Question Time: Audience members refuse to defend Boris Johnson
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The Welsh First Minister accused the UK Government of being unable to make decisions after a week of “fighting like ferrets in a sack”. It comes as Boris Johnson faces mounting pressure from both sides to resign amid numerous allegations of parties held at Number 10 during lockdown.
Speaking to Sky News Mr Drakeford said: “it’s very hard to see how the Prime Minister survives”.
The Welsh Labour leader continued: “Even if he were to survive, he will just limp on because he’s never going to escape the damage that this week has done to his reputation.”
“From my point of view, the thing that worries me the most is the fact that the UK Government is frozen by the impact of what has happened to them.”
Reports now suggest that Tory rebels are considering publishing secret messages and recordings with the chief whip as evidence of claims they were intimidated and blackmailed.
Conservative MP William Wragg brought about new trouble when he claimed “intimidation” of MP’s was used.
Mr Drakeford said UK Government had “turned in on itself and isn’t capable of doing the job that it was elected to do.”
He added: “They’re just not able to make the sorts of decisions you’d expect the Government to make, because everything is seen through this lens, the attempt to try and shore up the Prime Minister to protect him from the attacks that his own side are making on him.”
He also accused the Government of hastening the end of Covid restrictions to escape negative headlines around the alleged parties.
Mr Drakeford said: “I’d have to say, anybody watching what has gone on in Westminster will know that those announcements are not driven by the science.
“They’re not part of a carefully thought-out plan, they’re just an effort by UK ministers to find a different headline from the one that has dominated the news.”
He also used the opportunity to boast that Wales is in “a better position than that” adding: “I think the contrast between our two positions has been pretty stark this week.”
Up to 20 MPs who entered Parliament in 2019 were reported to have submitted letters of no confidence in Boris Johnson to the chair of the 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady, with a total of 54 needed to spark a confidence vote.
However, only Sir Graham knows the true number of letters submitted.
The First Minister also spoke on Covid restrictions in Wales, saying they would be reviewed on February 10.
Asked if February 10 could be the end of the Covid passes, he said: “I think it’s conceivable, but by no means guaranteed.
“We’ve just seen in the last week or so how fast things can change with this virus and February 10 is still three weeks away.
“If things continue to improve on that current rate, and we were in a position to lift some of the further protections, of course that’s what we want to do. But in Wales, we will only do it when we’re sure we have clinical advice or scientific advice that would tell us that it will be safe to do that.”
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