I wish to begin this column by utterly condemning the choice of language deployed by the Daily Mail when referring to Vaughan Gething in a recent article. An archaic word was used, surely deliberately given the editorial process there, which provoked a high-click-rate reaction from readers. I believe that behaviour to be unacceptable.
The article prompted a statement from the Labour Party in Wales’ BAME Committee. The statement quite rightly, in my view, took aim at the Daily Mail’s language. It is important to note that the statement was issued the day after an emergency meeting of the Labour Senedd Group. At that meeting, supporters of the First Minister claimed that the ongoing scrutiny of Gething’s scandals by the media was racially driven.
Shutting down scrutiny
I take serious exception to part of the committee’s statement, which said: “For so many BAME people in Wales the last few weeks will have been disturbing, unsettling and yet very familiar. In the Welsh media the treatment of Vaughan Gething has gone well beyond what one can reasonably call fair scrutiny.”
As you can see, the statement is not limited to the Daily Mail, but implies that the Welsh media as a whole – there’s no caveat like ‘some’ and it doesn’t give specific examples – treat Gething differently because of his race. I assume from the blanket language that the statement includes this column, and am outraged by such an accusation.
The determined investigative journalism undertaken by Nation.Cymru and Wales Online, among others, has always appeared to be driven by a search for the truth. These efforts in one case resulted in an as-yet unnamed Labour MS attempting to intimidate a journalist into silence on these issues. More to come on this, I hope, as it is behaviour that is not compatible with a free and fair society.
As we have covered extensively in the past, Gething’s decisions resulted in him being embroiled in multiple scandals of varying severity. These are things any credible journalist or commentator simply won’t ignore.
Gething’s campaign manager Stewart Owadally specifically singled me out on Twitter for making a point many others have made – that the Daily Mail article should not be used as a tool to shut down all scrutiny of our First Minister by the media. I assume Owadally has not singled me out due to my Jewish heritage. That attack on me has been supported by a current Labour minister.
It’s not either/or
The statement from a branch of the Labour Party has been stridently pushed by figures close to Gething. It has been perceived by many as an attempt to close down legitimate scrutiny of very serious issues. Those who are concerned about potential corruption and the appearance of compromised integrity should not be intimidated into standing down.
For the time being, Gething is the First Minister of Wales – a role only surpassed in its standing in public life by those of the UK prime minister and the king. On that basis alone he should face the highest levels of scrutiny possible, if we truly have a free press.
Gething should be held to a high standard of scrutiny because of his role, no other factor. The fact that he has made really poor decisions regarding donations and sackings is inconvenient for him and his supporters, but scrutiny should be par for the course.
Those who believe in holding public figures to account for apparent dodgy dealings or questionable behaviour should have the right of a free press to ensure that scrutiny is applied, regardless of the personal characteristics of the individual involved. Democracy depends on it. And, as always, racism should indeed be called out when it rears its ugly head. But one should never be weaponised to prevent the other.
Gething to the bottom of things
Last week the First Minister released a brief statement announcing that he’d sacked Hannah Blythyn MS from his Government. Blythyn held the role of Minister for Social Partnership. The brief statement proved to be a comms own goal and Gething’s team was compelled to issue a lengthier statement.
The First Minister claimed Blythyn leaked damaging text messages, which were sent by Gething, to the media. This claim is unevidenced yet was further exacerbated by Eluned Morgan MS claiming evidence did exist during a BBC Radio interview on Monday. Morgan declined to confirm whether she’d seen the evidence herself. Blythyn strongly denies being the leaker and stated “integrity is all in politics and I retain mine”. This appears to be a possible swipe at Gething.
In either event, the First Minister has made a total mockery of the Welsh Government’s whistleblowing policy. His message to any potential whistleblower that shines a light on government wrongdoing whether intended or not is ‘keep quiet or you’ll be fired and briefed against in public’. Gething needs to remember that he’s supposed to be the leader of a democratic Wales, not a CEO in the mould of Logan Roy from the HBO series Succession.
The fact that Gething’s team refuses to disclose the alleged evidence, and prominent Labour figures decline to confirm whether they’ve actually seen said evidence, are both big red flags. Surely disclosing the evidence confirms the issue?
It isn’t a case of disciplinary action preventing release of evidence, as the messages themselves were clearly ministerial and should have been placed on the public record at the Covid Inquiry. Unsurprisingly, that’s a key point Operation Save Gething isn’t acknowledging. But this is clearly an issue in the public interest and on which a prominent politician should be scrutinised.
Plaid terminates the Co-op
No, don’t worry, Plaid Cymru has not terminated your local Co-op store. But it’s decided to pull the plug on the Labour-Plaid Cooperation Agreement. At last. Which proved to be yet another damning blow for the embattled First Minister.
Plaid cited the change of Labour’s focus under Gething, and referenced the multiple scandals he’s at the centre of. Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, labelled Gething’s decision to accept a £200,000 donation from a convicted environmental polluter as displaying “a significant lack of judgement”.
The leader paid tribute to the work covered within the Co-operation Agreement, such as Plaid’s keystone policies of free school meals, and Senedd expansion. Neither went as far as Plaid would have liked but the party is clearly pleased with the results nonetheless.
Whether the Cooperation Agreement was successful for Plaid in terms of political capital is a future article in itself. That said, one does wonder whether Plaid may have secured more concessions from the Labour Welsh Government by operating on a supply and demand basis, rather than a formalised agreement signed in the aftermath of another disappointing election result.
As a beneficiary of universal free school meals in primary schools –,my eldest daughter receives them – it’s a policy that’s had a significant positive impact on young families. It really does show that a progressive alternative is possible if people vote for it. I’m disappointed that Labour has largely claimed credit for it, and widely been allowed to by the UK media.
Let’s not forget that Labour voted against this policy on seven occasions in the previous Senedd. Indeed, during this Senedd, they had to be brought kicking and screaming to support it, almost literally in Hefin David MS’s case.
RT outplays everyone
Regular readers of this column won’t be surprised by Andrew RT Davies’ actions as Gething’s multiple scandals spiralled. In a move I accurately predicted a few weeks back, ‘RT’ threw a political hand grenade onto the Senedd floor and caused chaos for the other parties.
Davies has called for a Vote Of No Confidence (VONC) in Gething. Despite being done by the leader of the Conservatives in Wales, it was warmly received by Senedd watchers concerned by the escalating scandals surrounding the First Minister. Plaid Cymru’s decision to terminate the Cooperation Agreement was likely a reaction to the Conservative pursuit of a VONC. It frees Plaid up to vote in favour of a VONC and also serves to weaken the Welsh Government.
RT’s gambit prompted the Liberal Democrats to indicate their position, which is to welcome Plaid’s termination of the Co-op and take a swipe at Gething in the process. Although the Lib Dems only have one MS, this is significant due to the very tight maths at play in the Senedd.
The VONC strategy has put further pressures on the growing cracks in the Labour Welsh Government. Nation.Cymru reported a senior Labour source disclosing that some Labour MSs are considering moving against Gething in the event of a VONC.
Though the culture warrior persona isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, Davies certainly played The Gething Scandals well. It’s popular to counter Davies’ statements on the First Minister’s shenanigans by pointing out the myriad Conservative scandals we’re all too accustomed to – and that’s not wrong. However, it doesn’t take away from the pertinent points he’s made.
Davies implied that a VONC will be tabled – and I hope it is. Gething’s shenanigans cannot continue indefinitely. And holding a vote will clearly show who condones his questionable behaviour and who doesn’t.
New Welsh Liberals?
The Lib Dems having any sort of news headline in Wales is a rare event, so I’d better mention it. A few months back there appeared to be a faction within the Welsh Liberal Democrats agitating for the party to actively explore the idea of Welsh independence, or at the very least make it an open question within the party.
In an opinion piece for Nation.Cymru Simon Hobson, an approved Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate, accused Jane Dodds MS – the Welsh branch’s leader – of being devoid of original ideas. Hobson took aim at the party hierarchy, stating that it lacks the bravery and ambition required to revitalise liberalism in Wales.
Hobson concluded by calling for the Welsh Liberal Democrats to become fully independent of the federalised London HQ and “set Welsh Liberalism free”, via a rebrand to the New Welsh Liberals. It’s hard to argue against many of Hobson’s points; the Welsh Lib Dems certainly do seem devoid of new ideas, and policies designed for England’s ‘blue wall’ certainly don’t appear to be landing across Wales.
In other news, there’s a new book on the horizon, which will be a must-read for any fellow Welsh political anoraks. Anthony Slaughter, leader of the Wales Green Party, is launching his book Future Wales: A Vision For Green Democracy today. I look forward to reading it and reporting back.
Gething to a general election at last
Welsh politics was widely viewed as a cosy bubble of consensus not long ago. How times change! It promises to be another eventful fortnight ahead as Gething’s self-inflicted sagas rumble on and pressure mounts on a Labour Welsh Government lacking in talent and standards. And with a 4 July general election just thrown into the mix by drowned rat Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street mere hours ago! (Does the UK Government not have a multimillion-pound media centre just inside? Are umbrellas too woke?).
In Wales, we have a Labour Party that’s been in power for too long, 25 years and counting. It’s not used to the level of scrutiny it’s currently attracting, on issues all of its own making. Questionable decisions followed by utter disdain for the electorate, an almost patrician level of arrogance, have exacerbated the drama. It’s hardly working to Gething’s benefit – he’s dropped -27 in today’s polling.
Some Labour MSs and prominent figures are using their positions to try to intimidate journalists and commentators into silence. It’s not behaviour consistent with a free and fair democracy. Don’t get me wrong, there are good and decent Labour MSs. But they’re being overshadowed by the behaviour of some colleagues, who show us who they really are.
I again urge all Labour MSs with misgivings around the First Minister and his supporters’ behaviour to do the right thing – put Wales and democracy before the party. The scrutiny isn’t going anywhere, especially during a general election period when the fighting could get even dirtier.
