David TC Davies says he won’t take the Welsh Secretary post after Simon Hart resigns

The Wales Office’s second in command has said that he won’t take the Welsh Secretary post after Simon Hart resigned yesterday amid Boris Johnson’s leadership crisis.

David TC Davies said that he had made “clear last night” that he would not take the role if Simon Hart vacated the post.

The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP resigned as Welsh Secretary last night saying he had “no other option left” after being among a delegation of ministers that went to Downing Street to encourage the Prime Minister to step down.

Monmouth MP David TC Davies, who is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, gave no indication that he would be following him in resigning but posted his former boss’ resignation letter online.

“It has been a privilege to work for Simon who did a great job as Sec of State for Wales,” he said. “We should not be in the position of losing decent and hard working Ministers. I made clear last night that I will not take the role.”

Wales Office PPS, Ynys Môn’s MP Virginia Crosbie, was one of the first to resign on Tuesday, meaning that David TC Davies is now the only minister left in the Wales Office.

‘Grateful’

Simon Hart has been Welsh Secretary since December 2019, when Vale of Glamorgan MP Alun Cairns resigned from the role in the run-up to that year’s General Election.

It has been a long day in politics for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP who said that it was “business as usual” just that morning, but had faced being sarcastically waved off by Plaid Cymru MPs.

“I had desperately hoped that I could avoid writing this letter, but alas there seems no other option left but to step down from my role as Secretary of State for Wales,” he said in his resignation letter.

“You will be remembered as a Prime Minister with energy, vision, determination and humour. There was never a dull moment as a Minister in your Government, and I will be forever grateful to have been given the chance to be part of it.

“I have never been a massive fan of Ministerial resignations being the best means of forcing change. Colleagues have done their upmost in private and public to help you turn the ship around, but it is with sadness that I feel we have passed the point where this is possible.”

‘No idea’

Resigning on Tuesday, Virginia Crosbie, who was only elected under Boris Johnson’s leadership in 2019, said that the Prime Minister’s position was now “untenable”.

“I am of the view that if you continue in office then you risk irrevocably harming this government, and the Conservative party and will hand the keys of Downing Street to a Labour Party unfit to govern,” she said.

She cited the handling of the Chris Pincher row, after it emerged earlier today that the Prime Minister had “forgotten” about being told of previous allegations of “inappropriate” conduct.

“I have no idea what is happening at Downing Street but it appears you are either badly advised or unable to change or reform the dysfunctional operation at the centre of the government you lead,” she said.

Meanwhile, Andrew RT Davies, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, said that Boris Johnson needed to show that he had control of the party.

“I’ve always said it was essential for the Prime Minister to hold the confidence of our country, party and parliament,” he said.

“It’s disappointing that in recent months the government has struggled to deliver on its important agenda and manifesto commitments that were overwhelmingly endorsed in 2019.

“The Prime Minister must now prove that he can deliver on his mandate.”