Gaza: Minister won't say if Drakeford was told about ceasefire call

Eluned Morgan wrote that a ceasefire would "save hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent lives"

Wales' health minister has refused to say whether she told the first minister before calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war.

Eluned Morgan said she did not want to go into "any of that detail" over their conversation but that "we all understand each other".

She is the only Welsh government minister to publicly back a ceasefire in the war.

The Welsh government declined to comment.

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In an article published on WalesOnline on 31 October, Eluned Morgan wrote that "an immediate ceasefire will save hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent lives".

The health minister added: "On top of this, we must call for Israeli hostages to be released and the world must stand together to condemn the vicious Hamas attacks of 7th of October and the rise in anti-Semitic behaviour."

First Minister Mark Drakeford has echoed the stance taken by UK Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, calling for a "humanitarian pause" to allow aid to reach civilians in Gaza.

Asked by BBC Radio Wales Breakfast whether the first minister knew she was going to publish the article calling for a ceasefire, Ms Morgan replied, after a pause: "Well, that's an issue that I've discussed with the first minister."

Pushed on whether Mr Drakeford did not know about the article, she hesitated in answering before saying: "As I say, I think that's all I want to say on that issue.

"I've made it clear, my position... I've communicated with the FM on this issue and we all understand each other."

Ms Morgan was then asked whether Mr Drakeford was frustrated with the article.

"I'm not going to go into any of that detail," she said.

Both Mark Drakeford and Sir Keir Starmer have been under pressure to back a ceasefire from within their own parties.

Major rebellion

Welsh Labour government ministers, including Eluned Morgan, did not vote in a Senedd debate on the Israel-Gaza war on 8 November.

The Welsh Parliament backed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, with 11 Welsh Labour backbenchers supporting a Plaid Cymru motion deploring the conflict.

Despite not voting for the ceasefire motion, Ms Morgan told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the WalesOnline article made it clear "where I stand on this issue".

Asked if she wanted to vote for the ceasefire motion, Ms Morgan replied: "There's a precedent in the Senedd that where there are issues that are related to international affairs, which of course is a reserved area of government, that government ministers abstain."

But the health minister and other Welsh government ministers voted on a Senedd motion relating to the Ukraine war back in March 2022.

On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer suffered a major rebellion over his stance on the Israel-Gaza war, with 56 of his MPs voting for an immediate ceasefire.

Ten of Labour's frontbenchers left their jobs over the vote, including eight shadow ministers.

The Welsh government said it will not be providing anything further.