She was a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party committees on education and employment; health and social services, and culture, media and sport. In 2009 she supported Carwyn Jones in the election for First Minister, strongly criticising his opponent Edwina Hart for dismissing suggestions that the First Minister needed to be able to speak the Welsh language. Williams said: "“I think it’s important that we have someone who is bilingual as First Minister of Wales, like we’ve had with Rhodri who can conduct interviews through the medium of Welsh or English.”