The Welsh Labour leader described the 7 May election day as a “moment of truth” for the country, with polls showing right-wing party Reform UK and left-wing Welsh independence party Plaid Cymru neck and neck.
Speaking to the Cambrian News two days before she may lose her Ceredigion Penfro seat, Baroness Morgan said: “I can write the story for you now - Reform will be hell-bent on creating divisions within our society, and Plaid Cymru will just want to fight with the UK government.
“With a £27.5bn budget for services that people rely on, it would be irresponsible not to set out the challenges, dangers and risks that people might be exposed to [with a Reform or Plaid-led government].
“These services people rely on today may not be there for them tomorrow.”
Targeting Reform, she branded the party as having a “fundamental misunderstanding of Wales”, shown by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s talk of reopening the pits and furnaces, “which demonstrates were living in a different age”.
Wales’ first female First Minister said: “My real concern is that they want to create division, and I think there’s enough division in our world.
“We shouldn’t be trying to seek out division, but try and bring our communities together, and that’s what we’ve tried to do in Welsh Labour over the years.”
Welsh Labour is polling third behind the two parties, which means by Friday 8 May, Wales could have a non-Labour government in power for the first time in the 27-year history of the Senedd.
However the House of Lords Baroness said that Plaid’s campaign branding the election as a two-horse race between Plaid and Reform is “misleading the public” on the new electoral system that they helped create: “It doesn’t work like that and Plaid knows that.
“You don’t have to support Plaid to block Reform from gaining power; it’s nonsense they’re peddling.”
With Plaid and Reform projected to take up four or five of the six seats for Ceredigion Penfro in the new electoral system, the former Mid and West Wales Senedd Member is banking on the sixth seat to keep her in politics.
Admitting “it’s going to be close” when asked if she’s done enough to keep her seat, she also admitted there’s a lot of confusion within the public about how the voting system that Welsh Labour brought about actually works.
The new Closed List Proportional voting system that will be used for the first time in Wales this week changes how politicians will be elected.
There will now be six Members of Senedd per constituency, with each party or independent candidate allocated a share of the vote dependent on the percentage each party/ independent receives.
This means if a party receives 33 per cent of the vote, they will get two of the six seats.
Some argue that this D’Hondt method means that the number of politicians in power is more closely linked to the number of votes they get, which Morgan argues is a reason not to vote tactically, but for the party voters want to see represent them in the Senedd: “Don’t vote tactically.
“It’s a question of balance - right versus left.
“The Conservatives could forge a coalition with Reform.
“The Greens could form a coalition with Plaid that will set us on a route to independence.
“Those are fears of mine.
“We’re living in an unstable age, inflation is set to go up by six per cent by the end of the year.
“That’s going to hurt people...
“There’s a lot of jeopardy here.
“That final seat will make a difference in terms of balance within the Senedd.”
In response, a Plaid Cymru spokesperson described Morgan’s accusations as “hypocrisy”, with Welsh Labour having also called for tactical voting during the election campaign, stating that this election was Plaid versus Reform: “Only Plaid Cymru can stop Reform from becoming the largest party.
“After 27 years of Labour, it's clear people across Wales are desperate for positive change and new leadership that stands up for Wales, which only Plaid Cymru offers.
“While Labour will always put party before country, we will never apologise for putting the needs of our communities first."
Reform UK has been contacted for comment.
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