3. Statement by the First Minister: Inter-governmental Relations

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:32 pm on 28 September 2021.

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Photo of James Evans James Evans Conservative 3:32, 28 September 2021

I'd like to thank the First Minister for his statement. I think it's right to highlight areas in which the Welsh Government and the UK Government, working together, have benefited Wales. We've seen the vaccine roll-out, which has been an absolute great success in keeping the residents of Wales safe. As I've mentioned earlier, about growth deals, they have been a great success in growing the economy of Wales and actually the two Governments working together and the additional moneys that have been sent to Wales to support businesses, and the work you've done with the UK Government together on that has really benefited businesses.

But I think a lot of what you've talked about here, First Minister, is respect. And I think respect could be reciprocated, I believe, on both sides of the M4—both up and down. And respect is key to good relationships and the work we do in this place, and it goes to the core of what we all believe. But comments made by the deputy leader of the Labour Party over the past couple of days haven't gone any further to actually building any relationships between your party and mine, and it's actually created a lot of deep hurt and upset.

First Minister, I know you're a very decent and honourable person, and, as the leader of the Welsh Government, comments that were made by your deputy leader in Westminster go no way to helping inter-governmental relationships. So, I do believe, First Minister, if you were to condemn these comments, I do believe it would bring our parties closer together and really help with inter-government relationships, because people being called 'scum' is not nice and it's not kinder and it's not gentle politics.