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Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford a ‘socialist headbanger’ responsible for economic damage claims Telegraph

05 Nov 2022 2 minute read
Mark Drakeford picture by Ben Birchall / PA Wire.

A Telegraph columnist has attacked Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford as a “socialist headbanger” whose support for stricter Covid restrictions over the past three years was responsible for the economic difficulties the UK now finds itself in.

Camilla Tominey, the newspaper’s Associate Editor, said that those warning about the economic damage of Covid lockdowns had been vindicated by the Bank of England’s warning of a two-year recession.

However, those such as Mark Drakeford who had advocated for stricter lockdown measures were responsible for the damage to the economy and the NHS, she said.

The one consolation was that there was no suggestion of spending the holidays in last year’s “Scroogefest that was lockdown,” Camilla Tominey said.

“Being socialist headbangers, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her Welsh equivalent Mark Drakeford brought in new restrictions anyway, including cancelling Hogmanay and fining Welsh people who refused to work from home £60 – decisions that now look beyond absurd,” she said.

“Yet it isn’t with the benefit of hindsight that we know many of the UK’s coronavirus measures were not only wholly unnecessary but also a worse cure than the disease; some of us had been saying that all along, only to be ridiculed and demonised for it.”

She added: “Those self-righteous zealots who used ‘saving the NHS’ as a taxpayer-funded shield for their own one-dimensional thinking need only look at ambulance response times and waiting lists to see the folly of their moral superiority.”

Lower deaths

Covid was the responsibility of the Welsh Government in Wales and they generally responded with stricter measures than in England, including a firebreak lockdown in October and November 2020 and greater restrictions on travel.

A new analysis published last month by scientists advising the Welsh Government found that fewer people in Wales were infected with Covid during the pandemic compared to England.

They estimated that 57% of the Welsh population was affected, compared to 71% in England, and that this indicated that the different approach to restrictions in Wales had reduced the number of infections.

The report said this correlated with the finding that excess deaths were around 20% lower in Wales than England.

The Welsh Conservatives called for a Wales-specific Covid inquiry so that the Welsh Government’s Covid record could be properly scrutinised.


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DAI Ponty
DAI Ponty
2 years ago

So The Torygraph English based racist newspaper the Welsh if you want HEADBANGERS look no further than your own party in the Westminster Parliament run by the anti Democratic Tories CAMERON MAY and the biggest headbangers BORIS THE BUFFOON and LIZZARD TRUSS same old Tory ploy deflect from the bloody mess they have caused

George Bodley
George Bodley
2 years ago
Reply to  DAI Ponty

Absolutely spot on

Llyn
Llyn
2 years ago

This is something which we will see more and more of from the right wing press who backed the Brexit economic disaster. Blame anyone and anything but Brexit for the Brexit recession.

Argol fawr!
Argol fawr!
2 years ago

So Telegraph, you mean as appose to Johnston, Truss and Sunak, the Tory headbangers who have all ready wrecked the economy? Having said that, Both Drakeford, the previous one, and Eluned Morgan (is she still here?) have a lot to answer over their management of Wales’ NHS.

Last edited 2 years ago by Argol fawr!
Paul
Paul
2 years ago
Reply to  Argol fawr!

Remember that Drakeford, Gethin, and Morgan are managing NHS Wales under the budgetary constraints that the Conservative headbangers you mentioned decided.

NHS Wales, like NHS England and the others, are all suffering from a lack of money. Like. Next the Telegraph will be blaming Drakeford for the state of the NHS England.

Emma Howells
Emma Howells
2 years ago
Reply to  Paul

The NHS is not in a lack of money, its bad management of the money. Wasting on diversity, instead of using that money on patient care. The trust wastes money on things that the NHS don’t need.

Carol Loughlin
Carol Loughlin
2 years ago

Well I never realised that Wales had the power to bring down the entire UK economy! Keep up the head banging Mark and Westminster may eventually let us go.

Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
2 years ago

They’re getting desperate. Just overt abuse now. Truly pathetic

Windy
Windy
2 years ago

Needs to be treated with the contempt it deserves.
Lies lies lies nothing but lies

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago

D.T trying to give socialism a bad name. Drakeford is a pseudo-socialist, cherry picking odd issues and then going all bureaucratic in dealing with them. He probably employs a team whose task is to drum up new issues so he can deflect away from his inability to tackle education, health and employment issues in Wales. At this rate we will be the least educated, lowest paid, and unhealthiest in Europe. Except of course for the small clique of party loyalists who will continue to be well paid, well educated and relatively healthy. Although all that fine dining and schmoozing might… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by hdavies15
Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

And your political ideology is?

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago
Reply to  Owain Morgan

Good of you to ask rather than pin labels indiscriminately. I’m pretty free from ideological baggage but tend to become old style socialist in wanting to prioritise education, health and good employment opportunities with a strong value adding business sector that can help with funding these aspirations. More fair shares, less bulls**t.

George Bodley
George Bodley
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Another Tory tosser

Ieuan Evans
Ieuan Evans
2 years ago

So Camilla the clown thinks that the 65 million UK population is reliant on the 8 million population of Wales and Scotland. Well this puts Wales and Scotland in a strong position.

Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
2 years ago
Reply to  Ieuan Evans

Maybe if they took their claws out of us, they could be free of us to enjoy all those “benefits of Brexit”. What WERE those benefits again?

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

Give it a week, and this rag will be reporting on how England subsidise the others, who contribute nothing to the UK , and live off England’s generosity and goodwill. This week they need a scapegoat, so blame the devolved Govs to deflect, while the governor of the BOE report we were hours from financial meltdown, due to UK Gov policies, supported by this clueless rag. They are playing to their right wing audience.

Beryl
Beryl
2 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

I can see Wales and the other Celtic countries becoming Independent and the sooner the better as far as I am concerned. We can then negotiate our own terms with the EU and progress towards a socialist government where everyone will be cared for whatever creed or colour.

Owain Morgan
Owain Morgan
2 years ago

Let’s give the Torygraph a clue. Wiping 4% off of the UK’s GDP damages the economy. Removing money from the most deprived parts of society that damages the economy. Making tax cuts that the markets and Bank of England are unaware of, that damages the economy. Running a society for the benefit of at least the vast majority of people within it is not Socialism, it’s just common sense.

Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
Y Tywysog Lloegr a Moscow
2 years ago

My you’re on one today beetle eh? Did someone steal your dung ball?

Knight G1
Knight G1
2 years ago

Maybe I’m on strike and got nothing better to do when I should be driving trains and therefore people can travel without inconvenience. Why are you the prince of England and Moscow? Not very Welsh is it.

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago
Reply to  Knight G1

Youd be on your own on strike, the railways are all working today. Not very good at this are you.

Knight G1
Knight G1
2 years ago
Reply to  Gareth

Not all trains are running.

Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago
Reply to  Knight G1

But not because of strike action.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
2 years ago

For ‘Headbangers’, see Tory economy crashers, right wing columnists, client journalists, poverty proliferators and race hate inciters. Apart from the columnist and Welsh Conservatives, no headbangers were mentioned here.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Said the toilet paper Telegraph who supported both Brexit and this shambolic Conservative government that’s damaged not only Wales & Britain’s economy but made us a laughingstock around the world. The irony.

Last edited 2 years ago by Y Cymro
Valerie Matthews
Valerie Matthews
2 years ago

Is this rag trying to compete with Mail/Express on right wing misinformation? Tories have been in charge for 12 years now, and each new PM. creates MORE havoc! And they have the unmitigated gall to blame Mark Drayford! Why don’t these ‘so called’ Newspapers start telling their readers the truth ?

Ernie The Smallholder
Ernie The Smallholder
2 years ago

What about the Brexit headbangers whom brought these problems to the economy of all our nations by making trade and travel in Europe so difficult? What about those right-wing headbangers that elected Liz Truss as PM, causing loss of economic competence and the collapse of the pound currency and higher interest rates ? What about the Tory headbangers that having changed the PM twice within a year without a popular mandate ? What about the headbangers having ruined the our 4 nations are now avoiding asking the people for a mandate by letting the people choose in a general election… Read more »

Richard
Richard
2 years ago

Oh dear Oh dear … poor ( well perhaps not too poor ) old Camilla has got into a real tiss !! . The money mess her Tory chums have got us in over the last few months dwarfs ( sorry for the non pc word) any mistakes Mark and co have made.

Charles Coombes
Charles Coombes
2 years ago

Mark Drakeford a level headed, old style leader. Who tells the truth. Is honest and passionate.
Over his time as first minister has enhanced the way people view Wales and has supported the values of Wales.
Not virtues that any conservative member, MP or cabinet member holds.
Never trust a tory.

Norma McCarten
Norma McCarten
2 years ago

The level of abuse is truly astounding. The use of ‘dog whistle’ terms is no error of grammar. They should be as afraid as this person sounds because people are very angry.

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