Reform UK councillor hits out at Senedd standards process
A senior Reform UK figure in Wales has accused the Senedd’s standards committee of acting like a “kangaroo court” after it suspended the party’s only Member of the Senedd, Laura Anne Jones, for two weeks without pay.
Speaking on ITV Cymru Wales’ Sharp End, Torfaen councillor Jason O’Connell said he believed Jones had been treated “appallingly” during the investigation, describing the pressure she faced as “unrelenting”.
Jones was suspended on 19 November after a lengthy inquiry found she had breached multiple elements of the Senedd’s code of conduct, including using a racial slur in a private WhatsApp group. In one message sent to staff in August 2023, she wrote: “No chinky spies for me.”
O’Connell defended Jones, saying: “Laura made a mistake, a very minor mistake, and she held her hands up and apologised profusely. I think the kangaroo court that’s followed her around has been ridiculous.”
He added: “When you take the politics out of this, what you’re left with is a mother who brought herself right to the edge. In an age when we need to care about people’s mental well-being… the pressure she was put under because of this minor offence was unrelenting.”
His remarks drew criticism from Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan, who said she was “appalled”, adding: “It is right that we are held to a higher standard. We have to be accountable.”
Inquiry
The suspension followed an inquiry by the Senedd Standards Commissioner, launched after a complaint by a former staff member. The report found that Jones’ conduct fell “far below” what is expected of elected representatives.
In addition to the racial slur, the Commissioner said Jones made further derogatory comments about a former caseworker — calling him a “wanker” and suggesting he had ADHD — and failed to challenge offensive comments posted by staff in the same WhatsApp group.
Messages shared among staff also mocked multiculturalism, gay people, and fellow Welsh Conservatives.
The committee said the behaviour reflected “a pattern of poor culture within the office of the Member rather than an isolated incident”.
Mileage claims
Police were asked in 2024 to examine whether Jones had encouraged staff to inflate mileage claims after screenshots appeared to show her writing: “Always make more than I did – add in stuff please OK”. Officers found no evidence of fraud, and the Commissioner accepted her explanation that the messages had been misinterpreted.
While those allegations were dismissed, five breaches of the code of conduct were upheld, including discriminatory language, personal attacks, and failure to ensure staff acted appropriately.
Jones addressed the chamber before the vote confirming her suspension, saying she accepted the findings and apologised for her language, describing the comments as “regrettable”. She said the investigation had been “harrowing” and complained that confidential information had been leaked, which the committee denies.
Standards Committee chair Hannah Blythyn said the sanction reflected the seriousness of the findings, adding: “There was little respect towards others nor any consideration of what may be found offensive.”
Jones’ suspension took effect immediately, barring her from all Senedd proceedings until early December.
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I’m sorry, but is a suspension enough? Its obviously in her nature and it’s just one occasion when she’s been caught out. She should be made to stand for re-election. She’s there by default anyway. Members should not be allowed to cross the floor
racist comments is a theme running through reform. When they are trying to defend those comments, such as farage does, then you know what this party is.
But he is right in one way, the standards committee did make a mistake. They are too slow, you go in quick on this, not drag it out for years. We don’t have the committee it seems to deal with people like this.
Top tip. To not be in the spotlight for this, don’t be like farage.
He is right, she should have been penalised harder and harsher. She is racist and her use of language is despicable.
They are a racist party.
There are standards expected of those elected to public office and Ms Jones has been shown to have flouted them. That’s all that there is to it. Does Cllr O’Connell think that his own political faction saomehow deserves exemption from those standards? If so, he ought to be asked to explain just why that should be the case.
There are far too many of these types bringing racism, hatred and division into our country.
She deserved to be sacked from any position and prevented from being anywhere near public office.
Just another Reform no-mark talking rubbish. Her punishment should have been much more severe. Well done to Jason O’Connell for keeping her misdeeds in the news though. 😂
No time for Reform or their dog whistle racism – and the things Laura Jones said in those WhatsApp chats was anything but ‘minor’ – but why wasnt Eluned Morgan subject to punishment by the standards commissioner and the Senedd after she was repeatedly caught (and fined) for speeding?
What is in the requirement or punishment for a member of the Senedd for this? I have no idea.
Racial abuse is not a minor mistake, it is a self installed mindset and one clearly being defended here. The prized ‘free speech’ phenomenon championed by the Farij breed is designed so that they can be free to offend, free to abuse and free to hate so stop saying it was a mistake and oh I didn’t mean it and wear the racist badge with your twisted pride. Reform UK – Club Hate.
I live in Torfaen and I received a letter yesterday from Reform signed by Mr Farage. Although lambasted in the Caerphilly by-election for saying that Wales was spending money on immigrants under the Nation of Sanctuary policy even though the vast majority was spent on Ukrainian REFUGEES you think they would have learned from their mistake and stop spouting such vile prejudice and cheap point scoring. In the letter I received once again they make the claim that “immigrants are being paid for to stay in hotels under the Nation of Sanctuary policy at the tax payers expense” , no… Read more »
I’m not sure if the letter you had was the one that people all over Cymru are receiving which contains a questionnaire.
The one I received was in English only so I wrote back and told them that I don’t respond to correspondence only in English.
Ble Mae’r Iaith Cymreig?
Yes it did contain a questionnaire and well done for pointing out there was no Welsh language version.
I filed my letter in the recycling bin .
So Torfaen councillor Jason O’Connell thinks the Senedd standards process is a kangaroo court. It’s in the name Jason. Standards. Which Reform lack in spades. If this Mickey mouse party wasn’t crammed full of bigots and racists wouldn’t have their members continually ejected from office. I’ve lost count how many Reform UK councilors in England have been sacked or suspended for vile hate speech. Reform UK and democracy are polar opposites.
Labelling the Senedd a kangaroo court is par for the course for the toxic Reform trio from Torfaen JOC.David Thomas and Alan Slade . They did a pretty good job as local independent councillors until they swallowed the Reform Kool aid and switched. JOC “My view is local politics has no place for political parties,” said the newly-elected councillor who replied “absolutely” when asked if he felt his standpoint had been endorsed at the election. “People realised local elections are about local politics. What Kier Starmer or Rishi Sunak do doesn’t have any influence on education in Torfaen for example.” … Read more »