Fresh start

First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan           Source: Pembrokeshire Herald

 Today is the feast of The Transfiguration, the same day that Eluned Morgan has been voted in as Wales’ first female First Minister following the resignation of Vaughan Gething after four months of turmoil.

After the eccentricities of Mark Drakeford and the poor judgement of his successor the people of Wales will be hoping for a Welsh government transfiguration.

Despite devolution the Health Service in Wales has crumbled.

Paying into the NHS throughout their working lives, long waiting lists for hospital treatment are forcing the elderly, particularly, to spend their savings on private treatment to avoid living out their retirement in pain.

The First Minister will need a miracle worker to sort out the mess. We wish her well. The task is not an enviable one.

Mark who?

Source: BBC

Whilst congratulating Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford on his election as leader of the Labour party in Wales and likely First Minister in succession to Carwyn Jones, it says much for Welsh politics and devolved government that many people in Wales, not to mention elsewhere, had to be told who he was.

Polling 53.9% of the vote in the second round after Eluned Morgan was eliminated Vaughan Gething the Secretary for Health and Social Services came a creditable second.

One must hope that the realisation of office will enable the First Minister to look beyond such matters as extending the smoking ban to town and city centres and giving the parents of newborn babies a 'bundle of essential items'.

The integration of health services and social care along with ending the M4 bottleneck for traffic coming into Wales need urgent attention. That is how he will put his name on the map, hopefully for the better.