Rathbone sacking defended by Carwyn Jones

The first minister has defended his sacking of a Labour committee chair who criticised Welsh government spending on M4 relief road plans.

Jenny Rathbone had said she was "appalled" that £20m was being spent this year preparing for a road she hoped would never be built.

Carwyn Jones told AMs that the chair of the committee overseeing EU spending in Wales should act in the "spirit of collective responsibility".

Opposition AMs criticised the decision.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said: "Backbench AMs have a duty to scrutinise the use of public money, not toe the party line.

"Carwyn Jones's admission that he cherry-picks committee chairs to uphold 'collective responsibility' is deeply damaging."

For Plaid Cymru, Simon Thomas argued that while Ms Rathbone was sacked for asking for a debate on the spending of £20m, those responsible for undervaluing land sold by the Regeneration Investment Fund for Wales "just carry on".

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams was scornful of the first minister, saying: "So much for a different kind of politics, a better politics, a kinder politics," referring to September's conference speech by Labour's new UK leader Jeremy Corbyn.

'Unhealthy culture'

Labour Pontypridd AM Mick Antoniw - who has also been critical of plans for a £1bn M4 relief road around Newport - has been appointed to replace Ms Rathbone on the EU committee.

He told BBC Wales he did not agree with the Cardiff Central AM's claim of an "unhealthy culture" within the Welsh government which discouraged dissent.

"I speak up on all sort of issues," he said.

"I've challenged ministers very robustly, I've attacked ministers and criticised policies in the assembly, and I've not woken up in the morning and found a horse's head in my bed."

Plans for an M4 relief road around Newport have divided the assembly's ruling Labour group

Ms Rathbone was backed by Cardiff Central Labour MP Jo Stevens.

Ms Stevens said she was "very disappointed" that an "extremely effective" chair had been removed from the EU committee.

"Jenny raised reasonable and legitimate concerns about the M4 relief road consultation spend," she said.

"Projects of this magnitude and cost must be properly scrutinised."