Reform branch added ‘laughing’ emoji to post about journalist’s cancer-stricken child
Nation.Cymru staff
An official Reform UK branch social media account has reacted with a “laughing” emoji to a post about a journalist’s daughter being diagnosed with cancer.
The party said the incident was an “accident” and apologised “unreservedly” for the offence and distress caused.
Nation.Cymru’s news editor Emily Price had announced at the weekend that after taking a break from social media to support her daughter through cancer treatment, she had launched a new Facebook page to document her work covering Welsh politics.
In a post to Facebook, Price wrote: “After my daughter was diagnosed with the fastest spreading human cancer in November, I deleted my X account and took a break from social media.
“I’ve still be writing about Welsh politics for Nation.Cymru every week, but now that B is doing much better I feel like it’s a good time to launch a new Facebook page for readers to follow my work.
“If you like all things Welsh, particularly Senedd politics and current affairs (with a few photos of my travels around Wales’ stunning mountains thrown in) give me a follow.”
The post was shared by Nation.Cymru’s Facebook page where Reform UK’s official Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr branch added a “tears of joy” laughing reaction to it.
In November, Price’s 12-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma – a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma widely recognised as the fastest-growing human cancer.
Tumours can double in size every 24-hours, crowding out organs quickly and leaving sufferers in intense pain.
Price’s daughter underwent major surgery to remove a 15cm tumour from her abdomen in December before starting an intense four month long chemotherapy regime over the Christmas period.
The toxicity of the drugs used during the treatment, which included chemotherapy injections directly into the spine, is expected to leave the 12-year-old with lifelong health problems.
Price and her family live within the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr constituency which is represented in the Senedd by two Reform UK politicians – David Hughes and Jason O’Connell.
Their branch is overseen by campaign coordinator Martin Roberts, who also works as a caseworker for Reform MS Jason O’Connell.
Roberts was the fourth placed candidate for Reform UK in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr at the Senedd election but failed to win a seat.
During his campaign, Price reported how Roberts had been accused of misogyny after he suggested women should stay home with their babies while men “go out and provide”.
O’Connell also employs Torfaen councillor and Reform UK’s “Head of Wales” David Thomas as a senior advisor.
Earlier this month, Price reported how Thomas had stepped down as the Reform Senedd group’s chief of staff after only two months in the role.
Following publication of the story, Thomas joined the chat feed of a live podcast hosted by an associate of English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson, where he made untrue claims about Price’s reporting in what appeared to be an attempt to inflame far-right hostility towards her.
The Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr Facebook page regularly publishes images of Senedd members Jason O’Connell and David Hughes, as well as Roberts and Thomas.
In recent days, the group has also shared images of them out campaigning with Llantwit Fardre by-election candidate Lyndon Evans.
It is unclear who reacted to the post about Price’s daughter with a laughing emoji, but after Nation.Cymru contacted Senedd Member Jason O’Connell for a comment, the reaction was removed.
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Disgusting lowlife scum!
Whoever made this deliberate accident and whoever oversaw this outrageous act needs to resign from their post. An apology is simply not enough. It takes a lot of stupidity and cowardess to commit such pathetic behaviour.
When you should no longer be surprised at what reform are.
‘Did not respond’ is the Deform Decay norm. This time, however, they HAVE responded. What does that say? It says to me that, due to their ‘form’ on record, (no pun intended), they are now trying to pretend they are part of humanity when there are countless, ongoing and determined demonstrations to the contrary so their apology is entirely meaningless.
Reform = disgusting degenerate lowlife end of.
Pushing boundaries and fake apologies. These Christian types are evil
An excuse straight out the Farage playbook. It wasn’t me, it was some junior nobody. What a bunch of utter scumbags.
Emily,I hope your daughter gets over this.
. I wish you both well.
The Vilest of the Vile. I remember Trump making fun of a disabled news reporter, and thinking that would be the end of him! How wrong I was.
Our grandparents fought and shed their blood fighting the likes of these people. Shame on the Welsh people who voted for the Scum Reform.
Standard behaviour of reform and their supporters. This action pretty much sums up their Outlook on life, and why they have no place in Cymru.
Any adult who thinks laughing at a child with cancer is appropriate probably shouldn’t be around children unsupervised ever again because their judgement can’t be trusted. And yes, that includes their own relatives. I’m sick of these amoral degenerates.
Absolutely spot on. A recent defect to Deform who made adverse comments about missing migrant children then complained he couldn’t get a teaching job after the people dumped him out of Parliament, has children. When i heard that, i thought ‘oh dear’.
Karma is a lovely thing 😜
These people are truly the lowest of the low… genuinely depraved.
Reason number 9 to not feel safe with them or their supporters in communities.
Definitely not the actions of a healthy mind.
It doesn’t surprise me that such sick disgusting comments are made by these Reform muppets, Reform bring nothing but hatred devision and turmoil. So this latest crass comment was supposed to be by accident , so how many times are Reform going to play that Trump card, they cannot keep making excuses that it was a one off incident or by some rogue elements in the party. The truth is these comments fit well with what Reform are all about , and its not a pleasant portrayal.