Reform MS faces backlash over autism-friendly signage comments
Emily Price
A Reform Member of the Senedd has been accused of mocking neurodivergent people after he shared an image of an autism friendly notice displayed in the Welsh Parliament’s toilets.
Newly elected Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf MS Cai Parry-Jones faced a backlash on Monday (May 18) after he posted the photograph to social media showing a yellow warning notice mounted above a hand dryer.
The sign, which features both the Senedd and National Autistic Society Cymru logos, states that the device “is loud when in use”.
Captioning the image, Mr Parry-Jones wrote: “The Senedd has its quirks. To be clear, this label is for a normal volume hand dryer.”
The warning notices were installed several years ago after the Senedd was formally recognised by the National Autistic Society Cymru as an autism-friendly employer and service provider.
The Senedd, then Welsh Assembly, was awarded the Autism Access Award back in 2014/15.
At the time the Assembly worked closely with the National Autistic Society Cymru to implement changes to improve the accessibility of the estate and make it more inclusive for people with autism and other neurodiverse conditions.
The Senedd was the first public body in Wales to receive the award.
The National Autistic Society Cymru supports the use of such signage and environmental adjustments in public toilets to help create spaces for people who may experience distress from sudden or overwhelming noise.
Several sources working at Wales’ parliament told Nation.Cymru that the hand dryers installed there are significantly louder than standard models, with one describing them as sounding like a “jet engine taking off”.
Mr Parry-Jones’ post sparked a strong online reaction, with some users accusing him of targeting disabled people and calling on the Senedd newcomer to undergo autism awareness training.
Others also questioned the appropriateness of taking and sharing a photograph from inside a public toilet.
One user on X, formerly Twitter, tagged Reform’s Welsh leader Dan Thomas urging him to take disciplinary action within his group if he wants to be seen as a “serious opposition”.
Nation.Cymru asked Mr Parry-Jones why he had mocked the sign and why he felt it was appropriate to take a photo in a public toilet.
The former Cambridge University student responded by doubling down on his comments, suggesting that he himself may be autistic.
Mr Parry-Jones said: “As someone who does struggle with loud noises and have been told by a number of (non-medical) people that I have autism, I understand loud noises can be incredibly distressing for certain people.
“My point is not that ‘normal’ volume levels for a hand dryer is not an issue, but rather that it is already clear from seeing the hand dryer that the device will make a loud noise.
“Labelling things unnecessarily is a waste of taxpayers’ money. Had money been spent more appropriately in supporting people with autism, perhaps the Welsh Government would not have had to announce plans to re-direct funding away from adult autism a few months ago.”
‘Loud noise’
After sending us the statement, Mr Parry-Jones posted a similar version on social media, although it omitted his suggestion that he himself may be autistic.
He said: “The point is not that ‘normal’ volume levels for a hand dryer can’t be distressing for certain autistic people, but rather that it is already clear from seeing the hand dryer that the device will make a loud noise.
“Labelling things unnecessarily is a waste of taxpayers’ money. Had money been spent more appropriately in supporting people with autism, perhaps the Welsh Government would not have had to recently announce plans to re-direct funding away from adult autism.”
Social media commentators pointed out that the Senedd and the Welsh Government are separate bodies.
James Radcliffe, External Affairs Manager for Wales at the National Autistic Society Cymru said: “Having a sticker on a hand dryer could help autistic people, and causes absolutely no inconvenience to anyone else.
“Just like having an option of a lift, or slope for people who can’t use stairs, some people need different options to access spaces. Autistic people need and deserve understanding and support, not judgement.
“Part of that understanding and support includes making adjustments to buildings so that autistic people can prepare for and anticipate any sensory stimulus that may be uncomfortable.
“Autistic people face the lowest employment rate of any disability, and tackling this means addressing the barriers autistic people face in the workplace – including inaccessible building design.
“We’ve been very pleased that the Welsh Parliament has worked with us in the past on creating an autism-friendly environment and ensuring that it is a good employer.
“We will run Understanding Autism training sessions this year for all Senedd members and their new staff, including information on how to run autism-friendly constituency offices so that all elected members can effectively represent all their constituents.”
‘Over-diagnosed’
Nation.Cymru also asked Mr Parry-Jones whether he had considered using his new public platform to support autistic people, and whether he agreed with comments made by Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice, who has claimed that conditions such as ADHD and autism are over-diagnosed.
Tice has also criticised current school accommodations, describing the use of noise-cancelling ear defenders in classrooms as “insane”.
Mr Parry-Jones responded to Nation.Cymru by threatening legal action.
He said: “As I have clearly stated in my previous email, I am not ‘ridiculing’ people with autism, as you have accused.
“Furthermore, I take my reputation seriously, and an allegation of this kind is something on which I would take advice and reserve all my rights, including any legal remedies available to me.”
Nation.Cymru pointed out that comments on his social media post indicated he was indeed being accused of ridiculing autistic people, and that we are entitled to report statements made on public platforms – particularly by elected representatives – in the public interest.
Mr Parry-Jones did not respond further.
His comments about autism friendly signage come after he raised concerns that the Senedd has one Union Jack and two Welsh dragon flags flying.
“The Senedd should be flying an equal number of Union Jacks and Welsh flags. We have a pro-unionist majority in the Senedd. The flags outside should reflect that,” he said.
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If Mr. Parry-Jones thinks he may have autism because some non-medical “people” he knows have suggested this, let’s hope that his research into other matters are conducted with a far higher degree of rigour.
Thank heavens he’s not in government.
Fascists just cannot help themselves German Fascists started like this in the 1930,s
They started before the Thirties. And they’re still at it – as are friends here.
Free speech is expressing an inalieable right to demean people with disabilities. Leftist cancel culture is when you face consequences for your parochial, exclusionary mindset. Bring on the confected martyrdom; we have seen this farce before.
First class idiot as well as a traitor to his language and country.
Reform MS Cai Parry-Jones is below contempt. To ridicule the disabled is disgusting. It shows you that not all scum floats on water. It sometimes gets elected.
He was whingeing about flags the other day, this is just another cretin who’s totally out of his depth & certainly not a serious politician.
He was crying about getting a phone and laptop today to do his job
Camera out in the toilets eh.
Cameras out in toilets and a rather suspicious desire to relax the online safety laws.
I’m sure there’s a pattern forming.
If all he’s bringing to the table is complaining about signs and flags, perhaps it’s his salary that’s a waste of tax payers money? For goodness sake, do something valuable.
Liability.
Mr Parry-Jones said: “As someone who does struggle with loud noises and have been told by a number of (non-medical) people that I have autism, I understand loud noises can be incredibly distressing for certain people. This sentence means nothing to anybody who is not a seven-year-old child; it verges on the anti-science nonsense of RFK Jr. You clearly didn’t believe the untrained people that you won’t name, because you would have surely been tested by now if you truly believed them to be accurate. He’s the same person who complained that the BBC was being biased because its coverage… Read more »
Another Reform loser. The sooner we get this creep out of our Senedd the better.
Heard about the hammer that had a slippery non-stick handle? That was an useless tool too.
I would argue that it’s not simply a sign saying “dryer loud” in the same way that a sign may say “water wet”, it’s an quick, cheap and effective way of educating people that some people with autism and other neurodiverities struggle with being exposed to loud sounds like a hand dryer because they are more sensitive to loud noises. The more you know…
So many politicians with disturbed minds coming to the surface recently. How do so many idiots with warped thoughts get into government?
What a completely messed up individual. If he’s the type that gets his camera out in toilets, it’s easy to see why he supports easing of online safety laws.
This is the type of behaviour your average reform supporter agrees with, and they’re in our communities.
Hand dryer in a toilet. Is this one of their ‘important issues’ that ReformUK representatives in the Senedd need to be getting to grips with?
My friends son is autistic, and I would happily inform the ignorant, ill educated and to be frank, educationally challenged, Parry-Jones (who also lacked knowledge of how the Senedd functions, e.g. thinking Rhun ap Iorwerth wouldn’t be sworn in as First Minister) and the rest of his similarly low functioning Reform Ltd acolytes/stooge/lacked (couldnt choose), that what he considers “normal” sound levels is not what someone with autism would experience. My friends son has to wear ear defenders to protect his sensitive hearing from what we would consider normal sound levels. Seeing the severe distress he experiences without them would… Read more »
So, The Senedd bothered to be thoughtful and inclusive and make their building accessible to neurodiverse people and Parry-Jones of Reform considers this “a waste of taxpayers money”….. Well what happened to getting the disabled back into the workplace Cai? Or are you opposed to having them in Your workplace?? Enquiring minds would like to know. It’s an important question once you realise that the neurodiverse far outnumber Reform supporters, (as a collective group). Thus, I would like to know why you hold us in such disdain that you would not support having one of us working in the same… Read more »
What an absolutely vile and disgusting individual.