Plaid Cymru accused of breaking promises to hold full Wales Covid Inquiry

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Plaid Cymru has come under fire with accusations that it broke pre-election promises to hold a full Wales-specific Covid inquiry.

Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative MS for Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg, told the Siambr on Wednesday November 11 that Plaid Cymru sold a “blatant lie” ahead of May’s Senedd election.

He said: “The people I feel so sorry for in all this are the families who lost loved ones. Because, as we’ve seen in the messages that have been publicly made available, senior members of this government, former spokespeople in opposition, gave them commitments, pledged to them that they would, in government, deliver an independent inquiry.”

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He called for the Welsh Government to “correct” its position adding: “If you don’t, this will hang round your necks like a millstone, because it is a blatant lie that you sold at the election, given the evidence that we have seen.”

Mr Davies made the claims during a debate tabled by his party calling for a statutory judge-led public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic in Wales.

The Llywydd, Huw Irranca-Davies, twice asked Mr Davies to reflect on his language after he accused fellow members of lying – a breach of Senedd rules – but the Conservative MS refused to withdraw the remark.

Opening the debate, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar, MS for Clwyd, pointed out that health minister Mabon ap Gwynfor had described a Wales-specific inquiry as a “democratic and a moral imperative” while in opposition.

Mr Millar said Mr ap Gwynfor had also praised the Scottish Government’s decision to set up its own inquiry as “what proper accountability and responsible governance looks like”.

He acknowledged the work of the Covid Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru group and said: “The promises made to them, the very promises that you, Mabon ap Gwynfor, and others on the front bench of the government made, must be fulfilled by those who are now in a position to deliver them.”

Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates said Plaid Cymru politicians had argued “for years” for a statutory Welsh inquiry before opting for a review panel upon entering government.

Labour called on First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to ask the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to investigate whether ministers breached the Ministerial Code by misrepresenting pre-election commitments to bereaved families.

He said: “If Plaid Cymru had changed their minds, they should have said so. If Plaid politicians had reached a different conclusion in government, they should have explained why earlier, especially to bereaved families.”

Responding for the Welsh Government, minister for government effectiveness Dafydd Trystan Davies said he was “determined” to learn lessons from the pandemic, but opposed the Tory motion.

Earlier this month, Dr Trystan Davies announced an independent review chaired by Professor Daniel Wincott with an initial £1.5 million budget, which does not have legal powers to force witnesses to give evidence.

He said the UK Covid-19 Inquiry had already highlighted failings in Wales, including a lack of advance planning over financial support for care homes, and argued the new panel would examine remaining gaps in greater depth.

He said: “I’m focused on ensuring that the recommendations from the inquiry are implemented. But there is more to do.”

Warning that statutory public inquiries have faced criticism over spiralling costs and delays, Dr Trystan Davies noted that the Scottish Covid inquiry has already cost £58 million.

During an intervention, Mr Davies claimed Mr ap Gwynfor had previously agreed with bereaved families on a limited health and social care inquiry costing £10 million, adding: “You had a deal, and you’ve reneged on it.”

Dr Trystan Davies maintained that Plaid Cymru’s 2026 election manifesto commitment had been “clear”.

The Senedd voted down both the Conservative motion and Labour’s amendment.

The campaign group Covid Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru heavily criticised the Welsh Government when it announced the non-statutory review calling it a “profound betrayal of the trust”.

In a statement, ruling out its participation, the group said: “For six years, the party stood alongside us calling for a Wales Covid Inquiry. We cannot understand how those promises have been so rapidly abandoned.

“Campaigners often say they want governments to work with them, not simply do things for them. Plaid Cymru, in spite of promising to ‘work collaboratively’ with us, has ignored us.”

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