Coronavirus: Minister caught swearing broke rules, says Plaid

Plaid Cymru's leader has written to First Minister Mark Drakeford calling for him to sack his health minister.

Adam Price said Vaughan Gething had broken the rules which govern the behaviour of government ministers.

Mr Gething was caught on microphone swearing about his Labour colleague Jenny Rathbone during Wednesday's Senedd video conference session.

Ms Rathbone had been asking him about government performance on coronavirus testing and protective kit.

Mr Gething has since apologised.

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In the letter, Mr Price said Mr Gething should be sacked to "restore public trust and confidence" in the Welsh Government's coronavirus response.

He said the use of an expletive "could possibly be explained" by the "immense pressure" the minister is under, but the "aggressive tone" of the attack on a member of his own party "raising wholly legitimate concerns" was representative of his "resistance to accountability and scrutiny in general".

The Welsh Government said the first minister would respond to Mr Price's letter "in due course".

Asked if Mr Drakeford would comment on the matter on Thursday, a spokesman for the first minister said: "I very much doubt it. He's been rather busy today dealing with coronavirus."

Vaughan Gething, pictured before he swore about a colleague, had been taking part in a virtual Senedd session

Earlier, Plaid Cymru assembly member Helen Mary Jones told the BBC Mr Gething had to go because he "can't take criticism".

She said more "co-operative" leaders were needed during the coronavirus crisis.

Speaking to Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 5 Live, Ms Jones said: "At one level it's funny, and those images of us all reacting are quite amusing.

"But his attitude to being scrutinised, his attitude to being asked questions about what he's doing, makes him a really problematic figure.

"And this was true before the crisis. But in this crisis we need senior leaders to be cooperative."

The Conservative group leader in the assembly, Paul Davies, has also called for Mr Gething to be sacked.

Adam Price criticised Vaughan Gething's "aggressive tone"

Mr Gething's Labour colleague, Caerphilly assembly member Hefin David, said it was time to "move on".

"I think his reaction was a human reaction to the tremendous amount of pressure that he must be under at the moment," Mr David said.

"But what I would say as well is Jenny Rathbone was absolutely right to ask the difficult questions that she did.

"But at the same time Vaughan reacted like a human being, it happened, he's apologised and I think we can move on."

Mr David said Plaid Cymru was wrong to say Mr Gething does not respond well to scrutiny.

"I've asked difficult questions in the past, both in committee and in the chamber, and I've found Vaughan's reactions are as good and the answers are as comprehensive as any other minister."