Vaughan Gething apologises after being caught criticising fellow Labour AM Jenny Rathbone

Wales' health minister has apologised after being caught criticising a fellow Labour colleague during a virtual plenary session.

Vaughan Gething could be heard using expletives as he spoke about the Assembly Member for Cardiff Central Jenny Rathbone after he left his microphone unmuted during the Zoom meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

The Llywydd, Elin Jones, could then be heard saying: “I think the Vaughan Gething needs to turn his microphone off. Vaughan Gething needs to turn his microphone off.”

The meeting had to be paused after the incident and Jenny Rathbone was seen getting up from her seat and walked off camera.

It was the National Assembly for Wales' third all-video plenary session.

Up to 28 AMs took part in the meeting which involvd statements from the First Minister, Health Minister and Economy Minister, which was dominated by coronavirus, and gave chance to opposition leaders and backbenchers to ask questions.

Plaid Cymru had called for the health minister to resign claiming he does not have the 'right attitude, skills or temperament'.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats urged Vaughan Gething to make a 'full and immediate' apology but said the focus needs to be on tackling the pandemic.

The Health Minister said he has since contacted Ms Rathbone to apologise for comments he made.

He said, "I’m obviously embarrassed about my comments at the end of questions today.

I’ve sent a message apologising and offered to speak to Jenny Rathbone if she wishes to do so. It is an unwelcome distraction at a time of unprecedented challenge."

Earlier on Wednesday, the UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab criticised Mr Gething and the Welsh Government for scrapping the target for 5,000 tests for coronavirus a day.