Hot Seat Altaf

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IN this most unprecedented of crises, mistakes have been made by governments of all hues during the pandemic.

However, Labour in Cardiff Bay seems intent on carrying on with their mission to have scrutiny of their actions confined to a single chapter in the British Government’s UK-wide inquiry.

This is scandalous as people up and down Wales who have lost loved ones over the past 18 months deserve answers to their questions.

Decisions made in Cardiff Bay – both good and bad – had a direct impact on lives and that cannot be dismissed by a Labour administration that was keen to stress at every opportunity that they have done things differently.

I believe a spectacular U-turn by the Labour administration could be imminent due to the pressure from grieving families.

The First Minister, Mark Drakeford, will eventually be forced to launch an inquiry but will attempt to save face by doing so under a veil of concern about the terms of reference of the UK-wide inquiry, saying he is being ignored by Westminster.

He is orchestrating a conflict with the British Government so he has an excuse to U-turn on the inquiry.

Sadly, the First Minister is making a mockery of the parliament he professes to love. Labour ministers should not be able to use emergency powers and the widest use of devolved powers ever and then think it is okay for them not to be scrutinised and be held accountable.

I implore the First Minister to stop the games and listen to the calls from the Welsh Conservatives, the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Group and the British Lung Foundation amongst others and hold a Wales-specific coronavirus inquiry now.

South Wales West MS Hussain Hus speaks about how a Wales-specific inquiry should be held