The cracks in the Labour Union are widening. In a stunning display of political distancing, Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan has refused to state whether she believes Keir Starmer is a "good" Prime Minister.

Speaking on national radio, Morgan sidestepped the question repeatedly, a silence that screams louder than any condemnation. With Welsh Labour facing a historic defeat in the upcoming Senedd elections, Morgan is desperately trying to decouple her brand from the sinking popularity of the Westminster government. Her message to Welsh voters is blunt: "He is not on the ballot paper."

Survival Mode

The polls are brutal. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-11)Labour is languishing in fourth place in Wales, trailing Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. The "Red Welsh Way" is under siege. Morgan’s strategy is to frame the election as a local referendum on service delivery, not a judgment on Starmer’s leadership.

"This is not a time for protest votes," she pleaded, attempting to stem the bleeding. But with the winter fuel payment controversy still raw, her refusal to defend her party leader suggests she believes Starmer is now toxic in the Valleys.

• The Polls: Labour polling at 10%, behind Plaid (37%) and Reform (23%).
• The Tactic: Complete separation from the UK government to save the Senedd seats.

A Kingdom Disunited

This is more than local politics; it is a sign of the fragmentation of the UK’s center-left. If the First Minister cannot publicly support the Prime Minister, the concept of a united Labour party is a fiction. Morgan knows that to save her government, she may have to sacrifice her loyalty to London.