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Andrew RT Davies asked to step down as leader of the Welsh Conservatives by MSs

28 Nov 2024 5 minute read
Andrew RT Davies. Photo Welsh Conservatives

Emily Price 

The leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies has been asked to step down amid criticism from within his own group.

A well placed source told us that a series of controversial “gaffes” by the most senior Tory in Wales had caused MSs to become “nervous” about the direction he was taking the party.

It is understood that the South Wales Central MS was informed on Wednesday evening (November 27) that more than half of his group had asked for him to resign from his leadership role.

Welsh Conservative MSs will gather on Thursday afternoon in Cardiff Bay where the Tory leader will be asked to step aside.

Halal

Pressure has been mounting on Davies since the Senedd’s summer recess when a number of senior Tory figures and members of his own shadow cabinet publicly lambasted his behaviour following a series of stories by Nation.Cymru.

In August, he was accused of Islamophic race-baiting by the Muslim Council of Wales after he posted a number of incorrect claims about Halal meat in Welsh schools to his social media.

One post published to X, formerly Twitter, went viral after it was amplified by anti-Muslim activist Tommy Robinson.

The rift in the Senedd’s shadow cabinet appeared to deepen further following another social media stunt at the Vale of Glamorgan show.

Davies and his team had constructed a home made ballot box to canvass the public on whether they thought the Welsh Parliament should be abolished.

Devolution 

Supporters and associates of the politician then began to secretly manoeuvre to change the party’s policy so it would support the abolition of the Senedd

Davies was later pressured by his Tory MSs to make an official statement rejecting calls for the party’s stance on devolution to change.

The rumblings of a coup appeared to lose pace after the group returned to the Senedd in the autumn for a new term.

But tension began to mount again this month after comments Davies made to the tabloids about a Welsh Government report which allegedly suggested dog-free zones could tackle racism.

The ethnic minority group at the heart of the viral news story said Davies had “cherrypicked” lines from the report “out of context, misrepresented and used as clickbait to drive engagement.”

An email exchange shown to Nation Cymru revealed how the head of organisation had reached out to Davies asking him to stop reinforcing the claims because some participants were being subjected to a “barrage” of racist abuse and hate mail.

Tommy Robinson

The Welsh Tory leader responded by doubling down on his stance and arguing that nothing he had said on the issue was “untrue”.

He later discussed the issues on a podcast famous for offering a platform to Tommy Robinson and other far-right figures.

Davies also attacked a Welsh Government incentive scheme to recruit BAME teachers – a cause previously supported by one of his group.

Despite some MSs disagreeing with their leader’s comments, a statement was put out backing Davies without the full group’s sign off first.

Many of Tory figure’s divisive talking points and trademark Twitter persona are said to be the handiwork of his chief aide George Carroll who is a councillor in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Carroll recently lost his bid to become the Chairman of the Welsh Conservatives.

During his campaign he promised a members ballot on whether abolishing the Senedd should become party policy.

He also planned to change the rules around incumbency rights for sitting MSs ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.

Such a move could have seen some current members deselected.

Davies threw his support behind his senior advisor while the rest of the Tory Senedd group backed the winning candidate.

Career

Davies joined the Welsh Conservatives in 1997 on the advice of his wife after he became  frustrated with the way rural communities were being treated by the government during the mad cow disease outbreak.

The Brexiteer was elected to the then National Assembly of Wales on the South Wales Central regional list in 2007.

He was elected the Leader of the Welsh Conservative Senedd group in 2011 but resigned from the position in 2018 when others in the party agitated for his removal.

Davies was re-appointed the role in January 2021 but took a leave of absence in September of that year after bouts of flu and Covid impacted his mental health.

Throughout his leadership he has at times sought a separate course from Westminster for his group.

In May 2022, he gave a speech at a party conference where he said the Welsh Conservatives should have their own identity.

Later during the event, he called on former prime minister Boris Johnson to hand over Wales’ fair share of HS2 consequentials – a request that was never granted.

In recent years, his Twitter account has been condemned for becoming a conveyer belt of populist talking points.

On Valentines day in 2023, he published a bizarre poem which read: “Roses are red. Violets are blue. Stop being woke. It’s not good for you!”

The farmer-turned-politician is known for his distinctive eccentric style during interviews – once telling a journalist he was a breech baby and that he was “blue when I was born and blue now”.

He’s been mocked for sounding like a horse racing commentator when answering questions and once promised that “Breakfast” instead of “Brexit” would be a success.

Born in Cowbridge, he is the President of Llantrisant Young Farmers Club, a life governor of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and a member of the NFU.

Despite being involved in front-line Welsh politics ever since his election he has always maintained that he’s a farmer first and foremost.

If Davies agrees to resign, the Welsh Conservatives will begin the process of electing a new leader.

Candidates will need to be nominated by at least four MSs – nominations would then be put forward to a membership ballot.


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Bert
Bert
2 days ago

Behold, the new leader of Reform in Wales.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 day ago
Reply to  Bert

I believe he will now do a 30p Lee and defect to Deform UK so that we will have to suffer the ignominy of having one of their number stenching out our Parliament.

Bert
Bert
1 day ago
Reply to  Fi yn unig

On the plus side there’s a chance the Welsh Cons could then morph into a genuine moderate small-c conservative party that might for once act in the best interests of Wales.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 day ago
Reply to  Bert

Don’t hold your breath. We have seen this week a potential front runner to replace him stating that his opinions align with the Farij mob.

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 day ago
Reply to  Fi yn unig

I hear on today’s news that Andrea Jenkyns – she of the ‘finger’! -, the Tory ex-minister who lost her seat in July’s election, has today announced that she’s done exactly that and joined Nige’s happy band.

And as a reward they’ve selected her as their candidate for the new office of regional mayor of ‘Greater Lincolnshire’.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 day ago
Reply to  John Ellis

I didn’t know this until you said but it’s not a surprise. It would be good if we could corale all the hate extremists together so that we can clearly see where they all are. It removes ambiguity and then we will know what we are up against within the Welsh electorate. Not her personally, but those within our nation need to follow her to set out clearly who we need to reject.

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 day ago
Reply to  Fi yn unig

I think I’ve a fair idea already as to whom we need to reject, without anyone having to prompt me!

Jeff
Jeff
2 days ago

I get the impression that Johnson/Cummings anointed him and the think tanks love him (Reforms conspiracy channel love him and repeats his missives despite the issues). I expect that a more capable conservative boss in No10 would have had him out by now but Johnson got rid of them and Kemi seems to like confrontation so he fits her view and this seems to have let him off the lead even more, though how does his advisor fit in here? He will be protected, but how far will that go. I want to see a capable opposition separated from No10… Read more »

Garycymru
Garycymru
1 day ago

Tory or not, he’s just always managed to make himself look like the joke of politics.
I can see that he’ll end up at reform or put out to pasture at GB news with the rest of the embarrassments.

Chris Hale
Chris Hale
1 day ago
Reply to  Garycymru

I agree with @Garycymru, he is a joke. Unfortunately under his leadership this meant the tories were totally ineffective as an opposition party. With Plaid in an accommodation with Labour this meant no challenge or accountability for the Welsh government.
Please can we now have a return to serious debate and discussion around the future of our country?

lufcwls
lufcwls
1 day ago

No keep him there! He’s a gift to the other parties in Cymru.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 day ago
Reply to  lufcwls

I get your drift but it seems that ship has sailed when even his own party don’t want him.

Alwyn
Alwyn
1 day ago

At last ! He’s been an embarassment for far too long. As you say, Reform is the place for him – all slogans and no policies, nothing positive, only opposition

Evan
Evan
1 day ago

Another scoop for Nation. They’ve got a micro team but keep getting stories the better resourced teams don’t. Da iawn.

westisbest
westisbest
1 day ago

cheerio cheerio cheerio 👋

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 day ago

‘…  a series of controversial “gaffes” by the most senior Tory in Wales had caused MSs to become “nervous” …’

In one sense, given ART’s performance in recent months, I’m not wholly surprised at that; however I didn’t think that his critics within his own party would these days have either the confidence or even the numbers to act against him.

But it seems that there are some, and at least some have done so. The test now will be whether his critics within his party have enough clout to nudge him aside.

Jeff
Jeff
1 day ago
Reply to  John Ellis

I rather expect the heavies have been sent around for a word with the team to keep them inline. Also depends what receipt’s they have and who is in it on purpose.

If he walks he walks, but I am not holding my breath.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 day ago

The leader of the Welsh Conservatives has been asked to step down by his own party. There is no guarantee that he will. A marker has been put down which, if he declines to go, could rumble on towards the Senedd elections of 2026 with only Tory infighting on offer to voters. Happy days, shambolic failure pending but if he does go, is there anyone coming through from the the remaining 15 in their group who actually wants to engage in the interests of our country or do they all want to shut it down? We will then decide at… Read more »

westisbest
westisbest
1 day ago
Reply to  Fi yn unig

Excellent points there, possibly Slurry breath staying in will wipe out his party in Wales in the Senedd as well as UK. Reform will surely take a % of their vote. Combined with His awful leadership.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 day ago
Reply to  westisbest

Sadly, our new electoral system will prevent their wipeout but wouldn’t it be nice to reduce them to a bunch of unruly protestors outside the doors of Y Senedd chuntering on about blankets.

Dai Ponty
Dai Ponty
1 day ago

It seems as if all the Deform CLOWNS will be under one roof with Barrage

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 day ago

So the knives are out for Andrew RT Davies I see. Me thinks the Welsh Tories are sensing tough times ahead aka the proverbial hitting the fan. This is reminiscent of Caesar when 60, or in his case 16, Senate conspirators decided to assassinate him in 44 AD. Anyway, what’s the point of the Welsh Tories in Welsh politics? They serve no purpose other than attack & undermine Wales at every turn. But who are they going replace him with? What, another cookie cutter pro-England abolish the Senedd anti-Wales rabid toxic Tory unionist who wants to lean to the far-right… Read more »

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 day ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

Agree. I suspect, given how things currently seem to stand, that Reform will take quite a few of their votes at the next Senedd election. They’ll get some votes from erstwhile Labour supporters too, for sure, but with the Welsh Tories in their present state I think support for Farage will principally come from former Conservative voters.

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 day ago

It’s a bit of a sad reflection on all us commenters that it’s stories like this about squabbles inside parties that attract the most derisive comments. Too many entrenched positions, too much bile, with seldom any ideas as to how situations might be improved. Wales has a number of small “c” conservatives who deserve a better hearing than is offered on here by the commentariat. Similarly there is a big contingent of people with mild or stronger socialist values who feel tainted by and deplore some of the stuff churned out by the ideologically blinkered, self styled “hard left” who… Read more »

Doctor Trousers
Doctor Trousers
1 day ago

Please, please, someone ask him how he feels about the blanket demand for his resignation

Adrian
Adrian
1 day ago

Not that the Tories are particularly relevant in Wales anyway, but personally I’d like to see the back of him. Surely the Welsh Conservatives can do better.

Last edited 1 day ago by Adrian
Alun
Alun
1 day ago

The Welsh Conservatives cannot hope to improve while ARTD is at the helm of the party.

BINKY
BINKY
14 hours ago

reading all these posts breaks my heart what will we do for a court jester if he goes, I wipe away a tear in respect

Ernie The Smallholder
Ernie The Smallholder
1 minute ago

The whole Conservative thing is well past its sell by date. It is no longer the party of enterprise. The EU referendum exposed that fact. No longer the party of the house owner nor those seeking to buy their first home. NO longer the party of mass public share portfolio ownership, taking more small shareholders into CGT. Conservatives of the 1960s & 1970s (and possibly 1980s) will feel out of place in today’s Cons party. Through its policies the UK has now no revenue owning assets except through its UK taxation system. It is the party of more taxation for… Read more »

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