Deputy transport minister accused of intimidation during Reform debate
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.”
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Strange that Janet, a tori, is defending a deform politician. Is she planning to defect?
Surely, Powell can speak for himself anyway. He seems to talk plenty but rarely the truth. If ever.
It’s looking more like an informal coalition with the Welsh Cons as the junior partner.
True.
Heartwarming that Llŷr’s mam is looking out for him.
O trueni, mae’r pwr dab wedi cael ofn!
Mae eisiau mwy o ymddygiad fel hyn er mwyn gwrthwynebu’r seirff.
Oh poor dab, he’s had a fright!
We need more of this type of confrontation when dealing with the serpents.
The Senedd is a debating chamber, and if Llŷr Powell debates in favour of a motion that will inexorably lead to an increase in road casualties, he should expect a lot of heat in his direction.
If he can’t take it, he should get out of the kitchen.
Well said, Hywel, anyone who favours spending upwards of £35m making the roads through our towns and villages more dangerous should expect kickback.
What was the point of the debate anyway? The legislation was passed years ago, it’s been implemented and data continues to show that it’s brought down the number of road casualties on Welsh urban roads.
Perhaps Reform UK and the Conservatives don’t like to see successful politics in Wales?
At the time, a majority of tory AS’s voted in favour of the 25mph limit.
He was a coward when working in his only proper job as a junior leisure centre assistant in Pontardawe. He was probably shi!!ing himself today.
Reform are pearl clutching snowflakes who have no policies except hating flags, immigrants and speed limits.
He was a coward when working in his only proper job as an incompetent junior leisure centre assistant in Pontardawe. He was probably shi!!ing himself today.
Allwch chi ddim gorbwysleisio’r pwynt hwnnw, John! 😉
Senedd is becoming a circus. Too many inexperienced and out of their depth MSs. As someone who only casually watches politics, I’m really struggling to see the point in All of this now
Debating something that is obviously not going to change (20mph limit). coupled with Pathetic and unbecoming behaviour by a deputy minister. I couldn’t imagine Roy Jenkins behaving like that! How have we regressed so much in terms of our politicians?
Yet even back in the day of Roy Jenkins you still had Dennis Skinner and The Reverend Ian Paisley continually disrupting The Parliamentary process.
High time Plaid showed a bit of balls and challenged these Quislings. They are far, far too nice and gracious with this bunch of Wales haters.
Anegn herio’r tacle uffern i siarad iaith frodorol Prydain hefyd yn lle rhyw dafodiaieth Almaenig, a nhwythau o hyd yn preblan am ‘werthoedd Prydeinig’. Hen giwed ofnadwy. Llau a gelod.
A bod yn deg, mae gen i radd yn y Gymraeg. Beth yr uffern y mae Rhufawn yn siarad amdano??!!??
Is this the same Reform whose local councillors boasted about wanting to assassinate Keir Starmer? Or am I thinking of a different organisation altogether?
Doing what they do best, and playing the victim.
Reform and Tory want to drive hate and division in the UK. They want to remove my rights, they want to demonise you if you are not straight and not white. Getting stared at is not the problem. Being in Reform and this iteration of a once reasonable Tory party is.
BadEnoch are now banning press from their conference.
Forget the politics, turning your back to the senedd chairman / woman during a debate is very disrespectful. The debate is conducted through the speaker, and they must be respected, you can’t turn your back to them.