Heated Senedd Exchange: Tory Member Told to ‘Tone It Down’ by First Minister
A tense moment in the Senedd as the First Minister expresses disappointment over the opposition leader’s remarks on child grooming gangs
Wales, Child Sexual Exploitation, Grooming Gangs, Eluned Morgan, Darren Millar
Cardiff: So, there was quite a scene in the Senedd recently. The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, didn’t hold back when she expressed her disappointment in Darren Millar, the new leader of the Conservative group. It all kicked off during the First Minister’s Questions session.
Millar asked her about the need for a new inquiry into child grooming gangs, referencing some serious concerns raised by various Labour MPs. Eluned responded by emphasizing the importance of focusing on the victims and not politicizing such a sensitive issue.
She mentioned that it’s crucial to support those who have suffered and that the rhetoric around this topic needs to be toned down. It seems there’s been some tension with organizations like the Welsh Refugee Council, which she hinted at.
Millar pressed on, wanting to know what the Welsh Government was doing about the issue and if they could publish any communications with local authorities and police. Eluned assured him that they were taking the matter seriously and had already implemented several recommendations from a previous inquiry.
But things got heated when Millar shared some pretty graphic details about victims’ experiences, which led to reprimands from the Presiding Officer, Elin Jones. She told him to be more respectful and tone down his language, which sparked a bit of a back-and-forth.
In the end, Eluned made it clear that she was really disappointed in Millar’s approach. She stressed that discussions about such serious matters should always keep the victims in mind and be handled with care. It was a pretty intense exchange, and you could feel the weight of the topic hanging in the air.