Plaid Cymru has come under fire with accusations that it broke pre-election promises to hold a full Wales-specific Covid inquiry.

Andrew RT Davies told the Siambr on 11 November that Plaid Cymru sold a "blatant lie" ahead of May's Senedd election.

He said: "The people I feel so sorry for in all this are the families who lost loved ones.

“Because, as we've seen in the messages that have been publicly made available, senior members of this government, former spokespeople in opposition, gave them commitments, pledged to them that they would, in government, deliver an independent inquiry."

He called for the Welsh Government to “correct” its position adding: “If you don't, this will hang round your necks like a millstone, because it is a blatant lie that you sold at the election, given the evidence that we have seen.”

Mr Davies made the claims during a debate tabled by his party calling for a statutory judge-led public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic in Wales.

Opening the debate, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar, pointed out that health minister Mabon ap Gwynfor had described a Wales-specific inquiry as a "democratic and a moral imperative" while in opposition.

Mr Millar acknowledged the work of the Covid Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru group and said: “The promises made to them, the very promises that you, Mabon ap Gwynfor, and others on the front bench of the government made, must be fulfilled by those who are now in a position to deliver them.”

Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates said Plaid Cymru politicians had argued "for years" for a statutory Welsh inquiry before opting for a review panel upon entering government.

Labour called on First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to ask the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to investigate whether ministers breached the Ministerial Code by misrepresenting pre-election commitments to bereaved families.

He said: “If Plaid Cymru had changed their minds, they should have said so.

“If Plaid politicians had reached a different conclusion in government, they should have explained why earlier, especially to bereaved families.”

Minister for government effectiveness Dafydd Trystan Davies said he was "determined" to learn lessons from the pandemic, but opposed the Tory motion.

Earlier this month, he announced an independent review with an initial £1.5m budget, which does not have legal powers to force witnesses to give evidence.

He said the UK Covid-19 Inquiry had already highlighted failings in Wales and argued the new panel would examine remaining gaps in greater depth.

Warning that statutory public inquiries have faced criticism over spiralling costs and delays, Dr Trystan Davies noted that the Scottish Covid inquiry has already cost £58m.

Mr Davies claimed Mr ap Gwynfor had previously agreed with bereaved families on a limited health and social care inquiry costing £10m, adding: "You had a deal, and you've reneged on it."

Dr Trystan Davies maintained that Plaid Cymru's 2026 election manifesto commitment had been "clear".

The campaign group Covid Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru heavily criticised the Welsh Government when it announced the non-statutory review calling it a "profound betrayal of the trust".