‘No need to rush to judgement’ on Senedd drinks scandal while investigation ongoing says Health Minister

Vaughan Gething has called on people not to “rush to judgement” on the Senedd drinks scandal until all the facts are out.

A Labour Senedd member, Alun Davies, has been suspended by his party and two Conservative members have apologised following an alleged breach of Covid-19 rules on the Welsh parliament’s estate.

But Vaughan Gething said that while the Senedd Commission was investigating the matter he would not comment: “I’m not aware of all the facts, what has and hasn’t happened. There’s bound to be an investigation.

“I’ve been the subject of press stories myself when some people made comments without knowing the facts.”

However, he added that “any challenge, any sense of people not being in this together, isn’t helpful” and that he had been “clear that we all have a part to play in doing the right thing” and do not “mix with people outside households”.

“I would hope that all of us would reflect on the more consistent we are the faster we can get out of the situation we’re in,” he said.

He said that the Labour group had done the right thing in suspending Senedd Member Alun Davies while an investigation took place but it was up to the Conservatives whether they did the same.

“What I would say, and I think this is quite important, is that the last thing we want to see happen is an investigation comes out, and it’s only staff who essentially get thrown under the bus, everyone needs to know what they’ve done,” he said.