Tempers fray again as Vaughan Gething accuses Conservative AM of ‘social media bile’
Health Minister Vaughan Gething has accused the Welsh Conservative Social Care Minister of “social media bile”.
Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservative AM for Aberconwy, accused the Welsh Government of a “heartbreaking and unforgivable” lack of care for Covid-19 cases and deaths in the social care sector.
Vaughan Gething responded to the message saying: “I don’t normally respond to social media bile but this – from the official opposition spokesperson is a straight lie.
“The death of any welsh citizen in social care, the community or a hospital is treated with equal importance. We all need to be better than this Janet.”
Janet Finch-Saunders had earlier said: “The failings by the WG as regards the lack of importance placed on Covid 19 cases and deaths in our social care sector is heartbreaking and unforgivable. I personally raised this some weeks ago with the Health Minister!”
Criticism
Janet Finch-Saunders had been responding to a message from Welsh Conservative AM Andrew RT Davies in which he said: “Mark Drakeford can’t distance his government from the incompetence at Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board and its failure to accurately report Covid-19 deaths on a daily basis.
“The Welsh Labour Government has been responsible for running the health board in special measures for five years!”
It is the second time this week the Health Minister has expressed frustration at some of the criticism around the Welsh Government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, after being heard swearing about a Labour colleague’s question during the Virtual Senedd on Wednesday.
Both Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives called on him to be sacked following the comments which were picked up when he forgot to turn off his microphone after a Zoom call.
First Minister Mark Drakeford, however, rejected that calls and said Mr Gething had apologised to fellow Labour AM Jenny Rathbone, who the comments were about, and “that’s the end of the matter”.
He told BBC Radio Wales: ”We need our health minister to be focusing entirely on the essential work that he has been responsible for to help us all to get out of the current crisis – that’s what he’ll be doing and that’s how the government will be carrying on.”
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Mark Drakeford – ”We need our health minister to be focusing entirely on the essential work that he has been responsible for to help us all to get out of the current crisis – that’s what he’ll be doing and that’s how the government will be carrying on.”
Vaughan Gething – Yeah, gimme a sec, just got to check my Twitter feed…
Fair play to Drakeford,I doubt that othe Labour AMs are queueing up for the job.
Whilst Vaughan Gething is less than transparent and unwilling to answer questions and criticisms – of which there really are many – it’s laughable to think that Janet Finch Saunders and her Tory colleagues would in any way be capable of doing better! There needs to be honesty, sharing of all information however scary, an adult conversation with the Welsh people, vision, political will, organizational acumen and energetic action to face this virus and defend us all. God help us, I don’t see those qualities in either VG or JFS! Now Adam Price and Rhun ap Iorwerth – that’s quite… Read more »
What is your evidence that Janet FS and co would be incapable of doing better? No one knows but you sound like a silly sloganeering politician when you come out with statements like that.
What is going on at Betsi Cadwaladr is much more to the point. How can an institution be in special measures for 5 years and still no improvement is a disgrace and probably a tragedy as well. The Cardiff Labour elite have a lot to answer for.
Ysbyty Gwynedd was doing well until it was merged with all the other north Welsh hospitals . That was a daft decision.
If the Welsh Conservatives become a Welsh party for real, then we can feel they mean it. Otherwise it’s flies buzzing in our ears.
Totally agree. Many Tory AMs make valid and well reasoned critiques and push back against Labour, but when it’s backed with an underlying anti-devolution stance (or, at best, mumbled tacit acceptance but never wholehearted support), why should the Cymry listen to them? A strong centre-right Welsh party would bring a real legitimacy to our political landscape. So far, no takers.
Complete hypocrisy. The bumbling and incompetence of Westminster renders this irrelevant
Hahaha Vaughan is a fool 🤣
Who made the comment…. Janet Finch Saunders.? Enough said.