AMS are to vote on whether first minister Carwyn Jones should face an inquiry into accusations of bullying within the Welsh Government cabinet.

A number of claims of bullying and other behaviour around 2014 have arisen since the death of former minister Labour AM Carl Sargeant earlier this month.

Last week the first minister said in the Assembly any accusations raised with him were “dealt with” at the time. But this conflicts with a statement he made in 2014, when he said no accusations had been made.

And now it has been announced a motion calling for the first minister to face an inquiry asking when allegations were made, how they were investigated, and what action was taken as a result will be put to AMs.

It is expected the debate will be held next week.

Mr Jones was quizzed about the apparent contradiction by both Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood and her Welsh Conservative counterpart Andrew RT Davies during First Minister's Questions this afternoon, where he said "no specific accusation of bullying" had been presented to him on either a formal or informal basis.

"I can say people were sometimes unhappy with the way things happened," he said.

"Were there competing priorities and complaints of that nature? Of course there were.

"Did people sometimes feel others were more favoured? Of course they did.

"That happens in any organisation.

"And in politics, where these matters are felt even more intensely than in most other places and people are very passionate about what they believe in, then that will be the situation."

He also said he was deliberately choosing his words carefully due to the sensitive nature of the situation around Mr Sargeant's death.

"These are extraordinary times, these are awful times," he said.

"It's a moment in our political life that's full of hurt and anger.

"People are grieving and the last thing I want to do is to make matters worse.

"But I do understand the need for questions and scrutiny, and I have no difficulty with that."

Although both Ms Wood and Mr Davies accused the first minister of failing to answer the question, Mr Jones reiterated his previous answer.

He also refused to give a firm answer when asked by Mr Davies if he would vote in favour of an inquiry, saying only: "I do accept that this is an issue that will need further scrutiny.

"I'm not afraid of that scrutiny," he said. "I think it's a question of finding out what is the most effective way of that scrutiny being exercised, and that is something I'm not afraid of."
Mr Sargeant was facing investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct when he died.

Speaking earlier today, Mr Davies welcomed the announcement AMs would get a vote on the inquiry.

“Questions of considerable magnitude remain unanswered by the first minister and this debate is a first-step towards arriving at some degree of accountability,” he said.

“We hope the first minister will take this opportunity to set the record straight over these allegations and properly explain himself to the Assembly.”

Senior Plaid Cymru AM Simon Thomas has also said the first minister has questions to answer, saying in a press conference this morning “He either lied last week or he lied in 2014."

Mr Sargeant was facing an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct when he died.