Senior lawyer to set new Carl Sargeant sacking probe rules

Carl Sargeant was communities secretary and Labour AM for Alyn and Deeside

A senior lawyer will draw up a new set of rules for the independent inquiry into the sacking of former Welsh Government Minister Carl Sargeant.

Mr Sargeant, 49, was found dead at his home days after the then-first minister dismissed him in November 2017.

He was accused of sexual misconduct.

Then-First Minister Carwyn Jones announced an independent QC-led inquiry, but last week the High Court ruled he acted unlawfully in taking decisions on how the probe would work.

The legal challenge had been brought by Mr Sargeant's widow, Bernie.

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Carl Sargeant's family said he had been deprived of "natural justice" and not informed of any of the detail of the allegations against him, despite requests and warnings regarding his mental welfare.

After pressure from the family and Labour politicians, Mr Jones set up the investigation to examine the way Mr Sargeant's sacking had been handled.

Mr Jones's successor Mark Drakeford told AMs in a written statement on Thursday that Jonathan Jones QC, Treasury Solicitor and Head of the UK Government Legal Department, would now look again at how the inquiry would work.

He also said a separate inquiry into whether news of the 2017 reshuffle in which Carl Sargeant was dismissed was leaked would be published, once the inquest into Mr Sargeant's death had concluded.

Mark Drakeford says the issues should be considered independently of Welsh ministers

But the leader of the Conservative group in the assembly, Paul Davies, urged Mr Drakeford to publish the leak report "without delay".

"It is essential that all members are able to fully scrutinise the actions of the former first Minister and members of his team," he said.

"I hope that this step by the first minister really does enable the family and friends of Carl to get the answers they deserve into the tragic events surrounding his death."

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said the "long overdue decision to publish the leak inquiry report is welcome, but doing so only after the Coroner's Inquest is completed is yet another unnecessary delay in what has already been an arduous battle for transparency".