Welsh first minister says Starmer won’t give her everything she wants

The Welsh government will not get everything it wants from the UK government’s spending review, the first minister has said.

Eluned Morgan had called on the prime minister to “cough up” extra funding for Wales ahead of meeting him on Friday.

But after it took place she urged people to be “patient” and said there were a “lot of pressures” on prime minister.

Morgan has criticised the PM over a list of complaints in recent weeks – the Conservative and Plaid Cymru have accused her of confecting a row in response to poor opinion polls.

The Conservatives’ Darren Millar said Morgan and Sir Keir were “joined at the hip”.

Plaid said all the Welsh Labour leader got from the meeting was a photograph, posted to the Welsh government’s feed on X.

On Friday, Morgan argued for winter fuel payments to go to all but the richest of pensioners, and said she was worried Sir Keir’s migration policy could harm Wales.

Recently she has called for a re-think on disability benefit cuts, for greater rail funding, for Wales to benefit more from wind generation on the Crown Estate and for a shake up to how the Welsh government is funded.

It followed an ITV Wales interview where the first minister made spending demands of Sir Keir.

But there was a shift in tone from the first minister following her meeting in London, which she said was “really positive”.

Morgan’s transport secretary Ken Skates had said earlier this week that he was “very, very confident that Wales will do well” from the spending review.

Morgan told BBC Wales: “I made the case. We’re all going to have to be patient and see what comes out the Spending Review.

“I’m clear that we’re not going to get everything in the spending review but I will obviously be disappointed if we haven’t landed a few points.”

She said Friday’s meeting was “never going to be about locking ideas down”.

“It was about making sure I make the case before the spending review,” she said.

“Success for me is to make sure that we deliver on the public’s priorities, which was bringing down those waiting lists, making sure that we improve our rail system; making sure that we can build those 20,000 social homes that we promised.

“All of those things are things can only be delivered if because we’ve had that money from the UK government.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to say how she intends to fund government departments for the next few years on 11 June.

Morgan met Sir Keir as the Council of Nation and Regions took place in London, with other first ministers from Scotland and Northern Ireland and English mayors taking part.

The Welsh Conservatives Senedd leader Darren Millar told BBC Wales: “It’s very clear to me that Eluned Morgan and Sir Keir Starmer are joined at the hip.

“They are trying to give the impression of disagreement now and again between them because that suits the narrative that the Labour first minister wants to create.

“But I don’t believe it for one second and I don’t believe the people of Wales are going to have the wool pulled over their eyes by these sorts of fabricated rows.”

Plaid Cymru leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said Morgan had left “with nothing more than a photo with the prime minister.

“Eluned Morgan and Keir Starmer have walked the same walk and talked the same talk on all the issues which caused hardship and concern for the people of Wales.

“Even today, the First Minister secured no guarantees from the prime minster despite the bravado beforehand.”