Senedd security guard elected as Reform councillor in Cardiff
Martin Shipton
Cardiff’s first Reform UK councillor works as a Senedd security guard, we can reveal – and there are those who believe he shouldn’t keep his job.
Edward Topham won a convincing victory in the city’s Trowbridge ward on Thursday to become Reform’s first councillor in the Welsh capital.
Labour, which had previously held the seat, was pushed into third place behind the Liberal Democrats.
A source told us: “The man elected as a Reform councillor is employed by the Senedd Commission as a security guard. He apparently received a letter yesterday saying that if he was elected he could keep his job.
“It just doesn’t look right. I think it brings the Senedd into disrepute. Even if he stood for other parties, I think as in other jobs once you start your campaign you should take unpaid leave, and if you’re elected you should resign your job. That’s what the protocol should be. I don’t see why the ancillary jobs should be treated any differently. It’s a bit of political snobbery. I think everyone should be treated the same, whether you’re a director of a department or a security guard.”
‘Extraordinary’
A Senedd insider who didn’t want to be named said: “Senedd security should be able to demonstrate they treat everyone the same, whatever their background or political affiliation. This is a front of house role and as such should of course be politically neutral. It is pretty extraordinary that well established rules on neutrality have been put aside to accommodate a Reform candidate. Two tier rules are not acceptable.
“This has caused real frustration in the building and most staff feel the Commission are running scared of Reform and their media outriders.”
Another source said: “This doesn’t sit well with the idea of Wales as a nation of sanctuary. Imagine you’re an asylum seeker or a refugee who wants to meet their MS or attend an event at the Senedd, knowing that the man giving you a security check probably wants you to be deported.”
Rules
A spokesperson on behalf of the Senedd Commission said: “Employees of the Senedd Commission are governed by well-established rules that must be followed when staff participate in political activities. These include ensuring political views do not influence the way official work is conducted, not taking part in any political activity while on duty or on work premises, and ensuring clear distinction between official duty and political role.
“The rules also say personal political views should be expressed in moderation and employees must take care to avoid causing embarrassment to the Senedd from their involvement in party political matters.
“These rules exist to make sure that elected members and the public have confidence that employees’ personal views do not affect the discharge of their official duties.”
Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct for Senedd Commission Staff states: “Employees at grades E-2 / Grade 7 and above may not take part in any political activities. Other employees may not take part in political activities relating to the Senedd, although you may seek permission … to take part in other political activities.
“In considering such requests, the nature of your official duties will feature heavily. In particular, account will be taken of the extent to which you have advised Members on questions of policy and procedure or have been involved in presenting the Senedd’s decisions and policies to the public.
“For the purpose of these rules, ‘political activities’ are defined as follows.
“At national level within Wales:
* announcement of candidature for membership of the Senedd;
• holding office (other than membership) in a party political organisation;
• canvassing on behalf of a candidate for the Senedd;
• contributing to articles for publication, books or submitting letters to the press relating to debates on controversial political issues within the Senedd in a personal capacity;
• expressing personal views in public on matters of national political controversy.”
However, as a member of the Senedd’s security staff, Cllr Topham is below the threshold that triggers such restrictions and is free to stand for election to Cardiff council and now to be a councillor.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
And just wait until you find out who else works as a security guard in the Senedd and is linked to a prominent Reform Senedd candidate and former AM. The Senedd security team has been infiltrated by men who are Reform activists and supporters, and it’s a serious issue.
The lot of them tend to be tories anyway, it’s the same with the police. It’s like it takes a certain absence of intelligence apparently. Most act with integrity and don’t overtly show their political colours and naturally there are also a minority of other political parties represented.
So to find that there are reform supporters in there is hardly a shock, just like how it’s hardly a shock that most cleaners tend to support Labour or Plaid (in my experience).
You snobby, elitist, tw!t! So security staff must be lacking in intelligence. I don’t know this guy from Adam but I spent years working in the Senedd and the security staff are mostly (like in any workforce) hard working, intelligent, tidy people. I was proud to represent them as a Union rep. I abhor Reform but it’s hardly any surprise that people turn to them when confronted by snearing attitudes like yours to working class people.
But someone who will vote to remove all Senedd security jobs as his party fights to close it. And any other jobs in the Senedd.
Like I said, I don’t know this individual and think his politics are abhorrent. I make no comment on his intelligence but, as you point out, there is some cognitive dissonance between his party’s stated aims and his own apparent self-interest. My comment was about classifying anyone who works as security staff as lacking in intelligence. It’s not true and is representative of the sort of sneering attitude that will drive working class voters to Reform.
So the police are all lacking intelligence and Tory supporters? What arrogant tripe. And even if they were and acted with integrity as you say, then there’s no problem.
Could it be Caroline Jones’ husband who was also her SpAd when she was in the Senedd?
Don’t worry, if past experience of Reform councillors is anything to go by, he will get sacked or resign in a month or two.
Clearly he is in breach of the rules of political impartiality and as a councillor for reform, he does not believe that illegal immigrant should ever given refugee status. They have opposed the Anti racist Wales Action Plan and that is a fairly obvious problem.
He’s not bound by political impartiality rules, says so in the article.
Why should the ancillary jobs be treated any differently?
Well done congratulations
Please consider staying away from monmouthshire. I genuinely don’t feel safe having your sort around my family and community.
I agree, Martin, you’ve done a great job exposing this.
if you cant see whats happening then your so blind, these things do not happen by accident, REFORM are going to take over the senedd its by design, and i am what you would call a far right supporter if you spoke to me and listened to my views and genuine concerns, by the way i see the country is going. im a person that you would think would vote for reform im white in my mid forties, patriotic, both great grandfathers fought in world war 2 grandfather done his national service etc. And like most people am in dismay… Read more »
That’s why Farage will remove it.
Is there any risk of overhearing sensitive information?