NEW TWIST IN SARGEANT SACKING SAGA
NO written statements alleging sexual harassment against Carl Sargeant had been passed to the Labour Party at the time of his death, we can reveal.
The party’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, has told a solicitor representing Mr Sargeant’s family that it received an initial complaint on November 3 – the day he was removed from his post as Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children.
Four days later it is believed he took his own life, still unaware of the precise allegations against him.
As well as being removed from the Cabinet by First Minister Carwyn Jones on November 3, Mr Sargeant was notified that he had been suspended by the Labour Party pending an investigation.
After meeting Mr Jones the politician issued a statement strongly denying that he had sexually harassed anyone.
In a letter to Cardiff solicitor Huw Bowden, who represents the Sargeant family, Mr McNicol said: “Regarding the notice of administrative suspension placed upon Mr Sargeant before his death, I can confirm that the Labour Party acted in accordance with its procedures in this matter.
“As you know, our procedures require that after a complaint has been received the Labour Party sends an agreed formal statement of the complainant to the respondent so that the respondent may revert.
“The Labour Party received the initial complaint on Friday, November 3, and was waiting for the formal statement to send to Mr Sargeant when the tragic news reached us of his passing.”
Making it clear that the party would not be proceeding with an inquiry into any allegations against Mr Sargeant, Mr McNicol stated in the letter: “It is no longer possible to take forward any investigation under our procedures and therefore the Labour Party deems its investigation closed.
“As our initial communication made clear, at no stage did the Labour Party assume or confer any guilt on any individual. The Labour Party will of course co-operate fully with the coroner’s inquest.”
Mr McNicol said the Labour Party would also co-operate with any other investigation as required.
In addition to the inquest, which was opened in Ruthin last month, three further inquiries related to the matter are due to take place: one into the way Mr Sargeant was treated by Mr Jones, another into whether the First Minister misled the Assembly when he said no allegations of bullying on the Ministerial fifth floor of the Senedd had been made to him in 2014, and a third into allegations that Mr Sargeant’s sacking was leaked in advance.
Mr Jones has been criticised for getting Matt Greenough, his senior special adviser, to conduct a preliminary inquiry into allegations against Mr Sargeant instead of passing the issue to the Civil Service for investigation under the Ministerial Code.
We put a number of questions to the Welsh Government, including:
Had any formal written statements of complaint been made at the time Mr Sargeant was sacked on November 3?
If so, to whom were they made and why were they not forwarded immediately to the Labour Party?
If not, why not – and why was Mr Sargeant sacked?
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “As these matters may form part of the independent inquiry, it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Conservatives said: “This letter further muddies the waters and there are serious questions, not just for the First Minister but for the staff around him.
“It now seems that just one complaint was made to the Labour Party – and that none were made formally, which rather calls into question the reasons given for Carl’s sacking.
“What’s sadder still is the fact that Carl clearly was not afforded natural justice at any point before his death. Indeed, one has to feel sorely for the family, who have now lost the right to fight for Carl’s name to be cleared.”
Plaid Cymru AM Adam Price said: “The Welsh Government’s refusal to answer questions is not acceptable. A matter of this gravity requires full disclosure – the First Minister and his administration must not be allowed to get away with evading scrutiny and accountability.
“All legitimate queries arising from this latest revelation must be addressed in a swift and appropriate manner.”
The letter from Mr McNicol was leaked to us by a Labour source.
A spokesman for the Sargeant family confirmed their solicitor had received it but did not wish to comment.