Education Minister Leighton Andrews has resigned from the Welsh Government.
The shock move follows a row over Mr Andrews’ support of a school faced with closure by the council in his Rhondda constituency.
Mr Andrews was pictured with a placard in support of Pentre Primary School, a school set for closure under his own policy of reducing spare classroom places.
First Minister Carwyn Jones failed to defend him from claims he had undermined his own policy.
It also followed a separate row over Mr Andrews taking part in a campaign to save the Royal Glamorgan hospital from cuts under the South Wales Programme of NHS reorganisation.
In his resignation letter Mr Andrews told the First Minister: “As you know, I have and remain a passionate advocate of my Rhondda constituency. I regret that my commitment to my constituents may have led me to an apparent conflict which has led to difficulty for your government. I therefore feel that I have no option but to offer you my resignation today.”
Commenting on the resignation of the Education Minister, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies AM, said:
“After the failure of Carwyn Jones to endorse his Education Minister’s position during my questions to him today, it was inevitable that he had to go.
“The actions of the Education Minister – both over the Royal Glamorgan Hospital and now school closures – called into question not only the Education Minister’s judgement, but that of the First Minister himself.
“The former Education Minister clearly felt that the policies being pursued by the Welsh Government were working to the detriment of his constituents. While he chose to say this in his constituency – he clearly felt unable to say it in Cabinet.
“His resignation will now enable him to articulate these concerns from the backbenches. However – they don’t change the damaging policies of Carwyn Jones’ government, in particular in health and education.
“We had a One Wales government in the Third Assembly. Here we have a Two Wales government. One run by the First Minister – and the other undermined by the now former Education Minister – whose position became untenable.”
Leighton Andrew’s resignation letter:
“It has been a great privilege to serve in your Cabinets since your appointment as First Minister in December 2009 as firstly Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills and subsequently as Minister for Education and Skills, with responsibility since May 2011 for the Welsh Language.
“I have also been pleased to have had the opportunity to convene the Yes for Wales campaign on your behalf in 2011 and to contribute to the successful campaign which led to your election victory in May 2011 and to a Labour Government.
“I am proud of the steps which we have taken which will strengthen the education system in Wales from schools through to higher education, including our new literacy and numeracy framework, the School Standards Act, the creation of a smaller number of stronger higher education institutions and our new higher education policy, the Welsh Language strategy and the steps we are taking to establish Qualifications Wales as the core of a modern qualifications system for Wales.
“As you know, I have and remain a passionate advocate of my Rhondda constituency. I regret that my commitment to my constituents may have led me to an apparent conflict which has led to difficulty for your government. I therefore feel that I have no option but to offer you my resignation today.
“Your government will of course have my consistent and continuing support.”
Leighton Andrews resignation from his government position is not entirely suprising to me. I feel that his views conflicted with the policies of the 'government' of which he was a part.
Such a conflict can result in either the person involved surrendering their beliefs and submitting to the party machine or resigning so that they may remain true to their beliefs. Leighton Andrews appears to have taken the latter course of action which I believe is the correct one for a person of strong principles. He knows the education system of Wales is not good and is not getting any better but could not voice these views. Ditto the health service.
I disagree with the claim that "First Minister Carwyn Jones failed to defend him from claims he had undermined his own policy." These policies were apparently not "his" policies but the policies of others. I hope that Leighton Andrews now uses the opportunity, gained by shrugging off the dead weight of cabinet loyalty, to serve his constituents and support the policies that the voters want.