Mark Drakeford, the man who ordered an audit of every street sign, statue, monument across Wales with any links to slavery used £13,000 of public money to travel to Qatar. A freedom of information request was submitted by the Welsh Liberal Democrats and its projected to have cost £13,007 in public money for his jolly up.

Mark Drakeford was criticised in his decision to travel to Qatar with their human rights record, treatment of migrant workers (Modern Day Slaves) of which nearly 7,000 died building the stadiums and also the treatment of homosexuals.

The Welsh Lib Dems repeatedly called on Drakeford to cancel his trip to the World Cup, not only because of the human rights record but because it was also “an unnecessary use of public money during the cost-of-living crisis”. The Welsh Lib Dems are now calling on Welsh Labour to donate £13,000 of its own funds to human rights charities to make up for the cost to the tax payer. Voice Of Wales would suggest that £13,000 be invested back into our own community.

Jane Dodds MS said “There is also a question over whether spending £13,000 of taxpayers’ money on a trip for two ministers to Qatar is good value for money, especially in a cost-of-living crisis. In order to make up for helping to legitimise a tournament built on human rights abuses, I am now calling on the Welsh Labour Party to donate £13,000 of their own party funds to human rights charities that address the various issues faced in Qatar. I am also reiterating my party’s calls that the Welsh Government office in Qatar should be shut. If it is unable to promote human rights, including LGBTQ+ rights and the rights of workers, alongside other values of our country, then it shouldn’t be open.”.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: “The First Minister and the economy minister visited Qatar to support the Welsh men’s football team as they took part in their first World Cup in 64 years. This was an opportunity to discuss trade and investment opportunities, meet with members of the Qatar Government and to take part in cultural meetings to strengthen the links between the two countries. The visit also was a chance to share our values on human rights, LGBTQ+ rights, workers’ rights and political and religious freedom.”.

Voice Of Wales has been calling this out from the start. Mark Drakeford ordered the audit of every single street name, statue & monument with any links to slavery. The Welsh government made the decision to remove a statue of Sir Thomas Picton from the Cardiff hall for hero’s, a statue that had been there since 1916 and was erected by the people. They also removed a portrait of Sir Thomas Picton all whilst placing exhibits of Black Lives Matter protests in Welsh Museums. Voice Of Wales submitted an FOI to the Welsh Government & Cardiff Council asking how many complaints had been made about the statue of Sir Thomas Picton in the years 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020, the answer came back as zero.

What we are seeing is the champagne socialist lifestyle, “rules for thee, but not for me”. Whilst Welsh Labour attacked the Welsh heritage ripping down statues with links to slavery of over 200 years ago, he used public money, in a cost of living crisis to watch players dance on the graves of 7,000 Slaves.