Welsh first minister criticised for silence over Starmer

Wales' first minister Eluned Morgan has been criticised for her silence on the future of Sir Keir Starmer, after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for the prime minister to quit.

One Labour MP told the BBC it was "incredibly frustrating" that Morgan "hasn't been more supportive" of Sir Keir, while opposition parties rounded on the Welsh Labour leader for not having the "courage" to explain her views.

UK cabinet ministers, including Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, lined up to back the prime minister after Sarwar's press conference on Monday.

Welsh Labour sources told the BBC Morgan would not weigh in and call for Sir Keir to resign, but she is yet to publicly back him.

Downing Street said the prime minister had no plans to step down over his handling of the Lord Mandelson scandal, after he was appointed by Sir Keir as US ambassador despite his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Morgan has twice refused to support the prime minister in recent BBC interviews, and faces a Senedd election in May with opinion polls suggesting Labour could come third or worse.

A Labour MP who expressed their frustration that Morgan "hasn't been more supportive of the PM" suggested the Welsh government was blaming "Westminster and MPs" for its "own mistakes" in health and education.

"The lack of support is infuriating," they said.

Opposition parties rounded on Morgan, calling on her to show "courage" and "speak up for Wales".

Calling for Sir Keir to quit, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said that by remaining silent the first minister was "seemingly happy for the chaos to continue and for the prime minister to squat in Downing Street".

Dan Thomas, Reform UK Wales leader, said: "Clearly the first minister is waiting to see which way the wind blows. This is the quality of leadership the Welsh people have come to expect from Labour."

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar said: "Labour's leader in Scotland has expressed a view that Kier Starmer should go. Labour's leader in Wales must have a view, she should have the courage to tell us what it is."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "If Eluned Morgan isn't prepared to speak up for Wales now, it raises serious questions about whether Welsh Labour has the backbone to stand up for Wales at all."

A Welsh Labour source told the BBC they expect Morgan to stay out of the row because Sir Keir has strong support among Welsh MPs - with most of Wales' 32 Labour MPs involved in working in the UK government in one way or another.

Among them is Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, who joined a stream of cabinet ministers to publicly back Sir Keir on Monday, saying he "defied the naysayers many times and he'll do so again".

"I think Keir Starmer is a decent, honourable and good man and he came into politics for the right reasons. He's got public duty running through his veins and I fully support him," she said.

Asked by BBC Wales whether she thought Morgan's silence meant she agreed with Sarwar, Stevens said: "I think you should be asking Eluned Morgan those questions. I can't answer for what's going on in Eluned Morgan's head."

Labour MP and deputy Welsh leader Carolyn Harris also backed Sir Keir on Facebook, saying: "Inflation is down, interest rates are falling, and stability is returning after years of chaos. Now is the time to focus on delivery, not turn inwards."

Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Islwyn, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast she could not be sure if Sir Keir would be able to survive the Lord Mandelson scandal.

In an interview with Radio Wales Breakfast before Sarwar's dramatic press conference, Jones said: "I think he's wounded, absolutely. But is it fatal? I don't know. We'll wait and see."

She said the upcoming by-election for Gorton and Denton on February 26 and then Welsh Parliament election on 7 May are "critical".

"Depending on what happens there, then I think we judge the prime minister on those events and the results that the Labour party gets," she said.

Jones said the UK party realises now "what might be coming down the track".

"They are taking it seriously now. It's been a struggle to get them to realise that," she said.

Additional reporting by Mark Palmer and Gareth Lewis