First Minister says she is fighting for ‘more control’ over Wales Crown Estate assets, as she marks 100 days in office

Emily Price 

Eluned Morgan has marked her first 100 days as First Minister by confirming that she is pressing the UK Government to devolve the Crown Estate to Wales.

Baroness Morgan became Wales' first female First Minister in August following several months of scandal under the former Welsh Labour Leader Vaughan Gething.

She says that during her short time in office she has delivered "concrete action" for Wales' communities.

Marking the milestone on Thursday morning (November 14) the FM took phone calls from the Welsh public on the BBC's Nicky Campbell radio show.

During the show she was grilled by a caller from Barry who asked how she could defend millions from Wales' crown estate land and seabeds being "funnelled into the pockets of billionaire royals in London."

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Commitment

The Crown Estate is an independent company which belongs to the monarch for the duration of their reign.

Revenue from its £16bn property portfolio flows directly to the UK Treasury.

The estate’s Scottish assets were devolved to Scotland in 2016, and its revenue now goes to the Scottish Government.

Labour in Wales have consistently claimed devolving the Crown Estate is a firm commitment of theirs.

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Bold action

Caller Owen Williams demanded bold action from the First Minister to "put Wales first" and described her title - Baroness Morgan of Ely - as "laughable".

The First Minister hit back saying the caller sounded like he was "looking for independence for Wales" adding that this was "not the space I'm in at all".

She said she was "fighting very hard" to have "more control" over Wales' Crown Estate assets.

Speaking on the programme, Baroness Morgan said: "You talk about the sea bed for example. There is real opportunities in Wales for us to exploit the opportunities of offshore wind for example and that’s all owned by the crown estate.

"As it happens I had a meeting with the chief executive of the Crown Estate just yesterday and once again I made it clear for him that you know I want to see this devolved.

"I do want us to see us having power over this. I think it's unfair and I’ll keep on making that point the UK government.

"I know there’s a UK labour government with a Labour government in Wales but my job is to stand up for Wales and when there are opportunities to to make that case I will make them loud clearly as I did yesterday."

'Disconcerting'

The caller said he found it "disconcerting" that when the FM was faced with a question about the Crown Estate - her instant assumption was that the person must be looking for independence.

He said: "The fact is that 25 years after the Senedd was established, we are still crawling towards control of our own wealth while unfair funding models and the billions withheld from Wales thanks to HS2's laughable classification as an England and Wales project keep our nation struggling.

"Our communities cannot afford the glacial pace of this 25 year Labour government while these billionaire royals continue to grow richer."

The Welsh Government says Baroness Morgan has racked up a list of achievements during her first 100 days in power including completing the roll-out of free school meals and providing above-inflation pay awards to thousands of public sector workers.

The First Minister said: "There is a long list of achievements – but it will be longer, as we continue to deliver for the people of Wales. We have lots more to do and there is much more to come.

"The path ahead isn't easy. We face huge challenges, but we will face them together, as one Wales."