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Welsh Secretary hits out at Drakeford for not ‘championing’ Tory government’s plans

03 Feb 2022 3 minute read
Simon Hart (left) by Chris McAndrew (CC BY 3.0). Mark Drakeford AM (right), picture by the National Assembly (CC BY 2.0)

The Westminster-appointed Welsh Secretary has hit out at Mark Drakeford because he does not “champion” the UK Government’s plans.

Simon Hart took aim at the First Minister for suggesting that Boris Johnson does not have the “moral authority” to lead the UK, amid partygate turmoil engulfing the Conservative Party.

This follows the Prime Minister apologising  after an interim report by senior civil servant Sue Gray found a “failure of leadership” in relation to the gatherings held in Downing Street during lockdown.

Hart claimed that it is “profoundly out of character” for Drakeford “to ever say anything positive about anybody or anything”, adding “it’s not a leadership attribute that I particularly admire”.

Mark Drakeford told the BBC last week: “I just don’t think that the prime minister has the moral authority to lead a country like the United Kingdom.

“That’s what all this exposes for me. You cannot be someone who asks other people to do things, difficult upsetting things, that you are so patiently unwilling to do yourself.”

Hart told ITV Wales: “I absolutely don’t agree with what Mark Drakeford says.”

He criticised the First Minister for making his comments “in order to further [his] political ends.”

He added: “The problem with Mark Drakeford is he’s always making comments like that. I find it remarkable that he continues to make these kinds of comments.

“We all know what the situation is – he’s entitled to make them of course – but I would love it one day, I would actually quite celebrate the day when Mark Drakeford actually champions, everything that is great about Wales, everything that is great about Wales in the United Kingdom, all of the plans we have.”

‘I’d love him to champion’ 

He added: “I’d love him to champion the fact that we have more jobs on offer now and a higher rate of employment than we did before the pandemic. I’d love him to champion the Joint Working achievements between UK Government and Welsh Government over the vaccine rollout.

“But it is profoundly out of character for him to ever say anything positive about anybody or anything. And I think it’s quite… it’s not a leadership attribute that I particularly admire, if you want my honest opinion.”

Simon Hart also defended Boris Johnson following the critical findings of the report into partygate by Sue Gray.

He added: “He made an apology. I think it’s for the second time I think he made an apology and as I say, committed to address this issue in question, and took full responsibility for that. And so I’m not quite sure what else in those circumstances he could have done.”


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GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

Apparently this tory quisling thinks its the job of opposition to kiss their backside.

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
2 years ago

One wonders if Mr Hart has actually read the document and noted the analysis by the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA). Given the latter’s explanation that the Levelling Up project delivery plan is for devolved actions in England but Whitehall Knows Best for the Devolved nations how could any of the Devolved Nations leaders show support for it. After all Wales was promised no loss of EU funding by the Brextremists and like all Boris Promises what has been offered is significantly less. Why should anybody celebrate being lied to and having one’s autonomy taken away. Mr Hart really should… Read more »

R W
R W
2 years ago

Yes, Mark Drakeford, you should be ashamed of yourself for not celebrating Wales being short-changed by the Tories yet again!! 😂😂

Dewi Williamswhat
Dewi Williamswhat
2 years ago

Whatever political acumen, if any, that this man has can only be steeped in such monumental sycophancy towards Boris and his front bench cohorts that it prevents him from realising that he has equipped himself with an automatic self-destruct button which will inevitably be denotated soon enough so that as far as Welsh affairs are concerned he will be put out of harms way permanently.

Malcolmrj
Malcolmrj
2 years ago

What a trater he is but just look at his face would you buy a second hand car off that man??

Grayham Jones
2 years ago

Wy would people in wales vote for an English idiot kick the Tories out of wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Carol Loughlin
Carol Loughlin
2 years ago
Reply to  Grayham Jones

*Wales

Malcolmrj
Malcolmrj
2 years ago

Sorry I mean TREACHEROUS TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR to Wales

O'r gorllewin gwyllt
O'r gorllewin gwyllt
2 years ago

When has Hart ever “championed” Wales?

Ed Jones
Ed Jones
2 years ago

Is this Hart ever heard to say anything positive about Wales or our First Minister? Thought not. Maybe he is too busy adding swastikas to posters?!

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
2 years ago

Guess what, Mr Hart, neither do the Welsh people! Deal with it!

Valerie Matthews
Valerie Matthews
2 years ago

Why do these Boris ‘Boot licking’ Tories ever get seats in Wales? they patently have no loyalty to their Constituents who are being driven into Penury by the Corrupt, uncaring UK Government . ALL are wealthy, NO possible way to understand the lives of an average working family in Wales, or anywhere else for that matter.

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
2 years ago

Carry on Mr Hart, when Emperor Boswellox gets replaced (which he will) you’ll find that all of your toadying will count for nothing and you’ll be out of a job – and good riddance.

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