Pressure continues to build on Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones as a slew of fresh allegations about the culture in his private office come to light. Carwyn’s former SpAd Steve Jones, who ran the First Minister’s media operation, accuses his “clique” of playing “mind games” against Carl Sargeant for years:

“The behaviour of some at the top of the Welsh Government was like nothing I’d ever seen before. It was pure poison. Ministers were undermined by senior advisers playing power games and seeking to exert unreasonable control over Government and the First Minister himself…

“Dealing with our Plaid Cymru partners in Government at that time, was considerably more straight forward than dealing with the clique surrounding Carwyn. The mind games being employed against Ministers – such as Carl – were at times an utter distraction from the serious business of governing Wales…

“It was clear that all this was getting Carl down. I told Carwyn that Carl was becoming increasingly unhappy. I suggested to him on more  than one occasion that he should simply go for a pint with Carl one night – to talk about things and get back to the kind of relationship they enjoyed before and during Carwyn’s leadership campaign. I don’t know if they ever shared that pint. In any case, it became increasingly obvious that Carwyn was either unwilling or unable to address the culture that existed within his office. He allowed it to develop, fester and grow.”

Carwyn’s current SpAds were seen out celebrating on the night of Carl’s sacking. Questions are now being asked in Welsh political circles about the role played by a number of Carwyn’s former SpAds in the Carl Sargeant case…