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Welsh Conservative leader’s backing for Boris Johnson mocked by Welsh Government ministers

13 Jan 2022 4 minute read
Two thumbs up: Andrew RT Davies is sticking by Boris Johnson, left. Boris Johnson. Picture by Cancillería Argentina (CC BY 2.0).

Welsh Government ministers have mocked the Welsh Conservative leader’s backing for his beleaguered boss Boris Johnson, with one saying that he should be awarded an ‘OBN’ (Order of the Brown Nose) for his efforts.

Yesterday Andrew RT Davies said that it was “vital the PM continues his work” but that the investigation into the facts of the party or parties at No 10 Downing Street should be “expedited”.

His reaction stood in contrast with Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross who called for the Prime Minister to resign, saying that his position was “no longer tenable”.

Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters responded to Andrew RT Davies’ message on support for the Prime Minister by saying that he was “desperate for an honour. He deserves an OBN.”

The Order of the Brown Nose is a regular column in the magazine Private Eye which highlights sycophantic behaviour.

Lee Waters later asked: “Is this why the Welsh Conservatives are being servile, because the English Etonians who dominate their party think the people in the provinces are all oiks?”

He was responding to Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg’s Newsnight interview in which he called Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross a “lightweight figure”.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething meanwhile drew on the the talents of Shania Twain to express his response:

Education and Welsh Language Minister Jeremy Miles described the response as “utterly predictable, sadly.”

Labour Senedd backbencher Hefin David struck a more conciliatory tone, asking why the Wesh Conservatives “aren’t showing greater moral courage”.

“The Prime Minister is completely compromised and must resign. I know Andrew RT Davies will feel utterly betrayed. Say it publicly. Stand up for what is right.”

‘Damage’

Boris Johnson is facing calls to quit after attending a ‘bring your own booze’ party at No 10 Downing Street during the first coronavirus lockdown, when the public was banned from household mixing.

Andrew RT Davies however said that the alternative to Boris Johnson’s premiership was a Labour Government and that he had seen the damage that had done in Wales.

“People are hurt, angry and let down at the events of the past 48 hours, and the Prime Minister has rightly apologised,” he said.

“The inquiry by the senior civil servant, Sue Gray, must now be expedited to establish the full facts and report the findings as soon as possible.

“It’s vital the Prime Minister continues his work on the booster roll out, which has been world-leading, so we can get Britain on the road to recovery and free from restrictions.

“Here in Wales, we’ve seen first-hand what the alternative would be under a Labour administration, with crippling restrictions on the economy and society, and untold damage to our businesses, health and well-being.

“The Conservatives must continue to lead the world in the recovery and deliver the restoration of freedoms as we learn to live with COVID.”

Conservative leader Douglas Ross said he had spoken to Mr Johnson on Wednesday afternoon to “set out my reasons and I explained to him my position”.

He added that Mr Johnson “believes that he didn’t do anything wrong and he has put up a defence of his position”.

“I also have to look at the information I’ve got in front of me and stick with the position that I made quite clear yesterday that, if he did attend that party, he couldn’t continue as prime minister,” he said.


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Malcolm rj
Malcolm rj
2 years ago

The first question that I would have asked Boris after he said that he thought it was a working meeting in the garden is what time do the staff in downing street finish they’re shift

Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
2 years ago
Reply to  Malcolm rj

2nd question, Do they always bring booze to meetings?
3rd question. What was the agenda, and where are the minutes

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

“The Conservatives must continue to lead the world in the recovery and deliver the restoration of freedoms as we learn to live with COVID.” What does that even mean? Pathetic sycophancy by those backstabbing quislings.

Ieuan Evans
Ieuan Evans
2 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

GW Atkinson. I’ll tell you what it means. IT MEANS NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!

Erisian
Erisian
2 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

They can barely lead themselves.
The whips have been lying to the new-intake members to try and dissuade them from writing to the chair of the 1922 comitee in order dump Boris.

Cofid
Cofid
2 years ago
Reply to  Erisian

Conservatives party. At least here we know the difference between parti and plaid.

Adopted Cardi
Adopted Cardi
2 years ago

Moral Courage – well that’s a laugh – Eton doesn’t teach morals-
it’s everyone for themselves, me first to the trough and woe betide anyone who gets in the way. The devil take the hindmost.
Wales on the other hand is all about we are here for each other- as it should be. Cymru am Byth!

Welsh_Siôn
Welsh_Siôn
2 years ago
Reply to  Adopted Cardi

As you say, the clue is in the name, ‘Cymru’ – ‘land of fellow countrymen and women’.

Cai Wogan Jones
Cai Wogan Jones
2 years ago

All 31 Tory MSPs supported the Leader of the Scottish Tories in calling for Johnson’s resignation.

Where do the rest of the Tory MSs in the Senedd stand? With their Scottish counterparts? Or lined up behind Johnson?

j humphrys
j humphrys
2 years ago

What can one say? Mixture of sadness, frustration and disgust.
RT is a zero and should himself resign.

Welsh_Siôn
Welsh_Siôn
2 years ago

And in other news, active Wales and Devolution hater …:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/tory-mp-facing-suspension-for-breaking-rules-over-apology-for-bullying-parliamentary-staff/ar-AASJnO1?ocid=msedgntp

Tory MP facing suspension for breaking rules over apology for bullying parliamentary staff
Alan McGuinness, political reporter 53 mins ago

Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski is facing a one-day suspension from the Commons after being found to have broken the rules over an apology he gave for bullying parliamentary staff.

[…]

Gareth Wyn Jones
Gareth Wyn Jones
2 years ago

When the new boundaries are announced we should all look into getting rid of as many of the tories in wales as possible… an alliance even with yoon parties…

Erisian
Erisian
2 years ago

He is such a lap-dog. I can’t think why the Torys picked him as a leader.
Oooh wait a moment… Perhaps he was the best they could find.
Which in itself speaks volumes.

Has RTD ever done anything useful for Wales? (Outside his own constituency)
Answers on a postcard please, to Ripleys Believe it or Not.

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
2 years ago

Invertebrates have more backbone than Andrew R2D2.

Brian Clement
Brian Clement
2 years ago

Covid has really exposed the charlatanism, and the faux ‘natural order’ elitism, that Rees-Mogg, Johnson and others exude. More people are seeing through this on a daily basis, but sycophants like Andrew RT Davies can not, or will not, allow reality to interfere with their adherence to the prejudiced ideology of Conservatism, and its Unionist appendage.

Paul
Paul
2 years ago

The (never) Welsh Tory bottom feeders represent an existential threat to Welsh nationhood. There can be no dispute I think, that if they gain power here, their response to Scotland leaving the union, and the rising call for independence here, will be to shut down the parliament and, potentially, remove nationhood from Wales. There are no depths they will not plumb. No one and nothing they will not sell out.

Grayham Jones
2 years ago

Stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh kick all English party’s out of wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 it’s time for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 get people in your town’s voting for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
2 years ago

There is possibly a solution. When the next chance to vote comes up all good Welsh people should work with the non-Tory party that in every constituency is most likely to unseat the Tory. If it means voting for the Raving Loony Party, just grit your teeth and do it. A Tory free Wales will be a big step forward.

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