Drakeford’s Covid record is nothing to celebrate so why is Drakeford being inducted into the Gorsedd “on behalf of all key workers and volunteers” at this year’s National Eisteddfod?
Welsh Conservatives call out taxpayer-funded award for Drakeford
The Eisteddfod is to give the First Minister one of its highest honours this year in a move the Welsh Conservatives have called “blatantly political” for a taxpayer-funded organisation, suggesting an “apolitical representative” might be a more appropriate, less provocative choice.
Mark Drakeford will be inducted into the Gorsedd “on behalf of all key workers and volunteers” at this year’s National Eisteddfod in Ceredigion, on 5th August. This year’s National Eisteddfod has received £600,000 in taxpayer funding from the Labour Government.
The Welsh Conservatives have highlighted that Drakeford’s Covid record is nothing to celebrate given Wales has the highest Covid death-rate of UK nations and the award should go to a real representative of key workers in Wales or the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru who’s campaign for a Wales-specific Covid inquiry has been blocked by the First Minister.
Archdruid Myrddin ap Dafydd, said: “It’s a great pleasure to announce that our First Minister, Mark Drakeford will be honoured by the Gorsedd on behalf of all our key workers and volunteers at this year’s Eisteddfod.
“In welcoming the First Minister to the Gorsedd, we’ll thank him for his dignified and careful leadership through the difficult years of Covid-19 and the lockdown periods, and for creating a suitable path to address the needs and concerns of the people of our country.”
Wales has the highest Covid death-rate of all UK nations. Then-Health Minister Vaughan Gething said that that it would be “foolish” to work on a recovery plan before the end of the pandemic. Now, a fifth of the population is on a NHS waiting list, with 1-in-4 patients waiting over a year.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Culture Minister Tom Giffard MS said:
“I’m really surprised that the Eisteddfod has engaged in such a blatantly political move like this.
“This is a nationally respected and loved cultural institution who’s patrons will be disappointed that, instead of focussing on Welsh language and culture, the serving First Minister is being honoured for political reasons while the Eisteddfod is in receipt of a significant amount of public money.
“If the Eisteddfod really wanted to honour the public servants who got us through the pandemic, maybe they should honour them directly or, at least, an apolitical representative – this would be more appropriate than the provocative choice of the First Minister who let down key workers.
“After all, Mark Drakeford’s so-called dignified and careful leadership resulted in the highest Covid death-rate in the UK, a nightmarishly long NHS waiting list, and the blocking of a Wales-specific Covid inquiry – the Bereaved Families for Justice Group would be a better choice for this honour.
“Also, I’m not sure prioritising more politicians in Cardiff Bay over the NHS, school, and the economy can be considered a suitable path to address the needs and concerns of Wales like the Eisteddfod says – unless that is the explicitly political view of Eisteddfod bigwigs.”
