Why doesn't Eluned Morgan criticise Labours Rural exclusion in the Siambr.

Well I suppose we can only welcome the news in the Wasting Mule ( in what seems a press release) that Labour  AM Eluned Morgan, who represents Mid &West Wales, has set up a group of business leaders and academics to ensure Rural Wales gets an economic plan of its own to ensure it is not left behind by City Deals and other initiatives designed to benefit urban areas,.

But I wonder why she has not pressed her point more vocally in the Assembly Siambr.

An inaugural meeting of the group passed a resolution saying:

“While the City Region model may work in parts of Wales, it is not a model that is relevant or suitable for vast areas of rural Wales.”

The group suggests there is an urgency to develop a plan specifically for rural Wales following the Brexit vote. They argue that the impact of leaving the EU on the rural economy is likely to be greater than elsewhere in Wales as European funding is withdrawn.

Baroness Morgan said:

 “I am delighted that a range of accomplished individuals has agreed to work towards presenting the Welsh Government with the broad structure of a plan.
"We will then encourage the Government to elaborate on this by preparing specific and measurable targets.
“The economic challenges for rural Wales are many and varied. These include low productivity rates, low-paid jobs, a low skills base, transport and IT infrastructure weaknesses, a lack of affordable homes, and an ageing population.
“Due to a lack of varied employment opportunities there is a loss of many of our brightest people who feel they need to leave in order to find work. In order to build a balanced and more sustainable economy these are just some of the issues that need to be addressed.”

According to the article

The group agreed at its meeting that insecurity in terms of the long-term future of agriculture suggests there is a need to start preparing now for a new approach focusing on added value and broadening the debate to include the wider food and drink industry. In addition to this there is a need to enhance the quality of the tourism offer and take advantage of the low pound to attract new visitors to the area.

Though no names are given  so we can only wonder at its strnyh
Baroness Morgan, herself a former MEP, said: “

Many sectors have received economic support through European funding initiatives over the years. The loss of this additional support will have longer term impacts if it is not replaced.”

The group says it will not try to re-invent the wheel or duplicate work already underway by the Welsh Government, local authorities, the City Region and other organisations committed to economic development in the area. It will, however, identify key sectors on which a rural development plan should focus and make the case for the proposals within the plan to be taken forward by the Welsh Government.

The AM added: 

“I have already discussed this matter with First Minister Carwyn Jones, Economy Secretary Ken Skates, and Rural Development Secretary Lesley Griffiths. They are all interested to hear what progress we can make on this matter.”

The group has invited Mr Skates to attend a meeting in April when he will be presented with a draft plan. Baroness Morgan has also sent a questionnaire to all town and community councils in Mid and West Wales to gauge their views on economic development in the region.

The  Mule does not seem to have looked for a response  from any of the other Political Parties , which seems odd especially as a Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM who  described the decision to locate a new Welsh Government department a few miles from Cardiff as “shameful”. was criticised by a Labour MP

Owen Smith ‏@OwenSmith_MP  14h14 hours ago14 hours ago14 hours ago14 hours agoMoreMore great news that @welshlabour Govt. investing in RCT. Trust Plaid to attack them 4 bringing jobs to the valleys!

No where in the Press Release  Mule does there seem to be an explicit criticism of the Labour Party's running of the Welsh Assembly  which has concentrated  nearly all its eggs in the South East Wales basket.

Do we really need a Labour AM toset up a group 

This to me looks like a gimmick by Labour to throw rural Wales a few crumbs and to be seeing to do something.

I await Ms Morgan grilling Carwyn Jones and his Ministers in the Siambr on this topic with interest  , or will this highlight her party's failures in this area a bit to much for comfort?