Health Minister turns the air blue after leaving microphone unmuted in virtual Senedd
The virtual Senedd had to be paused today after the Health Minister left his mic unmuted and could be heard swearing and criticising a fellow Labour AM.
Following his statement, Vaughan Gething was heard discussing Jenny Rathbone, the Member of the Welsh Assembly for Cardiff Central.
The Llywydd Elin Jones could then be heard saying: “I think the Vaughan Gething needs to turn his microphone off. Vaughan Gething needs to turn his microphone off.”
Plaid Cymru has called on Vaughan Gething to resign and the Welsh Conservatives said he should be sacked.
The comments, which can be heard below, contain some bad language.
After the success of virtual Parliament this morning, Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething showed us how it’s NOT done by leaving his mic on after finishing his statement this afternoon… pic.twitter.com/7P7NpVpqK1
— Kirsty Lewis (@kirstylewis6) April 22, 2020
Plaid Cymru called for Vaughan Gething to resign, saying he had shown “utter contempt towards scrutiny”.
“The Welsh Health Minister aggressively attacking his own party colleague who was raising legitimate concerns raised by a Welsh Nobel Prize winner shows why he is not the man for this vital job,” Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said. “To maintain public confidence he surely has to go.
“The swearing is forgivable, what isn’t is the utter contempt which the Health Minister has shown towards scrutiny. Coupled with dire failings on PPE and testing the Health Minister should resign so that the Government can regain the trust of the people at this crucial time.”
Welsh Conservative leader Paul Davies also said that Vaughan Gething should be sacked.
“Politicians are entitled to ask serious and challenging questions of Ministers and it’s essential that they are able to do so during this pandemic,” he said.
“For a Health Minister to show such unprofessionalism and disdain at this time is completely unacceptable and he should be sacked.”
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Well Plaid ard slwayx slagging McEvoy off are threy not? What’s the diff?
Um … McEvoy is not a member of Plaid, maybe?
Another step towards the bottom of the sump. Not really surprised given his abysmal performance during this crisis.
Well? What the IS Jenny up to? That’s the issue here. I have no problem with Vaughan speaking his mind, privately or publicly, by intention or accidentally.
I am not a Labour voter, but I think Vaughan Gething is more sinned against than sinning! He and Mark Drakeford had a more workmanlike approach to the Coronavirus problem than the England NHS Minsters. They were actively seeking a contract with Roche for testing kits and suppliers for Protective gear. What happened has not yet fully emerged, but it seems their efforts were torpedoed by NHS England whose ministers announced that they were taking over all negotiations on a “UK Wide” basis. It maybe that Gething felt obliged to accept that, but it is highly unlikely that they told… Read more »
A-HELL – YE-AHHHH!!!!
Vaughan Gething has embarrassed himself yet such exasperation is expressed by ministers, council leaders, managers etc etc across the country every day – the difference is that it’s not broadcast for everyone to hear. His opponents should have stuck to expressions of surprise and laughter.
I don’t think it’s a hanging offence, although it wasn’t very statesmanlike, and an apology might be a good idea. Gething should be judged on his performance in the WAG’s anti-coronavirus strategy, which has not been crowned with success, but neither has it been a disastrous failure; there are, as Tudor Rees points out, mistigating circumstances over the Roche affair. Gething’s a largely ineffectual politician punching above his weight, and it is Drakeford who has proved more effective in promoting a Cymru-specific approach to this crisis.
I think being Health Minister when a plague strikes is a bit stressful . There is a lot of good in the Welsh NHS but since 1997 when Tony Blair started his public sector “efficiency savings” the Welsh NHS has been cut, reorganised and sold off assets at the whim of managers who seem selected only for that purpose, to “save money” at any cost and they certainly have paid themselves well for the privilege. Many earn more than Vaughan and probably regard him as another ignorant politician to tie in knots if he threatens their domains. I think there… Read more »