FM 'big fan' of Labour member at centre of selection row

Eluned Morgan said she hoped Williams "will consider putting his name in for perhaps another seat"

The first minister has publicly backed a high-profile Welsh Labour member who failed to win selection for the next Senedd election.

Owain Williams applied and failed to get a place on a shortlist in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf.

A former special adviser to Mark Drakeford said Williams had qualities worthy of making him a minister and said he would not be surprised if members of the Welsh government would have been upset.

Eluned Morgan said: "Owain is a very talented guy and I'd like to see him as a candidate for the Senedd."

Morgan, speaking to BBC Wales at the National Eisteddfod on Monday, suggested Williams could potentially be successful in another Labour selection.

"I am a big fan of Owain Williams," she told BBC Wales at the National Eisteddfod. "Let's see what happens. This is the beginning of a process."

She later added: "There are lots of other people in the same position.

"It's important that the process is done fairly and I do hope that he will consider putting his name in for perhaps another seat."

Son of former S4C chair Rhodri Williams, Owain Williams is an Oxford-educated management consultant and wrote the manifesto for Jeremy Miles' bid for the Labour leadership.

Morgan told BBC Wales that Miles "doesn't want to make a big fuss".

Williams applied to stand for the new seat of Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, made up of the Westminster constituencies of Cardiff East and Cardiff North.

A shortlist of eight decided last week omitted Williams.

Williams said on X: "Since announcing my candidacy, I've made a clear argument: we need to renew the party and the country, with new thinking and nothing that cannot be questioned."

He said it was a "grave mistake not to allow the party membership in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf the chance to vote on this platform".

Eluned Morgan took part in a Q&A with Owain Williams on Monday at the Eisteddfod

David Davies, a former special adviser to Mark Drakeford, said he was "speechless" at the decision.

He told BBC Wales Williams has a "stellar CV" and is "charming and likeable", and would be taking a "substantial cut in pay to become an MS".

"He's in it for the right reasons," he said.

"It is inconceivable really that with that sort of background and history Owain would fail to get into the top eight of a shortlist to be a MS in his own constituency.

"There is no doubt in my mind that he would have certainly, relatively quickly become a cabinet member, and he was a future first minister.

"My bigger concern is Wales should not be denied his talents.

"It wouldn't surprise me at all if senior Welsh politicians have been upset at a potential loss of such a talent as Owain Williams."

Others in the shortlist are:

• Bernie Bowen-Thomson

• Lee Bridgeman

• Jen Burke

• Dan De'Ath

• Matthew Hexter

• Jackie Jones

• Sarah Merry

• Shavanah Taj

The names on the list will need to be ranked in order in a process yet to be decided.

Owain Williams, pictured at an event at the Eisteddfod, had applied to stand in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf

A Welsh Labour spokesperson declined to comment on individual candidacies, but added: "Welsh Labour is currently running selection processes for the 16 new constituencies formed for the next Senedd elections in 2026 following a timetable agreed by the Welsh Executive Committee.

"Ranking for all those seeking re-election has completed.

"All those who have applied to be a candidate for the remaining slots have gone through robust due diligence procedures and the process of shortlisting those candidates is ongoing."