First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan during the Wales Investment Summit. Photo credit: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Emily Price
Wales’ First Minister has been subjected to vile abuse and calls for her death after she posted a light-hearted video of a family outing.
Baroness Eluned Morgan welcomed the New Year by taking on Europe’s fastest zip line at Zip World Penrhyn Quarry in north Wales.
She had gifted the adventurous day out to her husband as a Christmas present.
Baroness Morgan posted a video to Facebook of herself smiling whilst wearing Zip World gear and a helmet moments before she rode the park’s terrifying ‘Velocity’ zip line.
Speaking in the video, she said: “I intend to start this year as I mean to go on with energy, with enthusiasm and with a sense of adventure.
“I’m here at Chwarel Penrhyn in north Wales and just about to go 100 miles per hour down the fastest zip wire in Europe.”
The video later attracted a large number of vulgar and intimidating comments from men offering to “cut the wire”.
The comments – obtained by Nation Cymru – have since been deleted.
Facebook user Ian Ratty Humphries wrote: “Just when you wish the wire would snap.”
Kenneth Roberts wrote: “The line didn’t break then.”
Leighton Lee wrote: “Cut the wire please.”
David Jones added: “It would be nice to see someone there with an angle grinder or bolt cutters.”
‘Fray’
Steve Davies wrote: “I hope that’s a fray I spotted on the cable.”
Martyn Coldray commented: “Hope it snaps.”
Richard Higgs wrote: “The only day I’ve forgotten my hacksaw.”
Hefin Hughes added: “With someone pushing you off the edge.”
Giles Hulm commented: “Couldn’t trust anyone to clip her safety line on so she didn’t go down…”
Christian Utting wrote: “Hope it snaps.”
Gary Francis wrote: “Can anyone jam the cable whilst she is halfway down.”
Llew Rhobat wrote: “Wish I’d seen this earlier. Got a new bolt cutter for Christmas.”
Colin Grindey added: “Someone should have cut the wire.”
David Mcaughtrie commented: “Shame someone didn’t cut it.”
Nigel MacDonald wrote: “Hope it snaps.”
‘Toxic’
A source close to the First Minister said the abusive comments had “no place in Welsh public life.”
They said: “These comments expose the toxic culture that thrives on far right social media.
“Abuse of this kind is posted every day, undermining our politics and driving people out of public life.
“Online abuse should never be part of the job for public servants.
“It runs against our values and has no place in Welsh public life.”
The latest bout of abuse comes following a story by Nation Cymru that featured female Senedd Members speaking out about the appalling misogyny, abuse and harassment they regularly face.
The women of Wales’ parliament relayed harrowing experiences, including death threats, rape threats and insults about their physical appearance.
One MS we interviewed, who didn’t wish to be named, told us that online abuse was the “hardest thing” about being a politician and at times had caused her to fear for her own safety.
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