This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
Pressure grows on Carwyn Jones to order Carl Sargeant inquiry
Pressure grows on Carwyn Jones to order Carl Sargeant inquiry
(35 minutes later)
The first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, is facing growing calls to commit to an independent investigation into his handling of harassment allegations made against the sacked minister Carl Sargeant, who then killed himself.
The first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, has agreed to launch an independent inquiry into his handling of the harassment allegations against Carl Sargeant, following criticism from the sacked minister’s grieving relatives.
A close friend of Sargeant’s told the Guardian on Friday that the former minister’s family remained very angry, and wanted answers after a statement by Jones in which he insisted he had done everything “by the book”.
A spokesman for Jones said on Friday that a senior QC would examine his “actions and decisions” in relation to the former assembly member, who was found dead on Tuesday.
Bernie Attridge, the deputy leader of Flintshire county council, said on Friday he had spoken to Sargeant’s family and that Jones’s statement had failed to satisfy them.
The announcement of an independent inquiry came 24 hours after Jones defended his handling of the case in a highly emotional press conference in which he said he had done everything “by the book”.
“They’re still very angry,” Attridge said. “They still want answers, but for themselves they need time to mourn the loss of a husband, a father, a brother and a son. They need their time. For the answers that both myself and the family wanted, I thought his statement was empty.”
It came just minutes after Sargeant’s family released a statement calling the first minister’s apparent reluctance to order an independent inquiry deeply concerning.
On Thursday, Jones said Welsh politics was in the midst of its “darkest days”. But the first minister did not apologise or say there should be any independent inquiry, although there have been complaints that he spoke about Sargeant’s case in an interview with the BBC.
Sargeant, 49, was found dead at his home in Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, on Tuesday morning, having apparently taken his own life four days after being sacked as the cabinet secretary for communities and children. It is understood that Sargeant was facing harassment allegations from three women, which he denied.
Sargeant, 49, was found dead at his home in Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, on Tuesday morning, having apparently killed himself four days after being sacked as the cabinet secretary for communities and children. It is understood that three women had made harassment allegations against Sargeant, which he denied.
A spokesman for Jones said the first minister had asked the Welsh government’s permanent secretary, Shan Morgan, to begin “preparatory work” for the inquiry and contact Sargeant’s family to discuss its terms of reference and the identity of the QC who will lead it.
Attridge and another Labour county councillor, Andy Dunbobbin, said on Friday that they were writing to every constituency Labour party in north Wales, urging them to sign a letter of no confidence in Jones, who has led the party since December 2009.
The spokesman added: “It is our understanding that such an inquiry should not take place before the outcome of a coroner’s inquest – but we will take further advice on this matter.”
In Connah’s Quay, a growing number of ribbons and scarves adorn the railings outside the town’s Labour club, where hundreds of mourners have signed a book of condolence in Sargeant’s memory.
However, a source close to Sargeant’s family said there was no need to wait until the inquest outcome, probably months away, before the independent inquiry could begin. “All that needs to happen is that the inquest needs to open then adjourn, which will happen on Monday, and then the view of our lawyers is that any inquiry can then proceed,” the source said.
Speaking at the club on Friday, Attridge said Jones “deserted Carl in his hour of need” and should resign immediately. He added: “I believe his days are numbered. The quicker he does resign the better. Although that won’t bring my best friend Carl back, but it will help the mourning process, as at the moment the mourning has turned into anger that Carwyn Jones won’t do the decent thing. All I saw by him not resigning is him looking after himself.”
In a statement released before Jones agreed to an independent inquiry, Sargeant’s family said they were “deeply concerned” by the first minister’s suggestion on Thursday that a coroner’s inquest would answer all the questions the family seek.
The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, also wrote to Jones on Friday to say it was of the “utmost importance” that he went further than his statement on Thursday night.
They said Jones was himself an experienced barrister and would know that the coroner’s inquest could examine “four questions only” – the identity of the deceased; place of death; time of death; and how the death was caused.
Davies urged Jones to immediately launch two investigations – one into his handling of the Sargeant allegations, and another into bullying claims made by Leighton Andrews, a former Welsh government minister. Andrews said Jones had known that Sargeant was “fragile” before he sacked him.
They added: “The family believe they have the painful answers to each of those questions. What a coroner’s inquest cannot determine or appear to be determining is the civil of criminal liability, to apportion guilty or attribute blame, or to be seen to apportion guilt or to attribute blame.
Davies wrote in a letter to the first minister: “In your press conference yesterday, you alluded to the possibility of an independent inquiry into your handling of Carl Sargeant’s dismissal from the Welsh government cabinet, and the allegations which led to this decision. Indeed, you went as far as to say you would welcome the scrutiny.”
“The first minister will also know as an experienced lawyer that to announce and commence a full independent review and inquiry does not hinder the coroner’s inquest and would run alongside the coroner’s inquest in any event. He will know all of the procedural issues that arise and one does not prevent the other from taking place.
He added: “In the spirit of transparency, and if confidence is to be restored in this process, I believe it is of the utmost importance to the family that you confirm today that this will now proceed in earnest.”
“An independent inquiry will ask all the questions that need to be asked and have not been answered and will determine the reasons for the serious failings in following the correct procedures practices and protocols and the reasons for the complete abdication of responsibility and duty of care that was owed to Carl.
A key focus of any inquiry would be why Jones spoke of the allegations against Sargeant in television interviews on Monday, three days after the investigation was passed on to the national party to deal with. He would also be asked to say whether he had previously heard allegations against Sargeant and, if so, what he had done about them.
“We believe a full independent inquiry must be established immediately. It’s terms of reference the appointment of the chair and secretariat must be undertaken by a body which is fully independent of the Welsh government in consultation with the family.”
Mark Tami, the Labour MP in Westminster for Sargeant’s constituency, who shared an office with him, said he was confused by Jones’s statement and that there was an urgent need for an inquiry into the party’s handling of harassment allegations in general.
In Sargeant’s hometown of Connah’s Quay, there remains bitter resentment at the first minister’s sacking of the minister, his subsequent media appearances on Monday and the refusal to give Sargeant any detail about the allegations despite requests from his solicitors who warned about the detrimental effect on his mental health.
Ian Lucas, the Labour MP for Wrexham, also wrote to Jones on Friday calling for him to announce an independent investigation. In a letter to the first minister, Lucas said he did not believe a coroner’s inquest would “address the issues necessary to learn the lessons of this terrible course of events”.
A growing number of ribbons and scarves adorn the railings outside the town’s Labour club, where hundreds of mourners have signed a book of condolence in Sargeant’s memory.
I enclose a copy of a letter I have sent to the First Minister. pic.twitter.com/id3mzkLYqP
Bernie Attridge, the deputy leader of Flintshire county council and a childhood friend of Sargeant’s, said Jones “deserted Carl in his hour of need” and should resign immediately.
Those close to Sargeant’s family said on Friday that they were still absorbing the first minister’s statement and questioning whether they would get the necessary answers from a coroner’s inquest.
He said: “I believe his days are numbered. The quicker he does resign the better. Although that won’t bring my best friend Carl back, but it will help the mourning process as, at the moment, the mourning has turned into anger that Carwyn Jones won’t do the decent thing. All I saw by him not resigning is him looking after himself.”
In the highly charged press conference in Cardiff on Thursday, Jones defended his actions, saying everything had been done “by the book”. He said: “I had no alternative but to take the action that I did and I hope that people will understand that.”
Attridge and another Labour county councillor, Andy Dunbobbin, said they were writing to every constituency Labour party in north Wales, urging them to sign a letter of no confidence in Jones, who has led the party since December 2009.
Jones described Sargeant as a great minister and chief whip, and said he could not imagine what his wife, Bernie, and his family were going through.
He said: “Carl was my friend. In all the years that I knew him I never had a cross word with him. For 14 years we worked together. He ... served his country with distinction. Carl was a true force of nature. He drove through more legislation than any other minister. Not just through force of argument but through sheer force of personality and persuasion.
“Wales has lost a person of great warmth, ability and charisma. These are the darkest days any of us can remember in this institution, but they are darkest of all for the family.”
Declining to answer questions, Jones said: “Everybody is grieving and it is not appropriate for me to get into precise detail. These are matters for the future.” He said his team would cooperate with the inquest due to open next week.
On Wednesday, Sargeant’s family released correspondence showing that the allegations concerned “unwanted attention, inappropriate touching or groping” – which he had denied.
A spokeswoman for the Welsh Labour party declined to comment.
