Time to move forward after 'difficult few days', Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies tells LBC

24 January 2021, 19:52

Andrew RT Davies returns as Welsh leader after being branded "Donald Trump tribute act"

Andrew RT Davies has been re-appointed to lead the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, saying it's time to move on after a "difficult few days" for the party.

Paul Davies announced he was standing down on Saturday following the disclosure that he was among a group of politicians who drank alcohol on the Senedd estate days after a pub alcohol ban came into force.

While he insisted that he had not broken any rules, he said he was standing aside as the issue had become a "distraction".

His successor led the Tory group in the Senedd for seven years before he quit in 2018 amid a row over Brexit.

But his re-appointment was met with some criticism, with Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner, branded him a "Donald Trump tribute act".

Mr Davies accused Sir Keir Starmer of campaigning to "overturn democracy" during his campaign for a second Brexit referendum in response to the Labour leader's condemnation of the mob invasion of the US Capitol two weeks ago.

But when asked by LBC reporter Daniel Bevan if he would apologise for that comment, Mr Davies said: "I think it's vital that all politicians respect the democratic mandate.

"And we must always respect the ballot box and what the ballot box tells us the result it it vital that we accept that.

"Respectively those horrendous scenes that we saw at the Capitol were because an incumbent President wouldn't accept the democratic will of the American people and I believe that whatever line of politics you engage with, you respect the will of the people".

He added: "This isn't about fighting the elections of the future but fighting the battles of the future to get Wales back on its feet, building for the future."

The group chairman Janet Finch-Saunders said his re-appointment had been unanimously endorsed at a group meeting on Sunday.

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In a statement on his re-appointment, Davies said his appointment was "a great honour and privilege" and paid tribute to the the work of his predecessor.

"I'm pleased to enjoy the unanimous support of my colleagues to take us forward after a difficult few days for us all," he said.

"There is urgent work in front of all of us and our immediate focus will be continuing to hold the Labour administration in the Senedd to account on vital issues such as the vaccine rollout, and fighting May's election."