‘Cheap shot’ to suggest Johnson could learn from Wales, Tory minister complains
A Tory minister has branded a suggestion that Boris Johnson could “learn from the example” that has been set in Wales, as a “cheap shot”.
The Westminster-appointed Welsh Secretary, Simon Hart, bristled at a question from Welsh Labour MP Gerald Jones, during a debate in the House of Commons.
The Conservative politician, who represents the constituency of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, complained about being “goaded” by the MP Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.
Jones suggested that the booster programme has been a success in Wales because the Welsh Government “earned the respect and trust of the people of Wales due to the clear and consistent messaging”.
Hart responded by saying that the Welsh Government’s Covid-19 guidelines include a “huge number of mystifying and contradictory positions”.
Gerald Jones said: “Over 75% of eligible adults in Wales have already had their booster, thanks in no small part to the fact that the Welsh Government have earned the respect and trust of the people of Wales due to the clear and consistent messaging throughout the pandemic.
“What lessons does the Secretary of State think that the Prime Minister and his Government could learn from the example set by the Labour Government in Wales?”
Simon Hart replied: “That is a slightly cheap shot, especially in a week when, under Welsh Government guidelines, it seems that it is all right for people to go to a pub but not to their office.
“They can watch the rugby from the clubhouse but not from the touchline. They can go to a gym but they cannot partake in an outdoor activity such as parkrun.
“There is a huge number of mystifying and contradictory positions—the hon. Gentleman goaded me into that. The vaccine programme has to be one of the best examples ever of co-operation, not competition, between Governments.
“That has been absolutely essential and it has been done in a good spirit, with professionalism, and has been an enormous success.”
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Of course Johnson can’t learn anything from the Welsh experience. After all we have been told repeatedly that Britain is “the best”, “the biggest”, “most successful”, “class leading”, “world beating”, ……you get the drift. So how on earth can you expect such a big hitter to be able to even comprehend the notion of drawing lessons from a small player like Wales ?
His head is so big he can’t remove it from his own arse !
Simon Hart .Has he been given the job of defending the English government against anything that we do better than them he must be hopeful that he gets his reward to the house of Lords
Yes, when Hart loses his Commons seat at the next General Election, he will be hoping for a seat in the Lords. The likely coalition should put a stop to that “elevation” and put NO Election losers in the so called “Upper House”. Get rid of it in a wholesale reform including replacing FPTP.
What else would you expect from our colonial governer ?
This English Secretary for Wales seems to take every opportunity “to talk Wales down.” I suppose this was ever the case. Many of the previous English appointed SOW’s (John Redwood in particular) could hardly find any room “to talk Wales up, ” The post is a fiction. It doesn’t exist in reality to represent the interests of Wales. It is rare for anyone holding this post to be interested in actively “fighting our corner”. It has lucrative Cabinet status and this is the real attraction for seeking it. Our own Welsh UK sycophantic turncoat, Alun Cairns, exemplified this with great… Read more »
Your starter for 10:
Name anything positive Simon Hart has done for Wales
Boosted the case for independence? Surely got to give him some credit for that!
I can answer that with certainty. Absolutely nothing!
As your lost for an articulate answer boss said at the despatch box last Wednesday Mr Hart, Rubbish!
One can imagine the ‘say something to help him for God’s sake’ on-mass Whatsapp messages broadcast by tory HQ to these political manakins when their clueless leader needs cringingly embarrassing truths deflecting.
Since devolution, the Secretary of State essentially has one function. To troll the Welsh Government and our democratic institutions in Wales.
Anglophile Simon Hart forgets his Whitehall white elephant Welsh Office position is there to serve the people of Wales however irrelevant it and he is, not England.
But its ok when those scumbags say exactly the same thing about Wales? The right wing are really weak and childish.
Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago when Tories were raising concerns that Wales wasn’t opening up vaccine to anyone with online booking system or having vaccines done over Christmas and Boxing Day? It’s getting a bit sad now with these constant snipes at each other. SAGE as advisers for England wanted action beyond what’s happening now but Tory backbencher’s made the largely uninformed gamble that it wasn’t needed so further restrictions didn’t come in – that is the only difference really between the two nations at the moment in terms of latest response. In terms of differences as a… Read more »
Mr Hart, are you bitter we in Wales do not listen to UK appointed Welsh Secretaries any more? Why? Your time is coming to an end. You know as well as we do that your boss is out on a limb with his covid strategy. It’s foolish to ignore this disease.
That’s a bit rich coming from a man who has aimed so many cheap shots at Wales.