A senior Welsh Conservative has been criticised after comparing violent rioting in the US Congress to politicians who supported a second referendum on Brexit.
7 January 2021
A senior Welsh Conservative has been criticised after comparing violent rioting in the US Congress to politicians who supported a second referendum on Brexit.
Andrew RT Davies faced calls to retract tweets aimed at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Labour MS Alun Davies.
It follows pro-Trump rioters who stormed the US Capitol today, halting debate in the House and Senate.
Mr Davies later tweeted that "violence must never be tolerated".
The Welsh Conservatives have been asked to comment.
The Capitol in Washington was breached by the rioters as lawmakers met to confirm President-elect Joe Biden's win in the 2020 US election.
The joint session of Congress certifying Mr Biden's win has been suspended and forced into recess.
Quoting a tweet from Sir Keir, the former Tory Senedd leader said: "To be honest I'm not sure you're in the strongest position right now given you campaigned to overturn democracy and the will of the British people."
Mr Davies, now the Welsh Tory health spokesman, made the remarks about the Labour leader in response to Sir Keir saying the rioting was a "direct attack on democracy".
Two Welsh Government cabinet members called for Mr Davies to reconsider his comments.
Mr Davies responded to Labour's Blaenau Gwent MS Mr Davies in a tweet, saying: "The scenes in Washington are a disgrace as I've said and all stem from politicians - like your good self - who refuse to accept the results of democratic elections."
In a further tweet, pinned to his profile, he said: "Awful scenes in Washington DC. This is what happens when the outcome of a democratic election is not respected."
Former Conservative MP and UK minister Alistair Burt, who briefly lost the whip in 2019 over a vote against a no-deal Brexit, said it was an "appalling and completely unworthy analogy".
"Have you taken leave of your senses equating the two? If you are an office holder of any sort in the Conservative Party, resign now."
Antionette Sandbach, a former MP and Welsh Assembly Member who also had the Conservative whip withdrawn in 2019, replied to Mr Burt: "This is an embarrassing par for the course for Andrew and is a reflection of his thinking which he frequently demonstrated as leader of the Welsh Conservatives."
Labour's Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said Mr Davies's tweet to Sir Keir was a "disgrace".
"Equating democratic political debate with an armed violent assault on the Capitol validates violence," he said.
Mr Bryant wrote to Tory co-chairman Amanda Milling demanding the senior Welsh Brexit campaigner be suspended.
Cardiff South and Penarth MP Stephen Doughty said the tweet was "utterly disgusting" and "crass".
Meanwhile, Wales' mental health minister Eluned Morgan said it was "sickening political game playing".
Mr Davies said in a later tweet: "Violence must never be tolerated and I will work with politicians of all persuasions to ensure we never see scenes like those in Washington in this country.
"No one should be in any doubt about my position on this."
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-55565693
