Official complaint made against Mark Drakeford

### Official Complaint Made Against Mark Drakeford

An official complaint has been filed against Welsh Government finance minister Mark Drakeford. The complaint, lodged by a Conservative Senedd member, revolves around the language he used in response to Rachel Reeves’ Budget. It has been sent to First Minister Eluned Morgan, alleging a violation of the ministerial code that dictates the expected standards of conduct for ministers.

Conservative regional Senedd member Laura Anne Jones, in her complaint, asserts that Mr. Drakeford contravened a rule stating that governmental statements should steer clear of political undertones. She refers to a statement by Mr. Drakeford where he discussed the Budget, labelling it as the “first steps in the right direction after 14 years of economic mismanagement by previous UK governments and the impact its decisions have had on people and communities”.

The language used by Mr. Drakeford in the statement titled ‘UK Budget a “first step to repair the damage of the last 14 years”’ is labelled as “politically charged” in the complaint by Ms. Jones, who highlights that the statement was published on a publicly funded website managed by civil servants. She cites paragraph 8.1 of the ministerial code, which underscores that government communications must adhere to certain principles in propriety guidance for government communications.

The code for Welsh ministers explicitly mentions that official facilities financed by public funds should be employed for Welsh Government publicity and advertising, but not for disseminating material that aligns with any specific political party. Ms. Jones emphasises that communications should remain objective and explanatory, devoid of bias or tones that could jeopardise relationships with opposition groups. She contends that this approach is crucial for upholding the integrity of government communications and the impartiality of civil servants.

The letter urges the First Minister to forward the complaint to the permanent secretary Andrew Goodall, Wales’ top civil servant, to ascertain if there has been a breach of the code. In response, a Welsh Government spokesman stated that Welsh Ministers have the right to express their views on the actions of other governments within the UK and the context surrounding their own decisions.

The member who lodged the complaint will receive a response to her letter in due course, as clarified by the Welsh Government spokesman. The outcome of the investigation into the complaint against Mark Drakeford will shed light on the adherence to communication principles and the maintenance of impartiality in government communications.

*[Include a concluding paragraph summarising the potential impact of the complaint on the Minister and the Welsh Government]*