We must listen after turmoil, says Labour minister
The man poised to be deputy head of the Welsh government has said it must focus on what matters to people after the âturmoilâ that led to First Minister Vaughan Gethingâs resignation.
Huw Irranca-Davies said Welsh Labour needed to speak to voters directly âand take a bit of flak as wellâ.
The climate change and rural affairs secretary stood on a âjoint unity ticketâ with Eluned Morgan, who will be confirmed as new first minister on 6 August.
Plaid Cymru would not say if it will help Labour pass its budget, but warned that the ruling party must stop ârowing back on ambitionâ.
The Ogmore Member of the Senedd (MS) is due to become Ms Morgan deputy first minister.
Ms Morgan was elected unopposed as Welsh Labourâs first female leader last week, and has apologised to the people of Wales after the upheaval which saw Mr Gething announce he was quitting after just four months in charge.
Mr Gething was beset by controversies from the start, including accepting ÂŁ200,000 for his leadership campaign from a man twice convicted of environmental offences, and dismissing a minister he accused of leaking information.
Mr Irranca-Davies told BBC Walesâ Sunday Supplement: âThereâs been a lot of turmoil in the (Labour) group, thereâs been a lot of inward looking to try to resolve issues.
âAnd really what the public want⊠is for us to focus on the things that matter to them.â
He said Ms Morgan was right to apologise, and the public âswitch offâ from a party âconstantly dealing with its own issuesâ.
âThe public say, âWell, whatâs going on?â The person in the street will say, âWill you please get on with doing the day job?'â
Asked by presenter Vaughan Roderick whether Ms Morgan was best equipped to be first minister after her record as health secretary, Mr Irranca-Davies said she had promised âa resetâ and âto go out and speak to people directly, and take a bit of flak as wellâ, but it had to âearn the rightâ.
He said a junior doctorsâ strike had been avoided in Wales after good engagement with them, and long-term waiting times were coming down faster than in England.
âBut we know that weâve got so much further to go. And I think thereâs a bit of honesty here with people in Wales as well.
âWe are not immune from the pressures on the health service, this is UK-wide. But we have more of a distance to travel in Wales.
âItâs not only listening but itâs acting on those priorities.â
With 30 of the 60 Senedd seats, Labour is one short of an absolute majority in the Senedd.
But Mr Irranca-Davies predicted Labour would be able to get its budget through the Senedd, even though it no longer has a co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru.
He said Labour would explore with Plaid and the Seneddâs only Liberal Democrat âwhether there is a programme for government and a budget that will workâ.
He argued that the other parties would see âas responsible parliamentarians that there is a need to deliver a budget for Walesâ.
He would not say whether a Welsh government job would go to Jeremy Miles, the former economy minister who was narrowly beaten by Mr Gething in the earlier leadership contest, and then decided not to stand again after his resignation.
Mr Irranca-Davies said Ms Morgan would âdraw on all the talentsâ of Labour MSs.
âEverybody has been feeling bruised (but) thereâs been a strong collegiate spirit now to say letâs get back together again, focus on whatâs important for the people of Wales, and deliver, and that includes every person.â
Delyth Jewell, deputy leader of the Senedd Plaid group, said it was not possible to say yet if her party would vote for Labourâs budget, as there were uncertainties about the new government and its priorities.
She accused Welsh Labour of ârowing back on ambitionâ and said âno less than a break with that timidity will do â not just with this government but for the good of Walesâ.
âI donât think this will be forgotten because this latest calamity, the chaos weâve had over the last few months, thatâs come at the end of 25 years of failing to do enough for the people of Wales,â she said.
âYes, there are things the Labour Party has achieved, and they have been governments where Plaid has worked in concert with them⊠but there has not been enough ambition. And there always seems to be a cap on what they are willing to do.â