Tue, 25th August Cardiff 25°
Nation.Cymru wordmark
Advertisement

News

Former first minister swears oath in both English and Welsh as he joins Lords

By Mark Mansfield
Carwyn Jones. Picture: National Assembly.

Former first minster for Wales Carwyn Jones swore the oath of allegiance to the King in both English and Welsh as he was introduced to the Lords.

The 57-year-old, who takes the title Lord Jones of Penybont, wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short ceremony in the unelected chamber.

He was supported by Labour former Welsh secretary Lord Murphy of Torfaen and Baroness Wilcox of Newport.

The former barrister from Swansea stood down as first minister in 2018 – a role he had held for nine years having succeeded Rhodri Morgan in December 2009.

[mid-content-banner]

Controversy

His decision followed controversy over the death in 2017 of assembly member Carl Sargeant, who took his own life days after being sacked from the cabinet in the face of accusations about his personal conduct.

The leading politician said at the time he had been through the “darkest of times”.

Lord Jones subsequently served as Welsh Labour representative on the party’s ruling NEC.

He is also currently professor of law at Aberystwyth University.

Another Labour peer taking their seat in the unelected chamber was former MP Lyn Brown.

She stood down from the Commons at the last election, having held the West Ham seat since 2005.

Dressed in the scarlet robes, Baroness Brown of Silvertown was supported by Lords leader Baroness Smith of Basildon and chief whip in the upper chamber Lord Kennedy of Southwark as she swore the oath of allegiance to the monarch.

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News

5 comments

Y Cymro

Surprised former FM Carwyn Jones was able to swear his oath in Welsh seeing it's banned under the Act of Union Wales 1535 - 1542 by that obese fatberg Henry VIII. And to my knowledge has never been repelled. Don't think he'll be able to converse/debate in the House of Lords chamber with another Welsh speaker as it's highly likely he'll be ejected from the building. But isn't amazing that Britain's mother tongue spoken for thousands of years, heard by Caesar when he invaded Britain, was the language spoken by native Britons (us, the Cymry) both sides of Hadrian's Wall when those Roman Auxiliaries were constructing the divide between the Welsh Kingdoms of Rhedeg & Y Gododdin, is effectively still banned at Westminster & House of Lords where English, Norman French and Hebrew are allowed. All foreign to Britain.

Reply
Welsh_Siôn

I agree with your sentiments but have to tell you that the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 (aka 'the Acts of Union' - but in reality 'the Acts of Annexation of Cymru') have indeed been repealed. See Welsh Language Act 1993, Schedule 2. We are not in 'union' with England.

Reply
Karl

Sold his soul and country out.

Reply
Welsh_Siôn

Carwyn Jones had a soul? Who knew? Carwyn Jones had a backbone? Who knew?

Reply
hdavies15

Boy done good, at last! Proper landed now he's in the Upper House. More scope for sitting on panels, committees, even chairing them. Chuck in a few boards, quangos and he'll be awash with cash, perks and connections. Just what the boy always craved.

Reply

Leave a reply

Replying to Y Cymro Cancel

Surprised former FM Carwyn Jones was able to swear his oath in Welsh seeing it's banned under the Act of Union Wales 1535 - 1542 by that obese fatberg Henry VIII. And to my knowledge has never been repelled. Don't think he'll be able to...

Comments are reviewed before they appear.