McEvoy returns to work at Senedd despite Welsh Parliament being closed

Neil McEvoy MS has today (Wed 24 June) gone to work in the Senedd despite no certainty when Parliament will officially re-open.

Mr McEvoy says that this is in response to the “hypocrisy” and “a lack of leadership” and “contempt for the Welsh people” displayed by the Labour led Welsh Government over recent months.

Speaking before setting off to work, McEvoy said:

“I am returning to work today in the Senedd.

“As people all over Wales are going back to work in their thousands, the Welsh Government still has the Senedd on lockdown.

“Holyrood, Stormont and Westminster are all open, but the Senedd isn’t. This sends out a bad message to the people of Wales. It’s saying that you must go back to your workplace but us politicians who make these rules aren’t quite ready yet. Do as we say, not as we do.

“It smacks of hypocrisy and shows contempt for the Welsh people.

“Our parliament cannot be shut down when we are expecting non-essential retail and schools to return shortly. How can politicians send children back to the front line, but leave politicians safely locked away at home? This shows a lack of leadership. Politicians should be leading by example. The kids are back in school next week, so I am going back to work a week before them.

“Of course physical distancing measures must be observed and politicians may have to work remotely more often but we need to re-open our democracy and scrutinise the FM over his handling of the crisis.

“The Labour-led government might be trying to avoid the inevitable reckoning that will take place when we assess the damage of Coronavirus and poor decisions they have made.

“I know Mark Drakeford is famous for his dithering but I’d encourage him in this important time to show some leadership and lead by example on this one.

“The economy is in free-fall and the parliamentarians deserve to be there to hold the government to account. During lockdown, I have been prevented from even asking questions of the First Minister by Plaid Cymru’s Presiding Officer. There seems to be an informal agreement to prevent scrutiny. This has to change.”