Vaughan Gething could be forced to return to Covid inquiry over deleted messages

The First Minister of Wales may be recalled to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry after messages emerged appearing to contradict his claims he did not delete WhatsApp messages during the pandemic.

Vaughan Gething may have misled the inquiry when he denied intentionally deleting WhatsApp messages, a leaked message appears to show.

Mr Gething, who was the health minister during the pandemic, told the inquiry in March that his lost messages were not deleted by him but by the Senedd’s IT team during a security rebuild.

He told the hearing that the lost information was a “real embarrassment”.

In a text message posted to the ministerial group chat on Monday August 17 2020, Mr Gething appears to have said: “I’m deleting the messages in this group.

“They can be captured in an FOI (Freedom of Information request) and I think we are in the right place on the choice being made.”

A spokesman for the UK Covid-19 Inquiry confirmed it has been made aware of the message and is now considering whether Mr Gething will need to provide further information.

He said: “These reports have been brought to the attention of the inquiry this morning.

“The inquiry is considering the information available and whether it is necessary to seek further evidence from Mr Gething.”

Mr Gething is expected to be asked about the message during First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday afternoon.

The Welsh government has been contacted for comment.

Telling lies at a statutory public inquiry, such as the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, amounts to the criminal offence of perjury, which on conviction can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years.

Addressing the inquiry in March, Mr Gething insisted that the messages were used in place of “conversations you have in the corridor” which were no longer possible during the pandemic and not for decision-making or to “circumvent processes within the government”.

He added: “I certainly do regret the fact that all those messages aren’t available to you because you could see them and satisfy yourself that all of the information there is consistent with all the information in the records you do have in front of you.”

Both the Conservative and Plaid Cymru opposition leaders are calling for the First Minister to be recalled to the inquiry to give further evidence.

“Decisions made in these WhatsApp groups have led to lives lost and businesses shut, so with evidence suggesting that the First Minister deliberately deleted important exchanges, it’s obvious why Labour has blocked an independent Wales-specific Covid inquiry.

“In light of this there is an even more compelling case for a Covid inquiry for Wales.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said the revelation “strikes a devastating blow to those who lost loved ones” during the pandemic.

He said: “We all sought transparency but were told all was in the open for the UK inquiry to see. This undermines any belief that that is the case.

“It shows blatant disregard for honesty and transparency, further undermining trust in the Labour First Minister on the back of his donations scandal.

“The leaked message shows that the Welsh Labour Cabinet was complicit in allowing this deception. Baroness Hallett, as chair of the inquiry, should immediately recall Vaughan Gething to give clarity on what he said under oath.

“Vaughan Gething is running away from an independent investigation into a donation to his Labour leadership campaign but must not be allowed to dodge an investigation into this extremely serious matter.”

Mr Gething has come under sustained pressure in recent weeks, with repeated calls for an investigation into donations he received while running to be Welsh Labour leader.

Last week in the Senedd he survived a vote calling for an independent inquiry into the £200,000 donation he took from a man convicted of environmental offences.

Opposition groups have raised concerns that it could be a possible conflict of interest and breach of the ministerial code while members of his own benches have questioned his decision-making.

Former Labour minister Lee Waters went so far as to question his leader’s judgment in taking the money.