Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies has attacked Mark Drakeford after the First Minister lost his temper in the Senedd. In a series of exchanges during First Minister's Questions on Tuesday, June 20, both party leaders become increasingly angry.
The video from the inside the Welsh Parliament went viral. You can read the exchange between them here.
Mr Drakeford was being challenged on the Welsh Government's record on the economy. His response was reminiscent of a previous time Mr Davies challenged the First Minister on the NHS.
Read more: The thing about Mark Drakeford nobody realises
Mr Davies, who was reprimanded by the speaker during the exchange, said: "“The truth hurts. Labour ministers in the Senedd are responsible for the NHS and economic development in Wales. It's very telling that Mark Drakeford has twice lost his cool when questioned about areas of his and Labour’s responsibility.
“On a weekly basis I am given the chance to ask three questions to him yet time and time again he refuses to answer them despite being given ample opportunity to outline his government’s plan to address these vital issues. Just last week Mark Drakeford simply refused three times to answer my questions to him on the Covid Inquiry.
“Wales has unacceptably high waiting lists in our Welsh NHS, with over 30,000 waiting two years for treatment, and deteriorating employment figures, now the lowest in the United Kingdom – both of which are at odds with the improving numbers we are seeing elsewhere in the UK. The First Minister needs to learn to keep his composure, show some leadership, and answer questions put to him.”
He is not the first senior Tory to criticise the Welsh Government for not holding an inquiry into Covid. At the Welsh Affairs Committee in Westminster secretary of state for Wales David TC Davies said: "'If people aren't willing to accept and acknowledge a problem and instead try and suppress any legitimate criticism I don't think you can ever get to the bottom of a problem and resolve it."
