News

Former Minister’s statement piles pressure on Vaughan Gething

Published

4 months ago

July 10, 2024

A FORMER minister sacked by Vaughan Gething for allegedly leaking to the media made a dramatic personal statement in the Welsh Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 9).

Hannah Blythyn told Senedd members she had not leaked information to the media, was never shown any evidence that showed she had done so and was never told she was under investigation.

ECONOMIC WITH THE TRUTH

Mr Gething has refused to publish the information he relied upon to dismiss Ms Blythyn and refused to hold a formal leak inquiry. The First Minister has also blocked disclosure of the Ministerial Code of Conduct. The Code for Westminster is publicly available.

The First Minister dismissed Hannah Blythyn from his government after a leak revealed that he had not disclosed information about Welsh Government decisions to the UK Covid Inquiry.

In the message published on Nation Cymru, Mr Gething said he would delete the exchange to avoid its disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

He originally claimed the messages were “internal Labour group discussions”. However, that is untrue. The leaked exchange relates to ministerial discussions of arrangements to grade students’ exams during the pandemic.

Mr Gething could be recalled to answer questions about what other information he deleted or has not disclosed.

The First Minister has previously absented himself from the Senedd Chamber when he is the subject of criticism.

On Tuesday, the Presiding Officer, Elin Jones, called Ms Blythyn to make her statement immediately before Mr Gething unveiled his legislative programme.

Tapping his fingers impatiently and with a face that could curdle milk, the First Minister had to sit there and take it.

GETHING SACKED MINISTER WITHOUT DISCLOSING EVIDENCE

Hannah Blythyn began her statement by saying there had been times when she was unsure “I would or could stand or speak” in the Senedd debating chamber again.

“Whilst I will not share the detail, I will share that I have formally raised concerns about the process by which I was removed from government, including not being shown any alleged evidence before being sacked, not being made aware that I was ever under investigation and that at no point was I advised or was it evidenced that I may have broken the ministerial code.”

Ms Blythyn acknowledged that it was “within the gift of any first minister to appoint and remove members of their government.”

But in a possible reference to the circumstances around the death of Carl Sargeant, the MS said she had “very real concerns that lessons have not been learned from the past”.

She said there had been “speculation about my circumstances and whether I have been well enough to work”.

“This has ranged from what was tantamount to misinformation and what can be put down to misunderstanding.

“It should not be surprising that what happened has been hugely detrimental to me on a personal level and led to acute anxiety and stress.”

Ms Blythyn continued: “We’ve talked about kinder politics often in this place, but we cannot have kinder politics without kinder people.

“We won’t get to better politics without being better people.

“It has been a privilege to serve in my country’s government, particularly under the leadership of Mark Drakeford.”

MORE QUESTIONS FOR FM TO DUCK

The Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies said the comments “raise more questions for the first minister”.

“People will now rightly ask whether the first minister publicly sacked Hannah without sufficient evidence that she was guilty of leaking,” he said.

“The personal consequences for Hannah of that sacking were clearly enormous, and the first minister owes her a full and humble apology.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth wrote to Mr Gething urging him to publish the evidence supporting his sacking of Ms Blythyn.

He called on the first minister to make an “urgent statement in the Senedd tomorrow setting out your response to the concerns raised in today’s personal statement by the member for Delyn”.

THE STAKES RAISED

Pressure on Mr Gething after the disastrous start to his tenure as First Minister eased when Rishi Sunak called a snap General Election. However, despite Labour’s victory in the Westminster poll, things look far less rosy for Labour in Wales.

The Party’s vote share in Wales dropped on July 4, and the First Minister’s personal approval rating is desperately poor, falling behind Rhun ap Iortwerth’s and Andrew RT Davies’s.

A poll for Barn Cymru shows Labour support for the 2026 Senedd elections at an all-time low and suggests that Labour might lose its death grip on the Welsh Parliament.

Hannah Blythyn’s statement heightens the focus on Mr Gething’s judgement and lack of transparency.

MSs unwilling to rock the boat during the General Election campaign could now be emboldened by Ms Blythyn’s full-on denial of the claims against her by the First Minister.

If Mr Gething cannot come up with a convincing explanation for her dismissal that flatly contradicts the former minister’s statement, discontent will grow, especially amongst the overwhelming majority of his colleagues who did not back him in the Labour leadership election.

Personal factors also come into play. Hannah Blythyn is popular, and Mr Gething is not.

The real danger for Mr Gething is that he might believe he has evidence to support his decision but cannot disclose it because of its source or how it was gathered. In that case, there is no way he can win the battle with Hannah Blythyn, and it could cost him his position sooner rather than later.

Health

NHS staff at risk during pandemic due to PPE issues, Covid Inquiry hears

Published

8 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Tom Sinclair

NHS staff in Wales may have put their health at risk during the Covid-19 pandemic by treating patients without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), former health minister Vaughan Gething has admitted.

Giving evidence to the Covid inquiry, Gething acknowledged significant challenges in distributing PPE despite assurances that national-level supplies were maintained. He revealed that stocks of key items ran out far quicker than anticipated, with some equipment deemed unfit for purpose and discarded.

“There were some very real challenges,” Gething said, noting that gloves, expected to last 15 weeks, were depleted within 11 days. Aprons and other essentials soon became critical concerns. He also condemned opportunistic profiteering during the crisis, calling some suppliers “shysters” who exploited global demand to sell inadequate equipment.

***Covid 19: Hospitals were under pressure during the pandemic (Image: Herald)***

The Welsh Conservatives described the revelations as “completely unacceptable” for NHS staff, while Plaid Cymru accused the Labour-led Welsh Government of “significantly letting down” frontline workers.

The inquiry also heard of chaotic conditions in some hospitals. An email from a consultant at Prince Charles Hospital in March 2020 described a dire situation, with staff lacking protection, low morale, and masks unavailable.

In some instances, healthcare workers resorted to makeshift solutions, including wearing bin bags or purchasing their own safety gear. Trade unions highlighted that schools even stepped in to produce masks and hand sanitiser for local health services.

When asked whether healthcare workers treated Covid-19 patients with inadequate PPE during the first wave, Gething replied, “I’m afraid that’s possible.”

Decisions under pressure

The session also addressed difficult decisions made during the pandemic. Evidence was presented that some patients with little chance of survival were not admitted to critical care due to limited space.

“It’s very upsetting to read,” Gething said, acknowledging the heartbreaking choices faced by medical teams, though he claimed to be unaware of specific instances.

Gething, who served as health minister until May 2021, conceded that delays in tackling hospital-acquired infections could have contributed to the challenges. He admitted he might have acted earlier in forming a task group to address the issue, which worsened during the second wave.

First Minister reflects on birthing partner rules

Current First Minister Eluned Morgan also testified, reflecting on delayed decisions to allow birthing partners in hospitals during the pandemic.

***First Minister Eluned Morgan at the hearing on Wednesday (Image: Youtube )***

Morgan, who succeeded Gething as health minister in May 2021, acknowledged that guidance was not updated until May 2022, more than a year after England implemented similar changes.

“If I had my time again, that’s one of the things I definitely would have changed,” Morgan said, calling the delay regrettable for new parents.

She also defended the decision not to launch a national investigation into hospital-acquired infections, citing extensive reviews conducted by health boards. However, Morgan acknowledged shortcomings in resuming routine surgery and criticised poor management at some facilities.

The inquiry continues to examine decisions made by Welsh ministers and NHS leaders during the pandemic, focusing on lessons learned to prevent similar issues in future crises.

Entertainment

Miles Jupp: On I Bang

Published

10 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SINCE Miles’ last tour finished at The London Palladium in 2017, he’s been in The Full Monty on Disney Plus, The Durrells and Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on ITV, as well as a heap of episodes of Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Have I Got News For You. He’s made an award-winning radio series and he’s published a novel. But for Covid, he would have played a lead at the RSC. Hey ho. Nevertheless, he’s done a play in the West End and played the Emperor of Austria and Europe in a Ridley Scott film and now he heads here to the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven!

Yet one sunny day in the middle of all this, he suddenly suffered a brain seizure. This led to the discovery of a tumour the size of a cherry tomato, and a rather pressing need to undergo major neurosurgery. Obviously, one doesn’t wish to make a big deal of it, but the experience has left him with a story to tell and a few things that he’d like to share with the room. So that’s exactly what he’s doing in his new show On I Bang – a tale about surprise, fear, luck, love and qualified medical practitioners.

Having received rave reviews by The Times, The Guardian and The Telegraph, On I Bang with Miles Jupp is one not to be missed here at the Torch, and tickets are selling like hot cakes. Awarded four stars and described as “Elegantly funny, terrible English account of a tumour” by The Guardian and awarded five stars by The Arts Desk 2024, this a performance that will be talked about for months to come.

Join Miles Jupp: On I Bang when he visits the Torch Theatre on Friday 10 January at 8pm.Ticket price: £25. For tickets phone the Box Office on 01646 695267 or visit torchtheatre.co.uk.

News

Steel support ‘will reach thousands’ Welsh Secretary tells Senedd committee

Published

17 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THOUSANDS of people affected by the transition to greener steelmaking at Tata Steel Port Talbot are set to benefit from support set up by the UK Government, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has told a Senedd committee.

Appearing before the Senedd Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee as part of its report on the Future of Welsh Steel today (Wednesday 20 November) Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens explained that since taking up her post in July, the Tata Steel Port Talbot Transition Board she chairs had already released £26.5 million to support businesses and workers in Port Talbot and across steel communities.

The Welsh Secretary told the committee that the £80m Transition Board was not fully funded when she came into office. However, she fought for an initial £13.5m in August to support supply chain businesses and workers.

The full £80m was confirmed by the Chancellor in October’s Autumn Budget. Following this, the Welsh Secretary announced last week (16 November) a further £13m to fund grant schemes to help people start new businesses and grow or protect previous businesses.

Dozens of firms in the supply chain are already moving forward with applications and money will be granted in the coming few weeks. The Welsh Secretary added that she expected support in the coming months and years from the Transition Board eventually to help thousands of steelworkers, family members and businesses in the supply chain.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the Senedd: “Our focus is to make sure that we are protecting Port Talbot as a site of steelmaking in the future and that we will be helping thousands of people through this transition – not just direct employees but people in the supply chain and people in the wider community.

“We as a government see a bright future ahead for steel in the UK. We have a long-term vision that will deliver for the UK and I am determined that Port Talbot will be at the forefront of our steel industry in the future.”

The Welsh Secretary also reiterated to the committee that within weeks of taking office in July the UK Government delivered a better deal that secures the future of Port Talbot Steelworks, laid the groundwork for future investment and improved terms for the workforce without additional costs to the taxpayer.

She added that on arrival in office it was found that the £80m commitment to the Tata Port Talbot Transition Board was unfunded. It was later fully funded at October’s Budget.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the committee: “The fund of £80m was initially announced last October. Between October 2023 and the General Election in July 2024 not a single penny of that £80m went out of the door to help steelworkers, the supply chain or the wider community.

“After we took office, I was horrified to discover that the £80m was an unfunded spending commitment.

“I have worked very hard to make sure that the £80m has now been confirmed through the Budget.”

Wednesday’s evidence session was the first time that the Welsh Secretary has appeared before a Senedd committee following her appointment in July.

Further funds from the Transition Board will be released over the coming months to provide a wide range of support for steelworkers and the wider community.

The committee was also told that the UK Government is committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which will be available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is in addition to the £500m for Tata at Port Talbot steelworks and will harness public and private investment to ensure a sustainable future for UK steelmaking. 

The UK Government is also developing a steel strategy that will set out a long-term vision for the steel sector in the UK.

The Welsh Secretary added: “We will have a steel strategy published in the spring to set out that vision for how Welsh steel and UK steel will play such an important part in the future.”