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Mark Drakeford branded ‘Welsh Warlock of Woe’ by newspaper over reluctance to scrap Covid measures

23 Feb 2022 2 minute read
Picture by the Welsh Government

Wales’ First Minister has been branded “the Welsh Warlock of Woe” over his criticism of the UK Government’s decision to ease Covid measures in England.

Mark Drakeford described plans by Boris Johnson to end free Covid testing in England at the start of April as “premature and reckless”. England is also going ahead with getting rid of self-isolation rules tomorrow.

But Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson said that if it had been up to “the Welsh Warlock of Woe Mark Drakeford” and others, “we’d be in our fourth lockdown now and preparing a Covid vaccine rollout to domestic pets”.

She also criticised Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for, she said, “shamelessly leveraging the pandemic for nationalist advantage”.

Calling on readers to ‘Rejoice!’ over the end of restrictions in England, she added that “whatever the precautionary-principle pessimists may say, and we will be hearing their long roar of defeat in the coming days”.

“What people need to get into their heads is that it simply doesn’t matter how much omicron spreads now because everyone is going to get it.

“Think of the protective bubble they threw around the Queen. It didn’t prevent her eventually catching the virus.”

The comments come after Wales’ Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, said the ending of restrictions was the subject of a “very heated” meeting between Wales, Scotland and the UK Government.

Tests being used in Wales are part of its UK allocation of rapid test kits, and if Wales were to continue free testing it would have to scale back spending on other commitments.

Eluned Morgan added that they would not look at ending more Covid restrictions in Wales until the next review on 4 March. They have already committed to looking at phasing out face masks by the end of March.

It was announced yesterday that all of Scotland’s legal Covid-19 restrictions, including the wearing of face coverings, will end on 21 March.


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Ed Jones
Ed Jones
2 years ago

I guess if I too had been declared bankrupt in November 2015, I’d be inclined to write the abject nonsense that Allison Pearson does, but what does that do to one’s soul? She rarely comes across as anything approaching happy, still, one has to pay the bills eh?!

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago
Reply to  Ed Jones

So she’s a debt dodger eh ! Using that kind of abusive description seems to be the daily requirement of the gutter press ? Perhaps calling her financially incontinent would be equally acceptable to the same publication.

Gwyn Jones
Gwyn Jones
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Intrigued by these two posts I wikied her name. The first attempt got me Allison Pearson (accused witch) but the second attempt got me a lot of information about her sorry tory life.
Gwyn

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago
Reply to  Ed Jones

Be fair, if you had grown up as Judith Lobbett in Burry Port it would have done your head in too.

Arwyn
Arwyn
2 years ago

I’ve got to hand it to the Tory right wing. They’re consistent in inventing bilge and confecting false narratives. It is their way. Stir up the echo chambers and the trolls. Grim. As Adam Price put it … “I can’t wait until Wales is independent so we don’t have to put up with this c**p anymore.”

Cynan
Cynan
2 years ago

Ah the hatred from the Torygraph comedy rag. MD is clearly doing something right

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

What protective bubble! Super Spreader Carlos gave it to his mum and wife…

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

I have gone passed caring what these ignorants think. Everything they say is BS and these people are completely irrelevant to Wales. What they cry about doesn’t change a thing. Its just gas.

Antony Jones
Antony Jones
2 years ago

Welsh Warlock of Woe makes him sound f**king cool tbh.

He can rain eldritch power onto all that cross him 😀

Gareth Wyn Jones
Gareth Wyn Jones
2 years ago

Andy, Is your full name Andrew RT Davies by any chance?

Dewi Williamswhat
Dewi Williamswhat
2 years ago

You need to calm down. So self-determination and seeking sovereignty so that the Celtic nations are no longer subjected to the jibe of “scrounging off the English taxpayer” is racist and anti-English? It would not surprise me that you voted for Brexit. Does not Brexit amount to the same thing (sovereignty etc) and therefore by your understanding it is also racist and anti-European.

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

Why are you English so terrified of standing on your own 2 feet? Why do you need the Celtic countries to hold your hands?

Dewi Williamswhat
Dewi Williamswhat
2 years ago

The frequency of this publication’s attacks on the 1st Minister, the Welsh government and devolution is becoming silly and making it so obvious as to its malicious objective. An editorial war cabinet must have been set up to advance its campaigning which is clearly being let down by a team of tactless amateurs

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

200+ deaths reported yesterday. How many of those read the bilge in the Tory press I wonder?

Last edited 2 years ago by Quornby
Brian Coman
Brian Coman
2 years ago
Reply to  Quornby

How many of those were anti vaccers a majority I bet their choice.

Cynan
Cynan
2 years ago

I would counter that our friendship with the neighbours such as it is, is being frittered away by the petty and disgraceful political game Westminster is playing with our public health during the Covid pandemic. It is embarrassingly obvious by now that Johnson – who already harbours the delusion that he is a unifying chrchilian prime minister – is bent on mere Tory/Nationalist spite against “non-English johnnies” both domestic and foreign with his point scoring “Britian leading th world” nonsense and his sacrificing of the population to save his own corrupt political skin. Sorry, I could counter your entire politicised… Read more »

Eifion
Eifion
2 years ago

The man who said “nation of sanctuary” that’s unable to watch his own son.

Dewi Williamswhat
Dewi Williamswhat
2 years ago

Are you really saying that by a divine right Westminster(England) always has to be right and that the other 3 nations for the sake of unity have to accept this without question? Much of what you say is a more accurate description of Boris and Westminster rather than Drakeford et al. “Follow the Irish route”? Bit harsh on Ireland when it is still enjoys the unity of being in the EU and in contrast is far more prosperous than Wales in an apparent disunified UK.

Marc
Marc
2 years ago

Alison Pearson? Oh dear the Tory hate campaign has now truly reach the bottom of the barrel!

Cynan
Cynan
2 years ago

Another anti-vaxxer? Oh dear.

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

200+ deaths yesterday are less important to this shameless UK government than appeasing the ME, ME, ME of “business”.

Cofid
Cofid
2 years ago

While the Torygraph comments have been received with due scorn, I knew someone in England who was charged with a “hate crime” when calling a colleague a “Welsh witch”. Surely these comments are actionable. By the way, does anyone in Cymru actually buy the Telegraph?

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

Why are these clowns in the telegraph so worried about what Wales does these days? Is it because they’ve seen Welsh policies have been more successful and respected and that that may lead to independence quicker? I suspect so.

Last edited 2 years ago by Steve Duggan
Paul Fenton
Paul Fenton
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

The truth hurts doesn’t it. Wales great experts TAG on 15/12/21 advised Drakeford & Co to commence Level 4 (lockdown) restrictions to commence on 27/12/21 for 2 weeks. On 22/12/21 Drakeford made no mention of this advice in the Coronavirus update other than to say all data is published and open to public scrutiny. The only problem was the public didn’t see this advice until about a month later after Drakeford watered down the restrictions and brought them forward to 6am on Boxing morning causing huge disappointment to numerous families wanting to attend outside sporting occasions. In the meantime we… Read more »

Nobby Tart
Nobby Tart
2 years ago
Reply to  Paul Fenton

What’s wrong with a Tourism Tax?

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago
Reply to  Paul Fenton

Lost the plot or just a government that is trying to find new ways to govern in order to raise the living standards of its citizens. Nothing changes in Westminster because the Tories like the status quo – especially as they are making money from it.

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