First Minister defended over mask criticism
THE Welsh Government has defended First Minister Mark Drakeford after Conservatives criticised him for dancing at a Diwali event while not wearing a mask and not social distancing.
The Welsh Conservatives accused him of “hypocrisy” over video footage of the event, which appeared on social media, but a spokesman for the First Minister insisted he was abiding by Welsh Government guidelines.
The video was made last Friday evening as the First Minister joined members of Cardiff’s Hindu community at their celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights.
Mr Drakeford was accompanied at Cardiff University’s Student Life centre by the Indian High Commissioner Gaitri Issar Kumar and Indian Honorary Consul to Wales Raj Aggarwal.
The event was attended by 150 guests and included what were described as “some exuberant celebrations”.
A Welsh Conservative spokesman said: “The First Minister’s hypocrisy is astounding. Throughout the pandemic, Mark Drakeford has emphasised the importance of wearing masks and social distancing when indoors, even after the majority of restrictions were lifted. And over the past few weeks, Labour ministers have imposed Covid passports on the public and consistently threatened to impose new restrictions if our sky-high infection rates continue to rise.
“The Welsh public will expect better from its leaders, and will no doubt look very dimly on those in our highest offices who seem unable to practise what they preach.”
But a spokesman for the First Minister said: “Face coverings are not required in premises where food and drink is served.”
In August, the Welsh Government lifted the obligation on people to wear face coverings in hospitality settings, while retaining the need to wear them in shops and public buildings.
Explaining the distinction, Health Minister Eluned Morgan said at the time: “In public places where people have to go in order to live such as shops and public transport we think it is really important that people continue to wear masks.
“When it comes to pubs and restaurants obviously we are in a different situation because you don’t have to go to a pub or a restaurant and you need to eat while you are there.
“So there are some obvious reasons why we are going to release the restrictions on pubs and restaurants.
“It’s a question of choice. You can choose whether or not to go to a pub or restaurant whereas actually you do need to go to shops and on public transport.”
Equally, going to a Diwali event is seen as a matter of choice and therefore not one at which maskwearing is mandatory.
Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s failure to keep a face covering on during a hospital visit in England sparked fury after it emerged he was told three times by staff to wear a mask.