Drakeford accused of Budget statement rule breach

Ex-first minister Mark Drakeford returned to government this summer as health secretary before taking up the finance brief

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford has been accused of breaking rules for ministers by making a political comment in a statement which appeared on the Welsh government website.

The statement called last week's Budget "the first steps in the right direction after 14 years of economic mismanagement by previous UK governments".

Conservative Senedd member Laura Anne Jones said a "politically charged statement on a publicly funded website, managed by civil servants" breached ministers' code of conduct.

The Welsh government said ministers were "entitled" to express views on the actions of other UK governments.

South Wales East member Jones has raised the matter with the first minister and asked Eluned Morgan to seek guidance on whether or not a breach has occurred.

In her letter Jones says that the statement seems to violate government guidance that "communications should be objective and explanatory, avoiding bias or critical tones that could undermine constructive relationships with opposition groups".

The code of conduct, which must be followed by Welsh ministers, says that "government communications should seek to explain the decisions of the government of the day in a balanced and objective way".

"Government communications should not attack or be critical of groups which may oppose a decision or policy," the guidance states.

Drakeford's statement, posted on the Welsh government website by civil servants, hailed Chancellor Rachel Reeve's Budget as a first step towards "repairing the damage caused over the last 14 years by previous UK governments".

It also stated that "it marks 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".

A Welsh government spokesperson said: "Welsh ministers are fully entitled to express their views on the actions of other governments across the United Kingdom, and the context in which they take their own decisions.

"The member will receive a response to her letter in due course."