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Tories complain about ‘incredibly aggressive’ Drakeford after he blasts their questions as ‘tired and inaccurate.’

30 Nov 2021 3 minute read
Mark Drakeford and Paul Davies. Pictures by Senedd TV.

The Conservatives have complained that Mark Drakeford has become “incredibly aggressive” after he blasted their questions in the Senedd chamber as “tired and inaccurate”.

The Welsh Conservative interim leader Paul Davies said that the First Minister’s attitude was “not only a disservice to the Senedd and the people of Wales” after the two clashed in the chamber.

Mark Drakeford had earlier become exasperated after Paul Davies asked him three questions about the Welsh NHS.

“First Minister, it’s quite clear that you need to prioritise tackling these backlogs, and if the Welsh Government wanted to prioritise this issue we’d have seen some commitment to addressing the problems in the NHS in your coalition agreement with Plaid Cymru,” Paul Davies said.

Mark Drakeford fired back by saying that Paul Davies hadn’t understood the Plaid Cymru agreement.

“Llywydd, the Member would do better not to read out his pre-prepared scripts for us, because then he would have had a chance to listen to the answers rather than reading out what he was going to say, whatever the answer happened to be,” Mark Drakeford said.

“I’m afraid his questions today are tired and inaccurate. He hasn’t read—or if he has read, he hasn’t understood—the agreement that we have struck with Plaid Cymru.

“I’m very happy to dare to explain to him that when he says things to me that are clearly inaccurate, it’s part of my job here to help him to understand a bit better than he does the nature of that agreement. The agreement, as others who’ve taken more trouble will understand, is a limited and specific agreement on a range of very important matters that we have agreed with another party in the Chamber.

“There are many, many other things that Government does that are part of our programme for government that we will move ahead with, and any party in this Chamber will be entitled to take a contrary view on those matters should they choose to do so. That’s the nature of this agreement—a specific Wales-only made and bespoke to Wales.”

‘Accountable’

Responding outside the Chamber, Paul Davies said that the Welsh Government had become “arrogant”.

“The attitude of the First Minister during FMQs has become incredibly aggressive of late, which is not only a disservice to the Senedd and the people of Wales, but the families left bereft due to Covid, who’s search for justice is so casually dismissed,” he said.

“The Labour Government used wide-ranging powers in tackling coronavirus, so it is only right that its actions are scrutinised and ministers are held accountable through an inquiry that specifically looks at them. The Welsh Government should not be allowed to hide behind a sole UK-wide inquiry.

“For the First Minister to discount the concerns of medical experts that the Labour-run NHS has been responsible for hundreds of preventable deaths and blame the pandemic as if his government was completely helpless is a dereliction of duty.

“It’s also a shame that the Leader of Plaid Cymru fails each week in his duties as a supposed opposition leader, failing to hold the Labour Government to account and instead focussing obsessively on Westminster.

“Only the Welsh Conservatives are holding this arrogant Welsh Government to account – and we will continue to do so at every opportunity.”


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Dave
Dave
3 years ago

Poor Mr Davies felt threatened by the a 67 year old gentleman who is leading our country bless these vulnerable Tory’s I guess that’s why the only pick on the tens of thousands of old, sick and vulnerable people who their mendacious have killed

Ed Jones
Ed Jones
3 years ago

This Paul Davies is a precious little snowflake isn’t he? Hilarious. Am sure he was just excited about having a Christmas drink with the charming Darren Millar again, has it been a year already…

Llywolaf
Llywolaf
3 years ago

Notable that the leader of the Welsh (sic) Conservatives chose to “respond” “outside the chamber”, since his pre-pared remarks had been shown to be exactly that and shot down in flames by the First Minister inside the Senedd chamber. The first minister’s reply was not “arrogant” or “aggressive”, but a totally justified response born out of sheer exasperation with the empty gestures coming from the Conservatives, who merely parrot the inadequate policies being promulgated by their English overlords in Westminster.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
3 years ago

‘The Welsh Conservative interim leader Paul Davies.’ Isn’t this the same person that suggested that Wales could “do with a bit of Dom[inic Cummins]?”

As we all know how that ended up, I don’t think he can fairly accuse others.

Last edited 3 years ago by Mr Williams
Grayham Jones
3 years ago

The Tories in wales are a waste of time for wales they are still stuck to the English government kick all English party’s out of wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 it’s time for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 start fighting for your children and grandchildren future in wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 we in wales have got to stop being little Englanders and and be proud to be welsh

Pob lwc
Pob lwc
3 years ago
Reply to  Grayham Jones

CTRL+C, CTRL+V

Erisian
Erisian
3 years ago

I think Mark Drakeford was understandably annoyed by disingenuous Tory posturing masquerading as debate.
I know I would have pretty pissed off in his place

j humphrys
j humphrys
3 years ago

FM a model of restraint, at having to listen to Tory jabbering till sunset. Why don’t some form a genuine Conservative party Cymru, instead of being Boris’s monkeys?

Last edited 3 years ago by j humphrys
Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
3 years ago

So, everything that the Tories are accusing the Welsh government of theyare themselves guilty of. Arrogant and aggressive?! Oh the irony 🙄😒

Frennifawr
Frennifawr
3 years ago

Poor old Paul. Fondly known by many of his constituents as Paul ‘mewn ‘da’r bara, mas ‘da’r byns’ Davies. [In with the bread and out with the buns]. Both Drakeford and Price are capable politicians with an obvious grasp on what is happening in Wales. As for the Tories ……. enough said.

Siko
3 years ago

Likewise only the Labour opposition will hold the arrogant Tory government at Westminster to account.

Siko
3 years ago

Someone said when you point at someone’s “faults” there are three fingers in your hand pointing back at you.

susanne
susanne
3 years ago

I saw the exchange – Drakeford’s behaviour was shocking He is never to be seen , hates having to explain himself in public and now as well as the passport fiasco we have a coalition slipped in without any consultation or prior info that it was in the air. Demmocracy in Wales???

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
3 years ago
Reply to  susanne

That’s a load of BS. Congratulations.

Steven Breach
2 years ago
Reply to  susanne

Pot,kettle,black!Paul Davies(another angry gammon)berating Drakeford for “aggressive”and “arrogant ” behaviour.You couldn’t make it up.Welsh Tories obviously living in the same denial bubble as Boris and his crooked Government

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