Llywydd issues guidance to MSs after Tory leader accused of lobbying for own ‘selfish interests’
Emily Price
The Llywydd has reminded MSs of their obligations after concerns were raised that the leader of the Welsh Conservatives has been using the Senedd to lobby for his own “selfish interests”.
Last week, Andrew RT Davies appealed to the First Minister to use her influence over the Labour UK Government to “stand up for Wales” on inheritance tax changes for farmers.
The changes will see farmers pay inheritance tax on agricultural property and land worth more than £1 million at a rate of 20%, when they previously paid none.
Mr Davies is a partner of a farm business called TJ Davies & Sons and owns farmland and buildings in the Vale of Glamorgan.
‘Cruel’
He posted a video filmed on his farm to social media last week explaining how the Labour’s policy will affect his business.
Mr Davies said: “This farm that I’m on now is my family farm – my father and my mother built it up, my brothers and myself of worked on it and now my children work on it and hopefully their children as well.
“But the cruel betrayal by Steve Reed, the DEFRA Secretary, and Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, who both gave a commitment to the run up to the election that they had no intention of getting rid of agricultural property relief, poses a big question as to the future viability of this farm and many many hundreds and thousands of farms across the whole of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.”
Financial advantage
Members of the Senedd are required to make a declaration on the floor of the Chamber if they have a direct interest in any matter they raise whilst taking part in proceedings.
The general principal is that a declaration should be made if the Member has a financial interest and will “gain financial advantage greater than that which might accrue to the electorate generally.”
The circumstances of a declaration under Standing Order 2.6 and 2.7 are very specific, and have never been triggered in the history of the Senedd.
The responsibility of whether a declaration should be made lies with the individual – the Llywydd is unable to rule on whether an MS should have declared a relevant interest or not.
Breaches
Under the Members’ code of conduct, alleged breaches of these Standing Orders can be referred to the Senedd Commissioner for Standards for investigation.
During FMQs last week when Mr Davies raised inheritance tax for famers, he did not declare an interest.
Labour MS Alun Davies made several calls for a point of order but was refused by the Presiding Officer, Elin Jones.
The backbencher raised a similar point of order regarding whether declarations of interest should have been made by Andrew RT Davies on November 5th when he pressed the FM on inheritance tax.
During the exchange, Eluned Morgan called on the leader of the Tory Senedd group to declare an interest but he ignored her request and continued with his line of questioning.
We asked the Llywydd why Mr Davies has been allowed to raise inheritance tax during Plenary when the policy will have a direct financial impact on his own farm business.
After our request for a statement on Tuesday (November 26), all MSs were sent guidance highlighting the rules around declaring an interest during proceedings.
Intervention
A spokesperson for Elin Jones told Nation.Cymru: “The Llywydd has sent a note to all Members today to remind them of their obligations under Standing Order 13 re declaring interests in Plenary. Failure to declare an interest is a matter for the Standards Commissioner, not for the chair.”
Alun Davies welcomed the intervention by Ms Jones.
He said: “It is clear from this statement that Andrew RT Davies continues to disregard the rules of conduct and is deliberately seeking to undermine our standards.
“This is no accident. It an intentional disregard for the code of conduct.”
Mr Davies did not ask any questions on inheritance tax for farmers during FMQs today – but it was raised by shadow rural affairs minister James Evans who declared an interest as required because he is a farmer himself
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If Andrew RTDavies has already put his family farm in a registered company then either he’s very stupid in his tax affairs or else he’s extremely well protected by whatever level of IT he’ll ‘seem’ to suffer. Movement of shares in any company if handled tax-wisely will ensure that, short of an unforeseen event, his IT liability will be NIL. As always, he’s being a blowhard!
So the claim it’s self-interest is false.
And that’s why they made him leader of the Conservative and Unionist party in Wales.
He and his kind have no vision for Wales,
… you’ll need a genuinely Welsh party for that.
Same can be said for the Labour and Unionist party who are currently attacking Wales.
How surprising 😮. I was sure RT slurry breath did politics to make a change. Oh yes, of course, make a change to his bank balance.
Keep on goofing RT.
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies cares not about Wales or Welsh democracy but his own self-interest. Since becoming a Senedd member & leader of whining Whigs has had his Tory snout so deep in the trough he’s become morbidly obese, so much so, I honestly expect him to pop at any moment.
Man’s finally gone rogue!
This is the man who urged you all to vote to leave the EU, all whilst coining in EU farming subsidies.
Is this the same Alun Davies MS who tried to claim back the mortgage interest payments for a home he bought in Cardiff five years before he was elected to the Senedd? RT Davies is a farmer, of course he should lobby our masters in Westminster. That’s not self interest. He does for all farmers and the people of rural Wales.
This the same Mr Davies that took a lorra loot from the EU then did a number on UK farming by fighting for brexit making it orders of magnitude harder to deal with giant markets 22 miles from our border and his party did a deal to allow imports that will impact UK farmer’s and now wants us all to pay for the UK service’s, and take subsidies from our taxes with a system ruined by his party? We all have to pay except him? How many millions is his farm worth and can he avoid the IHT by handing… Read more »
His personal farming interest is not exposed to inhertance tax as it is a company of limited liability and therefore subject to corportaion tax upon earnings. Please note that it’s the Labour Party who continue a Brexit stance.
I’m not sure what you mean by “it’s the Labour Party who continue a Brexit stance”. Sadly, Starmer has said that he’s not in favour of rejoining the EU or to rejoining the Customs Union and/or Single Market – a position held by the Tories as well. Am I right, therefore, to infer that you would be in favour of moving back towards the rest of Europe? I hope so.
From your comments, I suppose you think it was right for Alun Davies to pressure civil servants in Wales to provide private information on CAP payments made to opposition politicians and families of all parties including ART Davies, Kirsty Williams, Llyr Gruffydd amongst them.
Abuse of power should not be tolerated, be it the Leader of the Tories in Wales or former Ministers of the Labour Govt in Wales, as it all brings the Senedd into disrepute and provides ammunition to ones who want to close it down.
He hasn’t been sacked or disciplined for his other numerous dodgy dealings.
This time will be no different.
For working in the face of a relentless torrent of disinformation, misinformation, outright lies, ongoing wrongdoing and abuse of the institution, I would like to pay tribute to the hardest working person in our Parliament. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for .. THE STANDARDS COMMISSIONER. 🙌👋🙌👋🙌👋🙌👋🙌👋.