‘Rishi Sunak did not elevate a finger to avoid wasting your job – however desires you to avoid wasting his’

Rishi Sunak’s failure to protect steel workers’ jobs shows why Welsh voters should kick him out, the First Minister has said.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Abergavenny, Vaughan Gething accused the PM of refusing to take a call from the Welsh government as it tried to save thousands of jobs in Port Talbot. An estimated 2,800 posts are at risk at the Tata Steel plant, the UK’s biggest steelworks, when the company closes blast furnaces.

Mr Gething told supporters that Mr Sunak had ignored a call by Mark Drakeford, who stood down as First Minister in March, when the company’s plans were announced in January. The Welsh First Minister said: ” Rishi Sunak wants you to save his job when he wouldn’t lift a finger to save yours.”

Keir Starmer vowed that a Labour Government would support steel workers in Wales. It came as Labour launched its campaign in Wales. He also voiced his support for Mr Gething in the face of a crunch no confidence vote next week. Speaking to reporters, the Labour leader branded the impending vote “the oldest trick out there”.

He said: “Don’t confuse the Tories playing games instead of focusing on the challenges.” The vote was called in a row over Mr Gething’s acceptance of a £200,000 donation from a man convicted of environmental offences.

Mr Starmer claimed the PM “caught himself in his own ambush” by calling a snap General Election. “I think we’ve all had enough of 14 years of chaos and division,” he said.

The Labour leader accused the Government of “rummaging around in the toy box of bad ideas”. And hitting out at the Tories’ flagship Rwanda plan, he said: “If the numbers going to Rwanda are less than 1% of those who arrive then 99% will stay. If you don’t think criminal gangs aren’t telling that to the people they’re exploiting then you don’t know criminal gangs.”

The rally also heard from RAF veteran Michael Hatter, who said he’s always voted Tory – but won’t do so again. Referring to Partygate he says “It was clear that they don’t support people like me”