Neil McEvoy: Tony Benn used to say, 'What power have you got? Where did you get it from? In whose interests do you exercise it? To whom are you accountable? And how can we get rid of you?' Now, the ombudsman in Wales seems to enjoy almost absolute power. Power corrupts, we're told, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. So, how does an everyday person get recourse with the ombudsman in Wales if they are...
Neil McEvoy: Leader of the Chamber, I would like a Government statement on the First Minister offering his support for the bombing in Syria. It seems that international chemical weapons inspectors are going to investigate in Douma tomorrow to report on what has happened there, but personnel, possibly from Wales, have already been sent to bomb Syria before the investigation has taken place, and the First...
Neil McEvoy: 1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's role in the proposed renaming of the second Severn crossing to the Prince of Wales bridge? 159
Neil McEvoy: Thank you. Cabinet Secretary, almost 40,000 people have signed a petition against renaming the second Severn crossing the Prince of Wales bridge. The people of Wales were very disappointed, to say the least, in not being consulted, but it turns out, as you've confirmed, that your Government was consulted, but you raised no objections. And this isn't an isolated incident, because just some...
Neil McEvoy: I put the motion to use section 37 to get the report published because ignoring this Assembly is an affront to democracy. It seems that the Conservatives liked my motion so much that they put it in themselves, and I'm glad they did that because we're debating this sooner than we otherwise would have done. Not long ago, I asked the First Minister to introduce legislation to regulate...
Neil McEvoy: I'm surprised but glad to be able to discuss this matter, because I've been raising issues to do with the Yemen and to do with Kurdistan constantly in this Chamber. We saw again, today, that the answer from the leader of the Chamber was that we don't talk about foreign policy. Clearly we do, because we're doing it now and I think that that's a great thing. I don't think the First Minister...
Neil McEvoy: Where is Carwyn?
Neil McEvoy: Shocking. Shocking. Did he get legal advice? I'd like to hear from him. There's a very easy solution, in my opinion, to adventurist, violent attacks overseas. Here he is—welcome, First Minister. I'll say it again. There's a very easy solution to adventurist, violent attacks overseas killing people. What we need, before any military action is taken on behalf of the people of these islands,...
Neil McEvoy: The motion proposes that the National Assembly for Wales 'Calls on the UK Government to hold a public consultation on the proposed renaming of the Second Severn Crossing.' Well, what's wrong with that? I can see nothing at all wrong with that, yet we have an amendment from Labour that talks about just abdicating responsibility. It's as my colleague across the Chamber said. 'Oh, it's not our...
Neil McEvoy: The metro's been talked about for eight years. As your Labour colleagues pointed out, the Cardiff bus station is a fiasco—absolute fiasco. If you drive outside, to the west of the capital, as we predicted—and we were called liars at the time—the houses are going up, the bulldozers are in, and there's a single carriage road with another 8,000 houses going to be thrown up. What is your...
Neil McEvoy: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I speak as somebody here today who has dealt with racism at the sharp end, growing up and to this day. I get judged. I have been judged because of the way that I look, because of my mum, my dad, my grandparents, my ethnic make-up. I loathe racism. Loathe it. Today, we're here to take a decision to throw out a democratically elected Member of this Assembly. Michelle...
Neil McEvoy: I will.
Neil McEvoy: I'm going to speak with some restraint here, because I've witnessed racist behaviour in this Chamber and I've corresponded with the Llywydd at times. I've been appalled by some of the behaviour that I've seen in this room. So, let's stop with the virtue signalling, shall we, just for a moment? Maybe you'd like to correspond with the Llywydd and see what we've been speaking about in private....
Neil McEvoy: If you could give me the respect of listening to what I've got to say, then I would very much appreciate it. Will you give me that courtesy today?
Neil McEvoy: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. You give respect to receive respect. Now, not long ago, Labour Members on the benches here were voting to keep their own—the Government's own behaviour a secret and, for me, that's a real scandal. What Michelle Brown did was disgraceful in private. The way to deal with those people is at the ballot box, and I firmly, firmly believe that.
Neil McEvoy: Cabinet Secretary, on 13 December I asked you: 'Given the growing number of mesh implant survivors, England has adopted multidisciplinary teams of specialists who support patients who have had issues with mesh and advise them on treatments. Do these multidisciplinary teams exist in Wales and, if so, where are they?' You commented, as was mentioned earlier, that 'we do have multidisciplinary...
Neil McEvoy: It's a question.
Neil McEvoy: So, that was a question. My next question is: what about men? You seem to dismiss hernia operations. People suffer the same problems using these meshes. I spoke to a constituent just before walking in this Chamber earlier, and he still does not know what material was put inside his body. That's an absolute scandal. Will you undertake to make sure that my constituent is told exactly what was...
Neil McEvoy: As we've heard, minimum pricing won't cut the intake of alcohol amongst problem drinkers. I think if—listening to what Dr Dai said then—basically, people will just choose shorts, which may even cause further problems. I'm going to support the motion, and the reason I'm supporting it more than anything else—it's more of a cultural thing, which we find in this Assembly, because I find...
Neil McEvoy: Okay, thank you very much. But the point I'm making is, outside of working hours, I think we all know that people in this Chamber do drink too much. [Interruption.] It's a fact—with respect, it's a fact of life. It's a cultural thing. Is anyone here seriously saying that, on occasion, they don't drink too much? Be honest. Really? Okay. I'll remember that next Christmas. I'll move on because...
