Tory MS questions if Plaid Cymru election pledge was an ‘outright lie’

Ella Groves – ICNN Senedd Reporter

A Conservative MS has questioned whether Plaid Cymru lied or misled voters during this year’s Senedd election.

Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg Senedd Member Andrew RT Davies quizzed the minister for government effectiveness, Dafydd Trystan Davies, on how he is “improving the delivery of the government’s policies”.

Dr Trystan Davies told the Siambr he is focused on “strengthening delivery across government”, during a debate on Tuesday October 6.

Tory MS Mr Davies drew attention to a letter on the ongoing dispute in the Cwm Taf health board area – which was signed by the First Minister – which he said called to “upgrade all Band 6 health visitors to Band 7”.

Health visitors at the Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) health board have been on strike since February 2026 over pay and job grading.

Unite the Union said workers are being paid at a band 6, “despite internal job grading now matching them as a band 7 acknowledging a masters qualification”.

The union said this can cost health visitors between £8,000 and £9,000 a year.

The health board however argues the staff “are being paid the correct band 6 salary”.

In a statement, the health board said: “There is no band 7 health visitor job description that has been agreed in partnership with CTM UHB, and there is no revised all-Wales band 7 job description.

“This means the band 6 job description for health visitors in CTM is the current, agreed job description.”

Speaking in the Siambr, Mr Davies said there was “no ambiguity” and continued: “The First Minister put his name to that letter.

“How are you getting on in delivering that pledge, or wasn’t it a pledge? It was misleading in its kindest form, and an outright lie in its cruellest form.”

Responding, Dr Trystan Davies warned members should be “very careful” of accusing their colleagues of misleading the chamber.

He added: “Our manifesto in the election, upon which we stood, upon which we fought the election and won the election, was based on prioritising bringing waiting lists down, on tackling waiting lists, prioritising the health service and developing productivity within the NHS.

“That is our priority and I will remain focused on that priority.”

The Llywydd, Huw Irranca-Davies, reminded members of the conventions, protocols, and guidelines in the chamber regarding not accusing, or coming close to accusing, fellow Senedd Members of lying or misleading.

He said: “There are points of debate, but we have ways of debating this within the chamber.”

“Practical Improvements”

Reform MS Nigel Williams questioned how the government can claim to be effective if “time and civil service capacity are spent pursuing constitutional ambitions while frontline public services remain under so much pressure”.

Mr Williams, who worked as a police officer, teacher, and in the NHS before entering the Senedd, said he sees daily the “immense pressures” on businesses and public services.

The Fflint Wrecsam MS told the minister that people want “practical improvements not further constitutional distraction”.

Clarifying that he is “specifically charged with looking at constitutional issues” as minister for the constitution, Dr Trystan Davies stressed his government’s priorities are childcare, child poverty, the NHS, schools, and the economy.

He said: “There are a range of areas – railways, the Crown Estate, policing – where I believe we can make progress, working with the UK Government, to deliver better services for people in Wales.

“And that remains the core focus of my work as a government minister and a core focus of our work as a Welsh Government – delivering better public services, whether it’s in schools, health or education.”

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