Skip to content

Millar seeks female identity culture war - Morgan

Daniel Davies
Political correspondent, BBC Wales News
Senedd Cymru Darren Millar in the Senedd chamber criticising Eluned Morgan for not giving him her definition of a woman. He is smiling and gesturing with his hands and has a Conservative colleague behind him who is also smilingSenedd Cymru
Darren Millar asked Eluned Morgan to define a woman for him

Eluned Morgan accused the Conservatives' Senedd leader of "starting a culture war" when he asked her to define a woman.

There were noisy scenes in the Senedd when Morgan clashed with Darren Millar in the first question time since International Women's Day on Saturday.

Millar asked: "In order that people across Wales can appreciate and understand what the Welsh government was celebrating over the weekend, what's your definition of a woman?"

The first minister replied: "Really? Is that right Darren? On the day that we want to celebrate women, you want to start a culture war?"

She said "it is not something I'm engaging with" and instead cited the launch of the government's women's health plan, which includes opening women's health hubs.

Labour backbenchers jeered as Millar said: "To me, a woman is an adult human female."

He called himself "a pro-women's rights potential first minister… and I would encourage you to be likewise".

Senedd Cymru Eluned Morgan replying to one of Darren Millar's questions in the Senedd, surrounded by the wooden desks and computer laptops in the debating chamber Senedd Cymru
Eluned Morgan criticised Darren Millar for asking her to define a woman

Morgan, Wales's first female first minister, said: "I think it's really important that we focus on the things that women really care about, right?

"What they care about is feeling safe, is making sure that they have their rights, that their children are able to flourish, and that's why this is a government that, for years, has been focused on the things that really matter to women."

She attacked the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru for voting against Labour's budget, which included more funding for childcare, last week.

Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth thanked her "highlighting the fact that Plaid Cymru did vote against her flawed budget".