Eluned Morgan Welsh Labour conference speech: ‘Promises made, promises kept’

Pnawn da,

Can I start by saying what an honour it is to be introduced by a rugby hero!

I remember many years ago being introduced to Ken’s grandad who was a Labour legend in Carmarthen. I know he was a massive inspiration to you Ken, and he did the Labour Party proud with his many years of service on the council.

I will never forget though – the time when I was canvassing with a lovely woman in Carmarthen and I was telling her with real pride how I couldn’t stay for more than an hour’s campaigning because my son, who was 12, was going to be playing rugby in the Cardiff Arms Park for his school.

“Oh,” she asked, “is he any good at rugby?”
“Well, he’s alright,” I said.
“Oh, my son plays rugby too,”
“Oh, is he any good?” I asked…
“Well, he’s out playing with the Lions at the moment!!”
That was Ken’s lovely mum.

So diolch i ti Ken am bopeth rwyt ti a dy deulu wedi neud dros dy gymuned a dros dy wlad.

Thanks Ken for everything you and your family have done for your community and for your country.

I walked on to Don’t Stop Me Now. Those of you who know me well know that I am a massive Queen fan.

Don’t Stop Me Now has now become my top track because I have no intention of being stopped – not now, not in May.

Because yes, I am having a good time – I’ve got a nation to fight for and I don’t intend to lose.

So let me start with a truth that defines who we are.

Wales and Welsh Labour have always punched above our weight.

In grit and in grace.

In coal and in culture.

In song and in science.

We lead not by size, but by spirit.

From deep-rooted industry to cutting-edge innovation, we lead with our heads, our hearts, and our unshakable sense of justice.

And that’s what this speech is about:

A future that only Welsh Labour has the courage and clarity to deliver – and a warning about what’s at stake if we, and the people of Wales, let that future slip away.

The next Senedd election won’t be a routine affair. It will be a moment of reckoning.

Reform are rising. Plaid are mobilising. And across the country, people are asking big, serious questions about the kind of future they want for Wales.

This is not a moment to look away. This is the moment to look forward – a moment of maximum opportunity

…and, yes, also of serious threat.

It’s time to stand up. It’s time to get involved. Because the next chapter of our story is being written – and we all have a role in shaping it. Now, for the first time in a generation, we have two Labour governments – in Cardiff and Westminster – working together, pulling in the same direction.

And when Wales has a seat at the table, we don’t just follow the agenda – we set it.

Fydd yr etholiadau nesaf yn ddewis. Dewis rhwng gwahanol weledigaethau dros ein gwlad. Nid dyma’r amser i edrych i ffwrdd – dyma’r amser i edrych ymlaen, i sgrifennu’r bennod nesaf yn hanes ein gwlad. Ac am y tro cyntaf mewn cenhedlaeth, mae gyda ni ddwy lywodraeth yn cydweithio, yn tynnu yn yr un cyfeiriad, ac yn delifro dros bobl Cymru.

Working with our Welsh Labour MPs and with Jo Stevens, we made the case for Wales – clearly, confidently, and with conviction. And they didn’t just listen. Keir Starmer and his team heard us and worked with us.

The result?

• The largest budget in the history of devolution.
• A massive boost of funding to tackle the longest NHS waiting lists.
• New schools and social homes being built.
• Money poured into education to improve standards.
• More support for childcare to address the cost-of-living challenges.
• £445 million secured for Welsh rail after over a decade of Tory underinvestment.
• £118 million for coal tip safety… after years of hard campaigning, adding to the millions already injected by the Welsh Labour Government.
• Reinstating the winter fuel allowance to the vast majority of pensioners in Wales.

Because when the priorities of our people are echoed at both ends of the M4, real change doesn’t just feel possible – it is possible.

That’s power in partnership. Not just shared slogans – but shared priorities. Shared purpose. Shared progress.

That’s the difference Labour makes – and that’s worth fighting for.

And when we talk about power in partnership, we’re not just talking about two Labour governments – not just Labour MSs and MPs working together…

It’s:

• Our local councils.
• Our trade unions.
• Our frontline workers.

Not just in the room, but at the table. Because here, it isn’t just a principle. It’s written into our laws – through the Social Partnership.

And it’s delivering. It’s the Red Welsh Way. And it works.

So, while Nigel Farage is in Port Talbot and peddled fantasies about sending people’s grandchildren down coal mines and reopening blast furnaces, we’re dealing with the reality they left behind – the scars of decades of Tory neglect, the cost of industrial decline.

We’re not romanticising the past – we’re cleaning it up.

We’re protecting communities – not politicising their pain.

We’re honouring our industrial past by building a fairer future.

One that unites, not divides. One that lifts people up, not exploits their circumstances for cheap headlines and easy applause.

This isn’t abstract. This is action. This is what happens when Labour governs – in partnership, and with the people of Wales at the heart of every decision.

Ambitious. United. And always – always – putting Wales and its people first.

Ond pan rydyn ni’n llywodraethu yng Nghymru, rydyn ni bob amser yn gwneud hi yn ein ffordd ni – y Ffordd Goch Gymreig. Ffordd sydd wedi’i ffurfio gan ein gwerthoedd, ein pobl, a’n blaenoriaethau ni.

Here in Wales, we don’t follow the crowd. We lead in our own way – shaped by our Welsh values, our people, and our priorities. The Red Welsh Way.

Proudly distinct.

Rooted in justice.

Fiercely pro-devolution.

Renewed for a new generation.

A way defined not by slogans – but by service.

A way that speaks to Wales and speaks for Wales.

And nowhere is our Labour vision clearer than in the NHS – Labour’s proudest achievement, and Wales’s greatest promise. Born of Welsh conviction. Built by Labour courage. Now renewed with Labour resolve.

As Nye Bevan said: “No society can legitimately call itself civilised if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means.”

That principle still drives us today. We know things in the NHS are tough – but here in Wales, we are making progress. And we’ve got a plan to go further and faster. People are being treated quicker.

And behind every statistic is a life being moved forward. We’re not just defending the NHS. We’re reimagining it – for the next generation. Long NHS waits fell by 60% between November and April – 60%!

Every month, our GP surgeries provide appointments to the equivalent of half the Welsh population. And every day, all over Wales, our NHS staff provide life-saving and truly life-changing care. So let me tell you about Eddie.

He’d been told it could be four years before he got his knee operation. But just after Christmas, he got a surprise letter: Surgery booked at Abergele Hospital. When he turned up, everyone on the ward had the same story – Expecting to wait years, suddenly being seen. Why?

Because Keir Starmer and the UK Labour Government is now providing the money to the Welsh Labour Government – And we’re putting it to work, backing our NHS.

When Eddie had his first knee done in 2017, he was in hospital for five days. This time? One night. He walked out the next morning, had six weeks of physio – and is now well on the road to recovery.

And Eddie’s story isn’t a one-off. It’s a sign of what’s changing right across Wales. We’re not standing still. We’re redesigning care – right where it matters most: in our communities.

• Thousands of new health professionals on the ground.
• Pharmacies now treating 28 common ailments for free – from chest infections to skin allergies.
• Conditions you’d have gone to your GP for – now seen in your local community pharmacy.

A more local, more responsive health service that works with people – not against them.

But we know that’s not enough. And we know there’s still a long road ahead. But let’s be clear – these aren’t givens. These are Labour choices. The political choices that put people first.

In England, they don’t have free prescriptions. Here, they’re free at the point of need – and in Wales, they’re staying that way.

And here in North Wales -We’ve opened a brand-new medical school in Bangor. And by the end of this year, there will be a new orthopaedic centre – right here in this town.

So, people like Eddie can be seen even quicker, and get the care they deserve – closer to home. That’s what investing in care looks like. That’s what putting patients before profit looks like. Not slogans. Just action. That’s what sets us apart. But all this is at risk if we don’t come first in the Senedd elections next year.

Plaid talk about their love for public services. But when it really mattered – when we brought forward a budget to invest in the NHS and our communities – They stood with the Tories and tried to vote it down.

And Reform? They aren’t a party of delivery – They’re a force of division. Reform don’t want to protect the NHS -They want to dismantle it. Rip it up and replace it with an insurance system: Privatised. Profit-driven. Out of reach for the people who need it most.

Because in their world, your health depends on your wealth.

They point to problems. We are the party of answers – not the party of excuses. Not the party of fear. But make no mistake – They are a threat. To your NHS. To your rights. To our Welsh way of life.

Mae Reform yn fygythiad go iawn. Achos yn ei byd nhw, fe fyddwn ni’n gweld diwedd ar yr NHS fel ein bod yn gyfarwydd â hi heddiw. A chofiwch – pan ddaeth yna gyfle i helpu ein NHS, fe bleidleisiodd Plaid gyda’r Toriaid mewn ymdrech i stopio’r buddsoddiad yna yn ein cymunedau.

Next, the UK Government will unveil its plan for NHS reform in England – aiming to shift more care into the community, to focus on prevention, and to modernise through digital innovation. Well, here in Wales, we’re already delivering it. But you won’t hear much about that – Because it doesn’t fit the tired image some want to paint of the NHS in Wales.

The real picture? We’re continuing on the path to modernisation, to prevention, and to community-driven support. And this is just the start. We know that around a quarter of adults in Wales experience mental health problems – And even more young people need support. That’s why, in the next Senedd term, we’ll take the next bold step…

Building on the success of our 111 Press 2 service – which has already started to transform access to mental health support – we will go further. In the next Senedd term, we will provide open access to mental health support – so help comes early, and people get better faster.

True parity with physical health. And when we do this, Wales will become the first country in the world to offer such access to mental healthcare and support. Because mental health can’t wait. And under Welsh Labour – it won’t have to.

Now, I’m sure you all know how strongly I feel about making women’s health a priority – giving it the attention, the investment, and the respect it deserves.

The last time we gathered here in Llandudno, Claire O’Shea was with us. She stood here, reminding us of who we are – a movement rooted in justice and solidarity. We’ve sadly lost her since.

Claire spent her final months fighting. Not for herself – but for others. Campaigning for women who, like her, had been failed by a system that should have protected them.

So let me say this, clearly and directly: She was let down. And too many other women have been let down too.

We’re revisiting women’s experiences – And as the first woman in this job, I am listening, I am learning, and I am acting.

Creating spaces where women are heard, believed, and treated with dignity. I promise you this: we will deliver the Women’s Health Plan.

And in Claire’s memory, we will ensure that women’s health hubs are up and running in every part of Wales before the next election.

Plaid and the Tories don’t stand up for Wales. They stand in the way.

And let’s be clear – The NHS is on the ballot paper next year. Only Welsh Labour will protect it. Only Welsh Labour will deliver it. Only Welsh Labour will make it fit for the 21st century.

With Plaid, you get risk. With the Tories, you get ruin. With Reform, you get a wrecking ball.

We cannot – and we will not – let that happen. Not on our watch. Not in our Wales.

Conference, after an incredible 26 years in office, it’s time to renew our vows – to the public, and to this party.

And when it comes to vows – my husband jokes I’m more married to Wales than to him – and to be fair, he probably has a point! But this is a moment of renewal for our party.

I’m really proud of what we’ve delivered. But I’m not here to look back. Our past success is the launchpad for our future. And today, Conference, I can announce the next step in that journey.

We will build a nation ready to take advantage of the Artificial Intelligence revolution, a tool that can improve lives. Because the race is on – and Wales won’t be left behind. I want our country, and our people, match-fit for the future.

Our nation powered the Industrial Revolution. Pioneers of coal, steel, and steam. We powered an Empire…but those days are well gone.

Nigel Farage may want to drag us back to that past – but I’m focused, unapologetically, on the future.

Reform say they’re worried about Artificial Intelligence. Well, their interest in Wales is certainly artificial – and when it comes to policy? We’re still waiting for the intelligence.

There’s a major difference between us and Reform. As Raymond Williams said:

“To be truly radical is to make hope possible, rather than despair convincing.”

We’re already leading the way – being one of the global centres for the tiniest, most powerful, most modern semiconductors. And in the years ahead, we will:

• Transform public services using the best technology and brightest talent
• Upskill our fantastic workforce
• Embrace the huge opportunities of AI – with fairness and purpose at its heart

Handled the right way, with humans in charge, AI can help us deliver services that are faster, smarter, and fairer. And in Wales, we’re already showing what that looks like.

But we’re doing it the Red Welsh Way.

And of course, we’re doing it in partnership with our trade unions – because they understand the power of AI to transform how we live and how we work.

Thanks to them, we already have ethical guardrails in place – protecting workers and guiding how AI is used across our public services.

This isn’t innovation for its own sake. It’s innovation with purpose:

• To make jobs easier, not disappear
• To protect people, not replace them
• To close inequality, not widen it

Now I know what some of you are thinking – “AI? Isn’t that all a bit sci-fi? Let the next generation sort it out.”

But this isn’t science fiction. It’s here. It’s now and it’s transforming every part of life, from classrooms to care homes.

Just take my own story.

Many of you know I care for my 93-year-old mum, who lives with Alzheimer’s. Like all carers, I worry – constantly – is she safe? Has she eaten? What if she falls when I’m not there?

Now, thanks to AI, she can wear a small device that monitors her blood pressure, oxygen levels, whether she’s skipped a meal or had a fall – and that can send the data in real time to a monitoring centre.

What a difference that can make to a carer – offering real peace of mind. But more importantly – it gives her independence.

And I don’t just want that for my mum. I want it for every carer. Every person needing support.

No panic. No worry. Just dignity. Just care.

That’s not some future fantasy. That’s already happening – right here in Wales.

AI has already revolutionised diagnostics in our health system. A new AI pathology platform has led to a 13% increase in prostate cancer detection rates – right here in North Wales.

Now just imagine that in every community – from Ceredigion to Conwy.

And Conference – AI isn’t limited to care. It’s helping:

• Teachers to personalise learning
• Doctors to detect illness earlier
• Social workers to focus on people, not paperwork

And it’s about to do so much more…

I’m extremely proud to announce that Wales will host a world-leading AI Growth Zone. A place where fair work, cutting-edge technology, and ethical design come together. By backing innovation with fairness – we’re turning ambition into action.

AI – the Red Welsh Way.

This is a huge win for Wales – and together, the UK Labour Government and the Welsh Government made it happen. But let’s be honest: We’re not leading…yet.

The world’s most powerful AI models? They’re not built in Wales. Not yet.

This is our moment to change the game. Because in Wales, we’ve got what it takes:

• A world-class semiconductor cluster
• The most trusted health data in the UK
• Leading research in cybersecurity
• And a proud bilingual culture – ideal for building inclusive AI

And already, we’re working with OpenAI – to train Welsh-language datasets. So, here’s our offer to Wales:

• Cutting-edge AI and digital skills in every Welsh secondary school
• New AI centres of excellence with FE, HE, industry and unions – supporting a just transition for workers
• Building on the Workforce Partnership Council’s landmark tech agreement – shaping how AI enters the public sector
• A Public Sector AI Framework – designed with the Social Partnership Council, rooted in fairness
• And one simple rule: if your tech doesn’t meet Welsh standards, it doesn’t belong in Welsh public life
• And today I can announce that this year, we’ll invest £2.5 million to show visible leadership on AI across Welsh public services – including the creation of a new department for AI within the Welsh Government, bringing together civil servants and industry experts to lead the way.

This isn’t about Silicon Valley. It’s about the Welsh Valleys! It’s about building a Wales where technology reflects our values: Fairness. Dignity. Opportunity.

We’ll give our schools, hospitals, and councils:

• The tools
• The training
• And the confidence to use AI for good

We’ll open up new opportunities:

• For small businesses to grow
• And for young people to shape the future

We don’t want gimmicks. We want progress with purpose. Progress that protects your job, your dignity, and your community.
And yes – we will lead in AI. But we’ll do it our way – the Red Welsh Way.

Conference – let’s be honest: The Tories won’t do this. Reform certainly won’t.

We know exactly what Farage means when he talks about wasteful spending and cutting bureaucracy – He means cutting public services.

So, to all of you who keep our public services running in Wales – that’s nearly 300,000 people – listen carefully to what they’re saying.

Because when they promise to slash spending, it’s not waste they’re cutting – It’s you. It’s your job they’re coming for.

And Plaid? They haven’t even entered the conversation.

Inexperienced economic fantasists – big slogans, no serious plan, and an independence agenda that collapses under the weight of scrutiny.

Unlike them, we are not interested in the politics of protest. We’re interested in the practice of power.

With tensions continuing in the Middle East, global energy prices on a knife edge, and instability spilling across continents – this is no time for amateurs. Wales needs experience and resolve.

We’re the ones with the plan. We’re the ones with the partnerships. We’re the ones with purpose.

And Conference, I want to pause here – to thank those Senedd Members who have decided not to stand again in the forthcoming elections.

Taking a well-earned break after decades of service is understandable, but we will miss your commitment, your drive, and passion for our movement.

Let’s give them a round of applause!

But because we are a strong team, we know we have able, committed, driven people waiting in the wings to step up.

Talented people who will inject our Senedd with fresh energy and new ideas.

Thank you to the hundreds of you who’ve put your names forward to lead your communities and your nation.

And conference, we’re serious about building a better Wales and we must be honest:

Nation building isn’t just about money. It’s about vision and power.

The power to make decisions about our country, in our country, appropriate for our country.

So yes, we will continue to pursue further powers. Not for show.
But because if we want a stronger Wales – we need the tools to build it ourselves.

Control over youth justice – focused on rehabilitation.

A fair deal on the Crown Estate – so the wealth from our natural resources stays in Wales.

And as your First Minister, I will never stop pressing for more.

Because that’s my job. That’s my duty.

To make Wales’s case – with clarity, with confidence, and with the full weight of the people I represent behind me.

Because when you believe in your country – truly believe – You don’t settle for what’s offered. You reach for what’s needed. You raise your voice and you raise your sights.

Let’s not forget – Nation building isn’t a slogan. It’s what we’re doing – every single day.

Through our commitment to Cymraeg – the living, growing language of our nation. Through a curriculum shaped for Welsh learners.

And under the leadership of our wonderful Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, we will protect and support the land we all love – tackling climate change head on.

That is real nation building. And we’re not just focused on what happens within our borders – we’re taking Welsh leadership to the world.

This December, we’ll host the most significant business event Wales has ever seen – A major Investment Summit in Newport.

Bringing together global investors, Welsh innovators, and government partners to do one thing: Put Wales firmly on the global stage. Wales is open. Wales is confident. Wales is ready to lead.

And let’s not forget – through the bleakest days of Tory austerity, it was Welsh Labour that stepped up, stood firm, and kept delivering.

We bought back the train lines in the valleys. We invested when others walked away. And now, passenger journeys are up by a fifth – on our amazing brand-new trains – many made in Wales – that are criss-crossing our country.

It’s taken over a decade of patient, determined practice in power to lay the foundations. So yes – we absolutely welcome the new rail investment from the UK Government.

Of course we do.

It’s long overdue – and we’re ready to make the most of it.

But let me be clear: This must just be the start.

Because ambition for Wales grows with what we know we can do – when we have the power, the partnerships, and the determination to do it.

This weekend shows exactly what that looks like. Just yesterday, the Prime Minister and I stood side by side at RAF Valley, paying tribute to our armed forces.

Today in particular, we honour their service to our country.

Conference, after my national listening tour, I promised we would focus on the bread-and-butter issues that matter most in our communities. And that is exactly what we’ve done.

• Listen to what we’ve already done.
• We’ve transformed more than 300 schools and colleges
• We’ve delivered and safeguarded nearly 40,000 jobs
• We’re rejuvenating town centres
• We’re on track to deliver 20,000 new social homes
• We’ve transformed Theatr Clwyd
• Stopped people profiting from services for looked-after children
• Completed the Heads of the Valleys Road

And yes – we’re on course to fill 100,000 potholes before the election. Government isn’t always glamorous – But under my leadership, it always delivers.

Real action. Real results.

Promises made, promises kept.

And Conference – there’s more.

Today, I’m proud to announce the launch of a new Tidy Towns Fund – a direct investment this year in the places we call home.

An additional £5 Million will go to local government to give our communities the uplift they deserve – to clean up our streets, restore shared spaces, spruce up local centres, and breathe new life into the places that matter most.

Mi fyddwn ni eleni yn lawnsio ein cronfa Trefi Taclus – £5 miliwn o fuddsoddiad yn y mannau sy’n bwysig i ni.

When our surroundings feel cared for, we feel cared for too. When a street is tidy, when a park is looked after, when a town centre feels alive – That’s not just about bricks and mortar.
It’s about belonging. It’s about dignity.

And above all -it’s about pride.

Because pride in our places means pride in ourselves.

This is the Red Welsh Way: Rooted in respect. Delivered with purpose. And powered by the people who know their communities best.

Now, Conference – you know I’m not afraid to speak up when it matters.

I stood up on welfare reform, the two-child benefit cap, and the cuts to winter fuel payments.

Because I know that when I speak – When we speak – It makes a difference.

And I’m glad that UK Government is a listening government and they heard our concerns and changed their approach to welfare cuts.

We were really concerned about the impact these changes could have had on some of our poorest and most vulnerable communities, and we made that clear to our colleagues in Westminster.

I’m glad they listened.

That decision brings huge and welcome relief to thousands of people in Wales who rely on this support to live with dignity.

We are the party of the Real Living Wage for care workers.

The party of social partnership.

Of a greener, fairer, more confident Wales.

And every time a patient picks up a free prescription, it proves the doubters wrong – it proves our values don’t just sound good. They work.

And that’s why I’m asking you this: Don’t let the next chapter of the story be written by others. Let it be written by us.

In every door we knock. In every community we listen to. In every proud vote cast for fairness over fear.

I know I can count on you to stand with us in this mission.

We’ll have the vast experience of Welsh Labour’s 103-year record of success to draw on. We’ll have the incredible team led by Joe Lock working their socks off. We’ll have campaigners like the wonderful Deputy Leader Carolyn Harris – tireless in her leadership and her love for this party.

And just as importantly – we’ll have our trade union movement at our side.

Our longstanding partners.

Because when we campaign together, we don’t just win elections – we change lives.

I came on to Don’t Stop Me Now – not just because it’s a tune. But because it’s a statement.

No – I don’t want to stop at all. Not now. Not when there’s so much still to do. Not when our future is right there, waiting to be won.

Dwi yn uchelgeisiol dros Gymru – nid i ddal i fyny, ond i arwain. I greu NHS sy’n gryfach, I sicrhau ysgolion sy’n gweithio i bob plentyn, ac i ddatblygu swyddi sy’n dod ag urddas, a chymunedau sy’n unedig.

I’m ambitious for Wales – and I know you are too. Not to catch up – but to lead.

We didn’t achieve our progress by breaking the bonds of solidarity. And we’re certainly not going to start now.

We’ve got the wind at our back. Two Labour governments in power. And the road ahead is wide open.

And we’re walking it our way – The Red Welsh Way. And together, we walk it proudly.

Diolch o galon.

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