Mark Drakeford: First minister of Wales announces resignation

Published

11 months ago

December 13, 2023

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Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford has announced his resignation.

Mr Drakeford made the announcement in the Senedd on Wednesday morning – five years to the day since he was first elected as leader of Welsh Labour.

He had already indicated he would step aside during the current Senedd term and that he would not be standing as a member at the next election.

Mr Drakeford, who turns 70 next September, has been the member of the Senedd for Cardiff West since 2011.

His resignation comes a day after he launched a ministerial code probe into one of his government ministers at her request.

Having resigned as Labour leader, he will formally stand down as first minister in March.

His successor as first minister will be announced by the Easter recess.

In a statement in the members’ balcony, Mr Drakeford said nominations to elect his successor would open shortly.

He said it had been a “huge privilege” to lead his party and the Welsh government.

“I have also had the enormous fortune to have played a part in Welsh politics during the first quarter century of devolution,” he said.

“Now it is time to look forward to the next five years across the UK and to the next 25 years of devolution in Wales.”

He said he hoped his successor would have the opportunity to “work with a newly elected Labour government in London”.

Who could succeed Mark Drakeford?

As Mark Drakeford steps aside, attention will inevitably turn to who might succeed him.

Last time Welsh Labour had a leadership election in 2018, Vaughan Gething and Eluned Morgan were the two who missed out in a ballot of its members.

Mr Gething has been economy minister since 2021 and was previously the Welsh government’s health minister during the pandemic.

Ms Morgan has been health minister since 2021 and previously held the roles of minister for mental health and the Welsh language.

Could either by tempted to stand again in a bid to succeed Mr Drakeford?

One name which has been mentioned is Jeremy Miles, the education minister since 2021. Could he decide the time is right for him to stand?

Whoever succeeds Mr Drakeford will be in post by the time of Senedd’s Easter recess and candidates are likely to throw their hats in the ring over the coming days and weeks.

Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said Mr Drakeford had “epitomised public service and public duty throughout his time as first minister”.

“His remarkable stewardship of Wales through the horror of the pandemic being the most obvious example,” she added.

“As Mark ends his term as Welsh Labour leader, I thank him for his leadership, his friendship and his outstanding contribution to Wales.”

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, the largest opposition party in the Senedd, sent his well wishes to Mr Drakeford.

“While we may have different visions for Wales, I know I’m joined by colleagues in holding a huge amount of respect for his dedication to the job of first minister,” said Andrew RT Davies.

“It’s important, however, with this announcement that there is no distraction from the really important job of delivering for the people of Wales.”

Wales Secretary, David TC Davies, said Mr Drakeford “served Wales through some challenging times”.

“I wish him all the best in his retirement and look forward to working together with his successor,” he added.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, which is part of a cooperation agreement with the Labour government in Cardiff, paid tribute to the “tone of his leadership through the pandemic”.

“When he took office, the first minister spoke of the opportunities that came with the position of leading the Welsh government,” he said.

“Regrettably, those opportunities have been squandered, resulting in longer waiting lists, falling educational standards and a stagnant economy.”

Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

Published

6 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.

Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.

She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.

A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.

Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.

“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.

“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”

The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.

In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.

“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”

Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.

Mohamed al Fayed’s brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

Published

6 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Mohamed al Fayed's brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.

Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.

The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.

One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.

Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.

Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.

The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”

The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.

Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.

The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.

A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.

“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”

The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.

One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.

Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.

UK

Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Published

6 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Wes Streeting 'crossed the line' by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.

Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.

MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.

But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.

He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.

Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.

👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈

“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.

“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.

“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.

“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”

Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.

She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.

“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.

The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.

Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.

The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.

MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.