Another storm at the Senedd as tempers flare over Welsh health service
EMOTIONS ran high once more in the Welsh Parliament during a debate about the Welsh NHS yesterday.
Welsh Conservative MS Gareth Davies was asked to leave the chamber as he shouted that it was “an affront to democracy”.
He was asking questions to Health Minister Eluned Morgan as the Welsh NHS continues to struggle under huge demand and long waiting lists.
Mr Davies, who is the MS for the Vale of Clwyd, was initally challenging Ms Morgan on the “lack of a north Denbighshire community hospital”.
He said: “If this rudderless Welsh Government would have acted a decade ago, people in Rhyl, Prestatyn and north Denbighshire would now have a local health facility that would have been affordable.”
Ms Morgan said “Well, I wasn’t even in the Senedd 10 years ago, so I can’t tell you” before blaming the lack of capital on the UK Government.
Things then got a bit angrier after Mr Davies started speaking about a social media post by former Labour member Ann Jones.
Ms Morgan retorted: “So, all of a sudden, I am responsible for the social media content of everybody within the Labour group?
“I’m sorry, guys, I’m not taking it. I’ve got enough responsibility on my
I will leave now. It’s an affront to democracy
Gareth Davies MS
hands as it is. She was not in government, and I think you’ve got to understand that. If that’s the case, I’m going to hold you responsible for what Liz Truss said.
“You want to do that? I’ll hold you to it.”
Mr Davies then asked another question about Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board.
He asked: “Will you meet with the health board to give local people assurances that this government is on people’s side, and if you can’t guarantee that will you now admit that you failed the people of Clwyd?”
Eluned Morgan then questioned why she was taking questions from the member who is the Tory spokesman for care, not health.
Elin Jones, the Llywydd (Speaker), said that this was not a matter for Ms Morgan and that she should answer the question.
Mr Davies then threw his plastic lectern on the floor with a bang, prompting one member to shout “grow up”.
The Llywydd asked: “Do you want to listen to the answer?” and Mr Davies responded: “If she has the decency to respond, come on, let’s have it.”
He then slammed his file on the desk.
He added: “She is shifting the blame all the time”.
There was then an awkward 20 seconds while Elin Jones tried to restore order. She then said there would be no answer to the question now because things had got “out of order” and “you have had your chance, Gareth Davies, I will ask you if you want to leave quietly now”. He retorted: “I will leave now, it’s an affront to democracy”. Alun Davies MS then tried to raise a point of order, saying Members were “afraid” to be in the chamber. This follows an exchange a month ago between Mark Drakeford and Tory leader Andrew RT Davies. This again was around Labour’s management of the NHS and was watched by over a million people.