HOW TO REDEFINE SUCCESS

Plaid Cymru ON Wednesday 6th August 2025 criticised the First Minister’s ‘record of failure’ as she marks one year since becoming First Minister of Wales.

Despite making bringing down NHS waiting lists her government’s priority and previously introduced a target to eliminate two year treatment waits by March 2023, both referral to treatment patient pathways and two year waits have increased consecutively in the last two months.

Child poverty is also expected to increase to 34.4% by 2029 – the highest level in the UK.

Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan said the First Minister has not only failed to improve public services, but has been stubborn to new ideas to tackle the challenges facing Wales and has failed to stand up to the UK Labour government over policies which disproportionately impact Wales.

Ms Fychan said that today’s anniversary makes it clear that “only Plaid Cymru can deliver the new leadership Wales needs.”

Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd, Heledd Fychan MS said:

“Eluned Morgan’s first year as First Minister is encapsulated by a record of failure: from missing her own target to eliminate two year NHS treatment waits, to faltering educational outcomes and rising levels of poverty in our communities. This is not how things should be.

“And yet, the First Minister has been stubborn to new ideas – such as Plaid Cymru’s calls to introduce a child payment proven instrumental in tackling child poverty levels in Scotland. It’s clear that this Labour government is out of ideas, out of time and Wales will only see change when Labour’s First Minister is out of office.

“Not only has she failed to deliver better public services, but she has failed to stand up to Starmer every time: on HS2, disability benefit cuts, winter fuel payments, the Crown Estate – I could go on.

“Today’s anniversary makes it clear that Wales needs a new government with fresh ideas and ambition to put Wales first, always. That’s what a Plaid Cymru government offers under Rhun ap Iorwerth's leadership – to fix the NHS, revive the economy, give our children the best start in life, and demand fairness from Westminster. Only Plaid Cymru can deliver the new leadership Wales needs.”

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A FIRST MINISTER FAILING WALES

The State of NHS shows Eluned Morgan “failing” as First Minister of Wales – Plaid Cymru  2025 will be “crucial year” as Plaid highlights its vision for leading Wales – Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth

 

The state of the NHS shows that Eluned Morgan is “failing” as First Minister of Wales, Plaid Cymru has said.

 

Speaking at the start of the new Senedd term, Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said 2025 would be a “crucial” year for Wales ahead of the Senedd elections next year.

 

The Plaid Cymru Leader said that Plaid Cymru would, over the next term, publish further details on its vision for leading Wales – beginning with a plan to bring NHS waiting times down.

 

The party will outline further details on its vision for government over next few months.

 

Mr ap Iorwerth strongly criticised the record of the Labour First Minister, formerly the Health Minister, on missed NHS targets and said that the government had failed to deliver the changes needed to fix the NHS in Wales.

 

Waiting times hit another record high late last year with over 800,000 hospital patient pathways.

 

The party’s health spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor previously announced plans to reform the way the NHS is run in November last year – proposals that were well received by stakeholders.

 

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said,

 

“The new year brings opportunities, but Wales is facing the same old challenges: wages not keeping up with bills, public services struggling, HS2 billions still missing, and an NHS, despite the best efforts of staff, overstretched and at capacity.

 

“A quarter of patients are currently waiting over eight hours in A&E, hospital waiting lists have topped 800,000, ambulance services are in crisis, and GP surgeries are closing. This is unacceptable.

 

“As Health minister, Eluned Morgan promised no patient would wait over 12 months for treatment by spring—a promise already broken by virtue of the fact she’s set a new target of bringing two year waits down to 8,000 by April – and based on December’s numbers even those figures are going in the wrong direction.

 

“No matter how many times this Labour government tries to reincarnate itself as being a government of delivery, it continues to fail the NHS workforce and its patients.

 

“This is a failure of delivery by a failing First Minister.

 

“2025 will be a crucial year for Wales. This year can be the beginning of the fresh start that Wales needs – with Plaid Cymru at the helm.

 

“We don’t believe this is as good as it gets. Over the next months, we will give further detail on our ambitious offer of change to the people of Wales: better public services, an improved NHS, an economy that creates good jobs, and a government that will be unrelenting in fighting for fairness for our communities.

 

“To those who want to see Wales put first, who feel let down by Labour, and are looking for an alternative to division, look to Plaid Cymru at next year’s Senedd elections.

 

“Together, we can build a fairer, more hopeful Wales and deliver the future we deserve.”

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