No, I don’t accept that, because we have now an independent mechanism in place.

It is crucial that any investigation is not just independent, but is seen to be independent, and completely above party politics. Andrew R.T. Davies yesterday made much in questions of my colleague Jeremy Miles’s interview on the Sunday Politics show, suggesting wrongly that Jeremy Miles had questioned the ability of the Labour Chair and the Labour Members of the committee to undertake such scrutiny. That is not what he said. He said that he was absolutely sure that we would do the work without fear or favour, but he also made the point that it is crucial the committee is seen as independent, too. We all know here that politics is also about perception, and I seriously question whether the public would view the committee as being independent.

Now, I do not in any way doubt the ability of the Labour Chair and myself and my Labour colleagues to robustly scrutinise the First Minister on this. But it is essential that any investigation is able to complete its work and draw a line under this without questions about the political make-up of the committee undermining its credibility. I’ve been an Assembly Member here for 18 years and these are, without doubt, the darkest days any of us have known. I think all of us across this Chamber should remember that we are all, including the First Minister, grieving for a friend and colleague. I am deeply uncomfortable that this motion has been brought at this time, and I personally want no part of it.