Politicians are told they have failed 'the living and the dead'

SENEDD committee set up to scrutinise the Welsh Government’s handling of the pandemic has been formally dissolved, marking a “great failure” by Wales’ democratic institutions.

- CHRIS HAINES

Adam Price warned of institutional failure as the Senedd formally agreed to scrap the special purpose committee which was beset by problems before collapsing. The former Plaid Cymru leader described the saga as a “very sad chapter” in the Senedd’s history and a forfeited opportunity to learn lessons from the pandemic.

Mr Price told the Senedd: “We have lost that opportunity in this Senedd to do that important work on behalf of the people of Wales: the living - and I have to say this, and I say it with the greatest of respect - and also the dead, and their loved ones as well. It will be for another Senedd now, and for another government, to make right that wrong.”

‘The MP-turned-Senedd member, who served on the “suboptimal” committee, explained it was born of a compromise between Labour and the Conservatives.