Toxic atmosphere in Welsh Government is not unique.

 I wonder how many people who are active in politics are in the dark what happens  in the higher levels of political parties where  supposed allies can be spending more time  plotting to undermine colleagues whist putting on veneer  of unity?

Fresh claims about bullying in the Welsh Government have been made by a former adviser to Wales' first minister.

Steve Jones said he agreed with former cabinet minister Leighton Andrews, who has described a "toxic" atmosphere at the top of the administration.

Mr Andrews had written on his Blog:

 "For too much of the 2011-16 Assembly, the atmosphere on the Fifth Floor, the Ministerial Floor in Ty Hywel, was toxic: minor bullying, mind-games, power-games, favouritism, inconsistency of treatment to different ministers, deliberate personal undermining on occasion.
"The undermining was of ministers, deputy ministers and special advisers. Some of this undermining was shared as gossip with people outside the government: I know this from comments made to me by a prominent outsider close to government who always likes to affect an awareness of what is really happening ‘on the Fifth Floor’."

  found that the atmosphere was unquestionably worse after I returned to government in September 2014 than it had been in the period May 2011- June 2013. Carl was unquestionably the target of some of this behaviour. The relentless drip-drip of disinformation – and worse – had a strain on his and others’ mental health.  The First Minister was made aware of this by several ministers, including myself. Nothing was done.
In a normal workplace, it would have been tackled.
It was damaging to the mental health of ministers and special advisers.
Speaking personally, I know that my own mental health has been a lot better since leaving politics.

Before leaving the Welsh Government in September 2014, Steve Jones was a media adviser for the first minister and also worked on his Labour leadership campaign.
In a statement, he said he agreed entirely with Mr Andrew's description of "toxicity" in the government and said that the behaviour of some was "pure poison".

He said

"Ministers were undermined by senior advisers playing power games and seeking to exert unreasonable control over government and the first minister himself," he said.
Some ministers, including Mr Sargeant, "would have their diaries unreasonably monitored and questioned, their policy proposals shelved and direct access to the first minister blocked".
"It went way beyond any 'office politics' or personality clashes,"
Mr Jones said at one stage he intended to resign because of the effect on his wellbeing but changed his mind when the first minister urged him to reconsider.
"Things improved for a few months, then the poison returned and it began to engulf others - advisers and ministers alike.

 "It was clear that all this was getting Carl down."

 I doubt that this is unique to Welsh Labour and its an unfortunate  and probably unavoidable.

I say unavoidable because if there were any attempts to crack down on this sought of behaviour then the sought of people who seem to take part in this will be using the system to accuse their rivals of  these tactics .

Can we change this . I honestly doubt it.

I do not believe that   while it would be welcome  a greater number of Women being elected would make a difference  as I doubt that they would be immune from such behaviour.

Its part of the reason I stopped getting involved in Party Politics . There something depressing for those who are constantly giving up their time travailing the streets for a cause  only to see those they had worked so hard to get elected  are mostly interested in their own power and would plot against  perceived friends in order to so.