It has been nearly a year since Eluned Morgan was swept to the position of First Minister unopposed, with opponents saying the Labour leader in Wales has made no progress on the biggest issues facing the country.

Laura Anne Jones has said Eluned Morgan’s first year as First Minister has been “managed decline”.

The South Wales East MS made the comments ahead of Morgan’s one-year anniversary in the role on August 6th, after becoming First Minister of Wales following Vaughan Gething’s resignation.

Ms Jones said that Ms Morgan had failed to make a breakthrough on key issues, such as NHS waiting lists, education, farming, and the controversial 20mph speed limit.

Laura Anne Jones MS, Senedd Member for South Wales East and Shadow Minister for Housing, Local Government and the Armed Forces, said, “One year on from coming to the helm, Eluned Morgan’s leadership has been one of managed decline.”

“When the First Minister came to power, it was in her gift to change things for the better. She could have scrapped the ridiculous 20mph speed limit with a stroke of a pen, and then moved on to the harder work of driving down waiting lists and driving up educational standards.”

Ms Jones also commented on the recent livestock restrictions imposed on the agricultural industry due to the bluetongue disease breakout in other parts of the UK.

“Where we have actually seen real damage has been with farming,” she said.

“There’s very little sign that the new sustainable farming scheme won’t be a green assault on our rural communities, and the Welsh Government’s recent livestock movement restrictions just demonstrate how little they know about agriculture.”

“And when the UK Government took away winter fuel payments from pensioners and placed a death tax like the family farm, far from roaring like a dragon, the Welsh Government went down with a whimper.”

“Wales deserves a First Minister who can tackle the big issues with bold and innovative ideas, not more managed decline under Labour.”