Labour drops investigation into allegations made about Carl Sargeant

Allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Carl Sargeant will not be investigated by the Labour Party.

According to a report in today’s Western Mail, a letter sent to Cardiff solicitor Huw Bowden, who represents Mr Sargeant’s family, Labour general secretary Iain McNicol said it was “no longer possible to take forward any investigation under our procedures”.

As well as being sacked from his role in the cabinet, Mr Sargeant was also suspended from the Labour Party due to the unspecified allegations made against him.

No written statements against the Alyn and Deeside AM had been passed to the Labour Party at the time of his death.

Mr McNicol said Labour received an initial complaint on the same day and “was waiting for the formal statement to send to Mr Sargeant when the tragic news reached us of his passing”.

“It is no longer possible to take forward any investigation under our procedures and therefore the Labour Party deems its investigation closed,” Mr McNicol said.

Labour followed its procedures at all times, Mr McNicol added, and did not “confer or assume on any individual”.

So all of this was done without written statements. No wonder Carl couldn’t find out what he was accused of. He asked again and again. Now we know why he couldn’t get an answer pic.twitter.com/PpcpfuJsl8

— Daran Hill (@DaranHill) December 6, 2017

Three separate inquiries will look into the circumstances around Mr Sargeant’s tragic death on November 7.

An inquiry was launched this week into whether there had been a leak about the impending sacking of Mr Sargeant from the cabinet prior to Carwyn Jones’ cabinet reshuffle.

Series of tweets by BBC Political correspondent Aled ap Dafydd prior to the cabinet reshuffle.

An independent inquiry led by a senior QC will look to establish whether the first minister followed the correct procedures in the sacking of Mr Sargeant, and the Coroner’s inquest into his death which was opened and adjourned on November 13.

In his first interview since the death of Carl Sargeant, Carwyn Jones claimed on Tuesday he could not have done anything differently over the allegations made against the former Communities secretary and his subsequent sacking.

Parallels have also been drawn between how the first minister, an experienced barrister, has handled ‘due process’ – sacking Mr Sergeant before an investigation had taken place, and those set by Theresa May over Damian Green MP who is being investigated over allegations of inappropriate conduct but has remained in position as  first secretary of state.

Mr Jones went on to say the events of the past month has taken its toll on his family prompting a furious response from Flintshire deputy council leader Bernie Attridge, he posted a series of tweets condemning the First Minister.

I maintain if FM had not sacked him on that Friday and dealt with it another way then my mate would still be here today. And he has the cheek to say it’s a Toll on his family??

— bernie attridge (@bernieatto) December 5, 2017

More to follow….