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‘Can’t be acceptable’ for Tory MS to miss vote on Covid passes, says local Labour chair

11 Oct 2021 3 minute read
Gareth Davies picture by Senedd TV.

It “can’t be acceptable” for a Tory MS to miss a crucial vote on Covid passes in the Senedd, a local Labour chair has said.

Bob Lloyd, chair of the Prestatyn and Meliden Labour Party, took aim at Gareth Davies, who represents the Vale of Clwyd, saying the area deserves a “representative who will bother to show up”.

Davies was at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester at the time of the vote on mandatory Covid-19 passes for nightclubs and large events in Wales which was passed by 28 votes to 27.

He did not vote despite the Senedd’s Llywydd, Elin Jones, saying on Tuesday she had even provided her personal phone number to enable him to do so.

But he blamed IT issues on his failure to do so, saying that he’s “deeply upset, frustrated and angry” about what happened.

Lloyd told the Rhyl Journal: “Gareth Davies has seemingly put aside his role as a councillor for Prestatyn South West and as a Member of the Welsh Parliament for the Vale of Clwyd in the last few days to attend the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

“As a result, he missed a vital vote on the introduction of COVID-19 vaccination passes in Wales as nobody could get hold of him to perform his duty, despite the Presiding Officer offering Davies her personal phone number to make contact and vote this way.

“Whatever anybody thinks of the merits or pitfalls of vaccination passes, it can’t be acceptable that our local representative is absent without leave on such an important vote – one that passed with 28 in favour, and 27 against (a tie would have resulted in the regulation being struck down).

“Davies has tried to explain away his absence by blaming it on the hybrid, Zoom/in-person nature of the Senedd, but anybody of coherent thought could point out that, had the Senedd not been in a hybrid session, him being in Manchester would have excluded him from the vote, anyway.

“The Vale of Clwyd and Prestatyn South West deserves a representative who will stand up for their beliefs, and, at the very least, a representative who will bother to show up at all.

“His behaviour in the last few days has confirmed that in Davies, unfortunately, we have neither.”

‘Inability’ 

In a statement on the matter, Gareth Davies said: “I’m deeply upset, frustrated and angry at last night’s events and my inability to cast a vote against vaccine passports.

“Yesterday evening, IT challenges meant that I was unable to access the voting system.

“Throughout the voting period, I was speaking with the Chief Whip and Welsh Conservative staff members in an attempt to solve the IT issues.

“The Senedd currently operates under a hybrid system that means only half of our representatives can vote in the chamber, with others voting remotely from elsewhere.

“I was working and representing the group at the Conservative Party conference and I would have been able to vote remotely if I’d have been able to access the remote voting tools.

“Concerns have been raised with the Senedd’s ICT department and I will be making a personal statement in the Senedd later this afternoon.”


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Eifion
Eifion
3 years ago

I wonder how the British would feel if one of their MPs missed a crucial vote in England, having what ended up in being the casting vote, as he decided to attend a conference in another country?

Regardless of whether he had technical problems ( although his account doesn’t seem to stand up).

Could you image the headlines in the English press, and the absolute beasting he would have in the Express, Daily Mail, Sun etc.

Really sums up what’s wrong with their Union and why we need to leave.

Erisian
Erisian
3 years ago
Reply to  Eifion

It’s possible some serious newspapers and broadcasters might mention it too.

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago

Why did he not use the telephone number he was given.And he was absent from the Senedd, he was in Manchester England

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago

He made himself unavailable by going to Manchester it is his fault, and his alone. Every other Tory member of the Senedd voted, and they were joined by Plaid Cymru, none of whom had problems. Doing his best ? In Manchester, he was elected to serve in Cardiff.

Gareth
Gareth
3 years ago

As this story goes on, not a single word in support of him has come from the Tory party in Wales or any ToryMS. I can only conclude, they also, like me, think he has only himself to blame.

Erisian
Erisian
3 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

No, they don’t think about it at all. Why would they?
The Senedd is of no interest to them, they hold it in contempt and would not like to draw attention to it in anyway.

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
3 years ago

This man is just priceless. He really needs to stop digging.

Gareth Wyn Jones
Gareth Wyn Jones
3 years ago

No he had a telephone number to call, typically Tory looking for someone else to blame

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