First Minister Carwyn Jones holds press conference – issues statement after Carl Sargeant death

First Minister Carwyn Jones has held an unprecedented press conference this afternoon – his first since the death of Carl Sargeant.

Following the sad death of Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant earlier this week, Mr Jones had been facing calls for his resignation over his handling of allegations made against Mr Sargeant.

Yesterday Mr Sargeant’s family released details of correspondence between Mr Sargeant’s solicitors and the Labour Party. In the family statement the media interview by Carwyn Jones on Monday was specifically highlighted as possibly prejudicing any inquiry.

The statement ended by saying: “The distress of not being able to defend himself properly against these unspecified allegations meant he was not afforded common courtesy, decency or natural justice.” Copies of the solicitors letters released also highlighted the ‘anxiety and distress’ to Mr Sargeant, and concerns raised over his ‘physical and mental wellbeing’.

Earlier this afternoon extra questions over the First Minister arose when former Minister Leighton Andrews strongly documented his views on ‘the persistent personal undermining of Carl Sargeant along with further unsavoury details on the workings at the highest levels of Welsh Government.

Later a Labour Group meeting took place at the Senedd, with Carwyn Jones arriving at 2:15pm, with a brief no questions press conference held at 5pm, over an hour late.

UPDATE – The official First Minister twitter account has published the full statement, copied below, which has replaced our earlier published notes taken live during the speech…