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Mark Drakeford apologises for claiming that Tories did not take up offer to discuss cooperation

23 Nov 2021 2 minute read
Mark Drakeford confronts the Conservatives in the Senedd

The First Minister has apologised after claiming in the Senedd today that the Conservatives did not take up an offer to discuss cooperation after the Senedd election.

Speaking in the Siambr earlier, Mark Drakeford said that “straight after the election” he “wrote immediately after that to the leader of the Welsh Conservative Party here and I wrote to the leader of Plaid Cymru”.

“I received a reply from the leader of Plaid Cymru; I received nothing at all from the leader of the Welsh Conservatives,” he said.

The leader of the Welsh Tories however demanded that Mark Drakeford “corrected” the suggestion that he snubbed an offer to cooperate.

Andrew RT Davies said that his office “accepted the invitation” that was made but that the meeting was “cancelled” by the First Minister’s office for “understandable reasons” and that no new date was “forthcoming”.

Mark Drakeford has now written to the Welsh Conservatives apologising for his error.

“Following First Minister’s questions today, my office have informed me that there was a response from the office of the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives to my letter in May, and that a meeting was put in the diary,” the First Minister said.

“Unfortunately, the meeting coincided with a family funeral and had to be removed from the diary,” he said.

“While the intention was for the meeting to be re-arranged, I am very sorry that, in the circumstances that did not happen,” he said.

“Clearly, I was in error in what I said on the floor of the Senedd this afternoon. I apologise for that and am grateful to you for having given me the chance to correct the record at the earliest opportunity.”


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Robinson-Redman Andrew
Robinson-Redman Andrew
2 years ago

Was it s written appolgy or a statement on the floor of the Senedd?

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
2 years ago

“Mark Drakeford has now written to the Welsh Conservatives apologising for his error”.

Welsh_Siôn
Welsh_Siôn
2 years ago

A sign of a true statesman – apologising for an error emanating from his office.

Don’t hear or see much of that from the other lot governing (ahem!) east of Offa’s Dyke, do we?

(And I say this whilst not being a member of Mark Drakeford’s political party.)

Mark Hoffer
Mark Hoffer
2 years ago

Does that mean we’re going to hear appologies from the Tories now?
Or are they going to coninue to lie to us and brazen it out?

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark Hoffer

The Tories never apologised for Aberfan and Tryweryn, or their knighting one of the most prolific Paedophiles in British history Jimmy Saville. even though close friend Margret Thatcher had prior knowledge that he had unsavoury leanings. They are the nasty party for a reason!

Paul Reynolds
2 years ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

Aberfan was a labour government, no?

Bit low to drag Jimmy Saville up, no?

After all, it’s not like a certain member of MAC didn’t have certain tastes.

Last edited 2 years ago by Paul Reynolds
Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago
Reply to  Paul Reynolds

Sorry, you are wrong. The Tories were in power in 1958 when the National Coal Board, controlled by Whitehall, being state owned, dumped tons coal slurry above the town of Aberfan. And Conservative Ministers in London were aware that the coal slurry dumped was dangerous and slipping due to severe rainfall, especially seeing the mountain had numerous natural springs below and did absolutely nothing about it. They could have saved 116 children & 28 adults if they just heeded warnings. And yes, Labour was indeed in power when the Aberfan disaster occured. They won the General Election election the same… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Y Cymro
Paul Reynolds
2 years ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

Let’s be clear you are 100% blaming the Tories for Aberfan?

Only the history states :

“Tip 4 at Aberfan, which had been used between 1933 and 1945, was large, and had been started on boggy ground between two streams. At the time of its planning, the Merthyr Tydfil borough engineer thought that despite the position, it would be unlikely to avalanche. ”

That is much earlier than 1958?

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago
Reply to  Paul Reynolds

The coal slurry was dumped next to the village during a Tory administration.

Brian Martin Weaver
Brian Martin Weaver
2 years ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

Actually it was the labour party who were in power when the Aberfan disaster struck, and Harold Wilson was prime Minister. The disaster wasn’t the fault of any political party, but rather the fault of the NCB and their management.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Did the Welsh Tories apologise for lying to the Welsh people over their Whitehall master’s 2015 General Election UK manifesto promising rail electrification between Cardiff & Swansea that was also signed by the PM Theresa May and countersigned by then/current Welsh Conservative leader , Andrew RT Davies & ex-WS Alun Cairns? Answer. No they did not! Also, they have never apologised for any incursions into Welsh devolution even though the Welsh Tories once said Wales should not tread on Westminster’s turf regarding matters not devolved, then proceeded to steal Wales EU & Senedd powers with their power grab. Again, no… Read more »

Grayham Jones
2 years ago

You don’t apologise to the Tories kick all English party’s out of wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh start fighting for your children and grandchildren future in wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 it’s time for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Morris Dean
Morris Dean
2 years ago
Reply to  Grayham Jones

Christ sake Grayham, your copy and paste messages are an embarrassment

Pob lwc
Pob lwc
2 years ago
Reply to  Morris Dean

At least we know he’s still kicking. Grayham didn’t post the usual nonsense for a few days and I started to worry.

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