telegraph "they're writing nonsense".

In plenary on Tuesday, Mrs Morgan faced the weekly First Minister's Questions. In it, she was asked by Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies about reports her government planned to send Welsh patients waiting for NHS treatment to England.

The story, which emerged before the party's conference in Liverpool, was put to Mrs Morgan on the day of her conference speech and she said she didn't "in principle" have a problem with Welsh patients going to England if treatment was quicker. However, she couldn't give any detail of how any scheme would work when grilled over it by Conservative group leader Andrew RT Davies.

Days later, her health minister, Jeremy Miles, told WalesOnline there was a "different" system in Wales. "Our system is different in Wales it isn't based on that level of choice. There is an element of that in our system but what we want to see is making sure that wherever you live in Wales you get access to healthcare as soon as possible," he said, in an interview you can see here.

She was asked about the policy again on October 8, by Mr Davies: "Two weeks ago, I questioned you about the announcement at the Labour Party conference over patients from Wales being able to access surplus capacity to reduce waiting times here in Wales—something that I commended the Government for considering and bringing forward. Last week, the health Secretary, in an interview on WalesOnline, said that that was not the case and that patients would not be able to access that second-offer option.

"It's quite clear, it's there for all to read. So, we have a view from the First Minister that that capacity is going to be purchased by the Welsh Government to enable patients to travel, something that sounds good, and then we have the health secretary saying that that's not the case. Which is the policy position of the Welsh Government? Will there be greater capacity purchased and will patients see themselves progressing up the waiting list and getting the procedures that they want?"

She replied: "I think what's important is that you read what we actually say, rather than interpret it. Actually, none of us has said that we're going to be buying capacity from the NHS in England. It may be that we do that at some point, but we have never said it out loud; it's people interpreting that for us. So, you can look back at what we've said. We've been very careful to check this, because we kept on saying: 'Where is this coming from?' And it wasn't coming from us. So, it's really important that we are accurate, that you are accurate and that the media is accurate and that they actually listen to what we say rather than interpreting it."

Later in the session, she was asked a separate question by Conservative MS Janet Finch-Saunders. Mrs Morgan was asked if there were any plans to change income tax in Wales. To that, the First Minister replied succinctly: "There are no proposals to increase income tax in Wales." For the latest politics news in Wales sign up to our newsletter here.

Mrs Finch-Saunders followed it up with a question saying: "The reason I've asked the question is Mark Drakeford MS, back in charge of finance—there is some cause for concern, because the Cabinet Secretary refused to rule out income tax increases. On 3 October he wrote to me again, refusing to actually rule out any increases, and in fact it was only last week that he spoke of raising the basic 20p rate and how much it would bring in significant money for Wales."

To that Mrs Morgan replied: "What is it with you Tories? Honestly, you’re just making things up that we say. The Cabinet Secretary for finance was clear at the finance committee he does not intend to increase the Welsh rate of income tax, and I think it's really important to recognise that it's not his decision alone what happens.

"There's a Senedd, there's a whole system to go through. It may be you want to put up the taxes, but we won't be voting for that. We won't be voting for that. And you have been doing that. You put them up quite a lot under your leadership—a 70-year high, I understand, in terms of taxes. But we as a Government will not be suggesting we put up taxes. So, go and tell your little friends in The Telegraph that what they write is nonsense."

Story Saved

You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.