News

Deputy transport minister accused of intimidation during Reform debate

01 Oct 2026 3 minute read

Deputy transport minister Mark Hooper turned his seat all the way around to watch Reform’s chief whip Llyr Powell give a speech on the 20mph speed limit – Image: Senedd TV

Emily Price

A Welsh Government deputy minister has been accused of trying to intimidate a prominent Reform MS as he delivered a speech calling for Wales’ 20mph default speed limit to be scrapped.

Welsh Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders raised concerns about the behaviour of Deputy Transport Minister Mark Hooper during a tense exchange in the Senedd on Wednesday (September 30).

The deputy minister turned his chair around and stared intently at Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni MS Llŷr Powell as he concluded the Reform group’s case for axing the controversial 20mph speed restriction.

The moment came after several other Reform Members had spoken on the issue, during which Hooper did not appear to behave in the same way.

When Reform’s Welsh leader Helen Jenner delivered her own contribution, Hooper looked down as he rifled through papers.

Jenner sits directly behind the deputy minister, alongside Powell.

But when it was Powell’s turn to speak, Hooper turned fully around in his chair and watched him closely, heckling at times, as he delivered his remarks.

At one point, the deputy minister sharply interjected, asking the Reform MS: “Are you going to talk about road safety?”

Powell hit back, saying: “Oh, minister, you’ve got more to say again now, have you?

“Is this the democracy of Plaid Cymru? Heckle from the front benches after having minutes of your own time.

“Trust me, I’ve got a lot to come to, minister.”

Shortly afterwards, Finch-Saunders intervened, calling a point of order, saying she found it “really bad” that the minister was “almost intimidating” Powell.

Jenner called out over the intervention saying Powell was “not scared of them”.

Llywydd Huw Irranca-Davies said he was unclear on the point of order Finch-Saunders was trying to make.

Clarifying her point, Finch-Saunders said: “The Minister is completely reversed in his chair, almost intimidating a Member that is speaking.”

The Llywydd replied: “I’m not clear that that is a point of order. The Minister is sitting where the Minister sits in his position, and the person leading the response is responding as he sees fit. If you can continue, please, Llŷr.”

The Welsh Government deputy minister appeared unfazed about the criticism and stayed in the same position as Powell concluded his speech.

Finch-Saunders later said she had seen Hooper behave in a similar way before, but that his conduct during this week’s 20mph debate had felt particularly “uncomfortable”.

She said: “Cabinet ministers or a cabinet secretary should allow the opposition members some respect and courtesy, as scrutiny and challenge is one of our routine responsibilities within the Senedd.

“It was disappointing that the Llywydd allowed this behaviour to continue.”

Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.