𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Welsh First Minister has been condemned after it was revealed she wouldn’t accept a briefing on grooming gangs that was longer than six bullet points. An email from the Welsh Government to South Wales Police, revealed by a freedom of information request, revealed FM Eluned Morgan’s preference for receiving briefings that are “really ‘short and sharp’”.

Thanking the police for providing information for the grooming gang report, the government official added: “First Minister likes things really ‘short and sharp’ so its [sic] really helpful to have short and to-the-point contributions to add in. She says she refuses to read anything longer than six bullet points!” A week after that email was sent, Ms Morgan publicly snubbed demands by the Welsh Conservatives to hold a full inquiry into the rape gang scandal.

She shut down opponent Darren Millar three times over the demands, saying she was “disappointed” by his questions.

Mr Miller was also shut down by the Senedd speaker, elected as a Plaid Cymru MS, over accusations his descriptions of a young girl from Wales being raped over 1,000 could risk “inciting discrimination”.

Welsh Tory leader Darren Millar said: “It is disappointing that a First Minister who paints herself as a leader who truly listens to the concerns of the people of Wales cannot even bring herself to read beyond a few lines on important issues.

“The people of Wales deserve better than this. After 26 years of Labour failure, they need a First Minister who pays attention to the details and who can fix Wales. That’s what the Welsh Conservatives are offering at the next Senedd election.”

Reform’s only Senedd member, Laura Anne Jones, blasted: “It’s horrifying and appalling that Eluned Morgan doesn’t care enough about the raping of our women and young girls to read more than 6 bullet points.

“Reform has been clear, we will start a national inquiry into the rape gangs within the first month of entering office. Labour are failing women and girls.”

In June, following the Westminster government’s u-turn on holding a rap gang inquiry, Ms Morgan pledged her government’s full cooperation with the scandal probe.

She told the Senedd: “If women or children are being abused, I want to know about it and I want us to step in and to prevent it.”

The revelation about the First Minister’s aversion to receiving lengthy memos came days after she complained about feeling under pressure after just one year in the job.

Under her leadership, Welsh Labour has sunk in the polls amid the rise of Nigel Farage and Reform UK, and for the first time ever appears on the brink of losing its majority in the Senedd next year.

She told the BBC: “I think we’ve got to remind people of what’s at stake, things that they see every day in their lives, free prescriptions, free bus passes, free school meals.

“Every time you win an election it gets more difficult for the time after, and of course, there’s a historic responsibility, and there’s a responsibility as the first woman leader as well.

“So yeah, of course, I’m feeling the pressure.”

A spokesman for the First Minister said: “People in Wales want action not words and whilst the First Minister reads reams of information every day on a range of issues, she remains focused on dealing with the issues that matter most to them.

“As a result, over the last twelve months Wales has seen; a record investment in the NHS… a stronger economy… thousands of homes protected from the risk of flooding… free school meals for every primary school pupil in Wales… completion of a £2 billion road scheme… and massive investment in public transport.”