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Former Minister’s statement piles pressure on Vaughan Gething

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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.

News

Senedd Member praises local community initiative in Haverfordwest

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SENEDD Member Paul Davies has praised Feed the Community as a “fantastic initiative” during a recent visit to Haverhub in Haverfordwest. The project, which is backed by several local organisations, offers free hot meals and activities to residents.

Feed the Community is organised by Councillors Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner and Dani Thomas-Turner, with support from Haverfordwest Town Council.

Mr Davies said: “Feed the Community is a fantastic initiative and a great example of the local community coming together to create inclusive and welcoming events.”

He added: “It’s a wonderful opportunity for local businesses and charities to connect with residents and strengthen community ties. The event was well attended, and I was pleased to meet residents, business representatives, and volunteers. The positive atmosphere at the Hub was inspiring, and I was delighted to experience it firsthand.”

Pictured above: Paul Davies is seen with organisers Cllr Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner and Cllr Dani Thomas-Turner. 

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Crime

More than 2,000 child sexual abuse image crimes recorded in Wales last year

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Private messaging platforms exploited by criminals

MORE than 2,000 child sexual abuse image offences were recorded by police forces in Wales over the past year, according to Home Office data. The figures highlight the exploitation of private messaging platforms by criminals to share illegal material, prompting renewed calls for stronger regulations.

The NSPCC has urged the UK Government to take decisive action to protect children in private messaging environments. The charity, along with Barnardo’s and the Marie Collins Foundation, has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Science, Innovation, and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, calling for Ofcom’s approach to private messaging to be strengthened.

Six offences recorded daily

The data shows that 2,194 child sexual abuse image crimes were recorded by Welsh police forces in 2023/24, equating to around six offences per day.

  • Dyfed-Powys Police recorded 192 offences.
  • South Wales Police recorded 964 offences.
  • North Wales Police recorded 535 offences.
  • Gwent Police recorded 503 offences.

A separate Freedom of Information request by the NSPCC revealed that, in cases where police documented the platform used by perpetrators, half (50%) of offences occurred on Snapchat. Meta platforms accounted for a quarter of cases, with 11% on Instagram, 7% on Facebook, and 6% on WhatsApp.

Call for stronger protections

In their letter to the Government, child protection charities expressed concerns over Ofcom’s Illegal Harms Code of Practice, published in December 2024. The charities argue that the code does not go far enough to protect children from the worst forms of abuse on private messaging services, despite the Online Safety Act aiming to address such risks.

Ofcom has stated that platforms are only required to remove illegal content where it is ‘technically feasible’. However, campaigners warn that this loophole allows some services to avoid implementing basic protections for children.

Police data suggests that private messaging platforms are involved in more child sexual abuse image crimes than any other type of online platform. Offenders exploit the secrecy of these services to target children and avoid detection.

The role of end-to-end encryption

The NSPCC is calling on the UK Government to push Ofcom to strengthen its codes of practice and ensure online safety regulations adequately tackle this issue. The charity also wants private messaging services, including those using end-to-end encryption, to introduce robust safeguards.

End-to-end encryption is a secure communication system where only the sender and recipient can access messages, preventing service providers from detecting illegal content. This, campaigners argue, creates a ‘safe haven’ for child abusers.

Childline reports rise in cases

Data from Childline provides further evidence of the dangers of private messaging platforms. Last year, the service delivered 903 counselling sessions to children experiencing blackmail or threats to expose or share sexual images online—a 7% increase compared to 2022/23.

One 13-year-old girl who sought help from Childline said: “I sent nude pics and videos to a stranger I met on Snapchat. I think he’s in his thirties. I don’t know what to do next. I told him I didn’t want to send him any more pictures and he started threatening me, telling me that he’ll post the pictures online. I’m feeling really angry with myself and lonely. I would like support from my friends, but I don’t want to talk to them about it as I’m worried about being judged.”

NSPCC chief executive’s warning

Chris Sherwood, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “These offences cause tremendous harm and distress to children, with much of this illegal material being repeatedly shared and viewed online. It is an outrage that in 2025 we are still seeing a blatant disregard from tech companies to prevent this illegal content from proliferating on their sites.

“Having separate rules for private messaging services lets tech bosses off the hook from putting robust protections in place. This enables crimes to continue to flourish on their platforms even though we now have the Online Safety Act.”

He added: “The Government must set out how they will take a bold stand against abuse on private messaging services and hold tech companies accountable for keeping children safe, even if it requires changes to the platform’s design. There can be no excuse for inaction or delay.”

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Health

Welsh NHS Confederation calls for long-term workforce plan

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Leaders urge government to address staffing challenges

THE WELSH NHS Confederation has responded to an Audit Wales report highlighting workforce challenges in the health and social care sector, calling for a fully funded, long-term staffing plan.

Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said: “We welcome Audit Wales’ report on NHS workforce challenges. It’s no secret that the workforce is the lifeblood of the NHS and social care services.”

He reiterated long-standing calls for the Welsh Government to invest in a costed Long-Term Plan to create a sustainable workforce, ensuring the NHS and social care services can meet future demand.

Growing workforce, rising costs

Hughes acknowledged ongoing efforts to reduce reliance on agency staff and fill vacancies but warned that while the NHS workforce is expanding, staffing costs are rising unsustainably.

“Audit Wales rightly questions the sustainability of these rising staffing costs in the current financial climate,” he said.

Multi-disciplinary teams needed

NHS leaders believe that multi-disciplinary teams are key to meeting the evolving needs of the population. However, Hughes expressed concerns over the lack of a national workforce plan and unclear system leadership arrangements.

“Now more than ever, we must work together across NHS and social care boundaries to find long-term solutions to recruitment and retention,” he added.

The Welsh NHS Confederation represents the country’s seven local health boards, three NHS trusts, Health Education and Improvement Wales, and Digital Health and Care Wales.

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