Welsh Labour should stop running scared of scrutiny, embrace the accountability that must come with the most widespread use of emergency powers
Welsh Conservatives respond to Covid care home investigation
The Labour Government has told the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru group that it will conduct an investigation into the spread of coronavirus in Welsh care homes.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS said:
“It is very welcome that there will be an investigation into the spread of Covid in care homes now that bereaved families will soon finally get their answers on hospital acquired infections – responsible for a quarter of Wales’ Covid-related deaths.
“However, this does beg the question as to why Mark Drakeford’s government is blocking a Wales-specific Covid inquiry that encapsulates all of its actions in response to the pandemic.
“Maybe it is because that inquiry would expose all its of its many shortcomings whereas this investigation will look just at care homes, which are largely private ventures.
“Labour should stop running scared of scrutiny, embrace the accountability that must come with the most widespread use of emergency powers in the history of devolution, and submit themselves to a Welsh-specific Covid inquiry. It is not too late.”
The bereaved families group revealed on Twitter that the First Minister “gave a commitment that an investigation into care homes in the pandemic would happen in Wales”, adding the scope of this investigation is currently unknown.
The group also expressed their doubt that this would be independent as they and the Welsh Conservatives have been calling for.
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