The leader of the Welsh government was fighting to save his career last night amid mounting criticism of his handling of sex allegations against Carl Sargeant.
Carwyn Jones faced calls to resign for his ‘heartless’ sacking of his Labour colleague, who is thought to have killed himself at his home on Tuesday.
Interviewed by the BBC on Monday, Welsh first minister said ‘action is taken’ when ‘we have somebody who is in a position where they could embarrass the party or bring the party into disrepute’.
But opponents said the investigation was mishandled, with the married father-of-four unable to defend himself because he had not been given specific details about the allegations.
Carl Sargeant (right) opens a business with First Minister Carwyn Jones (left) and Labour activist and tech entrepreneur Askar Sheibani (centre)
Neil Hamilton, leader of Ukip in Wales, accused Mr Jones of acting ‘disproportionately and without human sympathy’.
‘It is clear that his summary dismissal was both heartless and in breach of the most fundamental principle of natural justice – giving the accused the right to defend himself,’ he said.
‘By publicly sacking Carl without giving him details of the allegations, he subjected Carl to trial by innuendo and left him to twist in the wind. Carwyn Jones is an experienced criminal law barrister and must be held to the highest standards of due process.
‘The intolerable mental anguish which that failure caused led directly to Carl’s suicide. The first minister should accept his personal responsibility and resign.’
Chris Davies, Tory MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, also called on Mr Jones to resign, saying the way he had handled the matter was ‘terrible’.
Labour MP Mark Tami, Mr Sargeant’s Westminster constituency colleague, said: ‘It’s very difficult to defend yourself against something if you don’t know what you’re defending yourself against.’
Mr Sargeant’s wife Bernie (pictured together) and his children have been left ‘devastated’
Mr Sargeant was sacked on Friday as Welsh Assembly cabinet secretary for communities and children after several women accused him of ‘unwanted attention, inappropriate touching or groping’. He was also suspended from the Labour Party.
Mr Jones claims the first time he heard of the allegations was last week. But sources suggest he knew about the claims earlier and had even discussed allegations of misconduct before with Mr Sargeant.
Members of the Welsh Assembly are meeting today to discuss the issue and Mr Jones is expected to make a statement afterwards. He told ITV News yesterday: ‘I’m saddened by events. It’s important that we reflect on it and that we remember the family today. That’s all I can say. It’s important to show that respect.’
A spokesman later added: ‘This is a difficult time for everybody, particularly Carl’s family, who are still coming to terms with this horrific news.
‘Like everyone in the Welsh Labour family, Carwyn is deeply upset by the death of his friend.’ Labour claimed it had followed the correct procedures in handling the allegations and had informed Mr Sargeant of the nature of the allegations, but not the full details.
A spokesman said: ‘Following allegations brought to the attention of Welsh Labour by Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones, an investigation was launched by the UK Party. The Labour Party Governance and Legal Union spoke with Carl Sargeant and, in line with agreed procedure, outlined the nature of the allegations that had been received and how the complaints process works.’
Former Welsh Government minister Carl Sargeant, 48, (pictured with his wife Bernie, 48, and children Jack, 23, and Lucy, 25) is believed to have taken his own life at home in Connah’s Quay, North Wales having begged to know what he was accused of
Mr Jones became one of Labour’s most powerful politicians when he took charge of the Welsh government eight years ago.
Raised in a Welsh-speaking household, he joined the Labour Party as a student in Aberystwyth during the 1985 miners’ strike.
After working as a criminal and family barrister for ten years, he lectured in law before being elected to represent Bridgend in the Welsh Assembly in 1999.
His relaxed and confident speaking style – honed during his legal years – help to propel him to the top of Welsh politics.
As rural affairs minister, Mr Jones won plaudits for his handling of the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, earning the respect of farming leaders – not traditional allies of the Labour Party. He won the Welsh Assembly leadership election in December 2009 with 50 per cent of the vote.
But his tenure as first minister has been far from straightforward.
Mr Jones has faced criticism over the state of the NHS in Wales, where waiting times have been considerably longer than in England in many areas of medicine.
Mr Jones was also accused of denying patients access to life-prolonging treatments by refusing to implement a ‘cancer drug fund’. Last year he announced that Labour would put aside £80million to pay for new treatments.
His administration was also criticised for its decision to sell for less than £2million public land worth at least £39million.
Taking Cardiff Airport into public ownership at a cost of £52million was also controversial. However the airport has since seen its passenger numbers rise.
A rugby fan, Mr Jones lives with his wife Lisa and their two children in Bridgend.