Mark Drakeford slammed after leaflets written only in English were sent out to constituents


Wales’ first minister Mark Drakeford is slammed after leaflets written only in English were sent out to constituents in Cardiff ahead of election in May

  • Plaid Cymru have criticised English-only Labour leaflets sent out in Cardiff West
  • Welsh Labour says material was distributed by local representatives of the group
  • Party said leaflets sent on behalf of Mark Drakeford will be in English and Welsh
  • Criticism comes ahead of the Welsh Parliament election set to be held on May 6  

Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford has been slammed after leaflets written only in English were sent out to constituents in Cardiff ahead of May’s election.

Residents in Cardiff West, Mr Drakeford’s constituency, received a leaflet with a photograph of the Welsh Labour leader, with writing underneath only in English.

Mr Drakeford was accused of being ‘hypocritical,’ by election rivals, as his Government invests in having one million Welsh speakers in the nation by 2050. 

Labour election leaflets with Mark Drakeford's face have been branded 'hypocritical,' after they were only published in English

Labour election leaflets with Mark Drakeford’s face have been branded ‘hypocritical,’ after they were only published in English

Local Plaid Cymru candidate Rhys ab Owen told the BBC that leaflets should be bilingual.

He said: ‘It is one thing to set a target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050, but another to act on that. The fact that he’s sending English-only leaflets show he isn’t practising what he is preaching.’

The Propel Party’s Neil McEvoy added: ‘They have shown contempt towards the language… I am disappointed but am not surprised.’

Welsh Labour said it was aware of the leaflet, adding that it was created by a local branch of the party.

It added that Mr Drakeford’s official leaflets are bilingual. 

Welsh voters are set to go to the polls for their parliamentary election on May 6, the same day as Scotland.

London’s mayoral election will be held on the same day, as well as local county council elections. 

Welsh Labour says the leaflets were distributed by a local party group in Mr Drakeford's Cardiff West constituency

Welsh Labour says the leaflets were distributed by a local party group in Mr Drakeford’s Cardiff West constituency 

A YouGov survey conducted between January 11-14 showed support for Welsh Labour had tumbled at the start of the year, but the party was still the most popular.

The poll put Mr Drakeford’s party on 34 per cent, down four points when compared to a poll conducted in October last year. 

Parties on the left appear to have benefited from the drop, with Plaid Cymru up two points to 22 per cent, the Greens up three points to six per cent and the Lib Dems up one point on four per cent. 

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