Inga Sæland sought minister’s resignation during hospital recovery

Former education and children’s affairs minister Guðmundur Ingi Kristinsson says Inga Sæland pressed him to resign while he was recovering in hospital from heart surgery, mbl.is reports, citing an interview with RÚV.

Guðmundur Ingi said Sæland wanted to visit him in his hospital room nine days after the operation to discuss his departure from the government.

According to Guðmundur Ingi, Sæland spoke to his wife as she was leaving the hospital and asked to meet him. His wife refused, saying he was recovering from surgery. He said this happened on the third day of Christmas and that there was no urgency because neither Parliament nor other official activity was taking place between Christmas and New Year.

He said the matter then escalated. His assistant was contacted shortly afterwards by an assistant to Sæland and later sent Guðmundur Ingi a text explaining how he should resign.

Guðmundur Ingi said he was appalled by the way the matter was handled, particularly because his assistant was the wife of Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, who later took over the ministerial post in a government reshuffle.

He said he subsequently decided not to fight over the ministerial position and instead stepped down.

“It was mainly because of my health, because I will not put my health on the line. Not for a ministerial position, not for anything,” Guðmundur Ingi told RÚV.

Guðmundur Ingi resigned from the People’s Party in April, citing, among other things, a breach of trust. He now serves in Parliament as an independent.