Voters could replace Members of the Senedd if they break code of conduct
Emily Price
Voters should have the chance to remove and replace Members of the Senedd if they seriously breach the code of conduct – according to a new report.
The Senedd’s Standards of Conduct Committee is today launching a paper calling for a new “recall” system that could cost misbehaving MSs their seats.
The Code of Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour expected of an MS.
It includes rules on honesty, integrity, respect and accountability.
Removal
The new proposals would see a system that would allow the Senedd to trigger a public vote in a constituency is the Code is breached.
This vote would ask the public if they wish to remove an MS who has breached the Code of Conduct – or keep them in post.
If voters decide the MS should be removed from office, then they would be replaced by the next person on their party’s list of candidates put forward at the previous election.
The committee report asks the Welsh Government to bring forward legislation so that this system can come into force after the next Senedd election in May 2026.
‘Decency’
Hannah Blythyn MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Standards of Conduct Committee said: “For our parliament to function well, the public must have confidence in Members of the Senedd.
“Politicians must act with decency and integrity and if they fail to do so, they should be accountable to the public for their actions.
“The report on recall is part of an ongoing programme of work that is aimed at building trust and transparency, in both the Senedd’s standards procedures and our devolved democracy as a whole.
“It’s important that we create a robust system that means that MSs are fully answerable to the people of Wales.
“The Code of Conduct that MSs are expected to abide by must be respected. That is why we believe that it is right for the Senedd to introduce a system where the public have the option of removing MSs who seriously breach the code.
“Today we’re calling on the Welsh Government to implement our recommendations and bring forward legislation to strengthen our system and reinforce public confidence in Members of the Senedd.”
Donations
The report also lays out recommendations to ensure voters are well informed about the reasons for any recall vote and that the ballot papers are clear and easy to understand.
It’s designed to work alongside the Senedd’s new voting system, which comes into force at the next election in 2026.
The committee looked at similar systems in other countries and examined the system currently in place at Westminster.
When developing recommendations for the Welsh Government, members of the Standards Committee heard evidence from independent academics and organisations.
The report comes as part of an in-depth inquiry, looking at a range of issues including donations to politicians and a review of whether the Senedd’s declaration of interests rules are still fit for purpose.
The Welsh Government will now respond to the committees recommendations.
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This proposal does nothing to address the situation where a party is well aware of and may have covered up the misdemeanor. There needs to be a full recall which will allow the party to be kicked out of seat as well if the electorate so wish.
Sooooo, if we get an MS that asks a hostile foreign government to interfere to remove a democratically elected Welsh government especially after that person asked has launched absolutely disgusting vile attack and lies on UK elected MP’s right out of the far right manual, that person that is asked to interfere then nazi salutes around a stage at a rally for the convicted felon and abuser, that MS still defends that idiot, we can take action on the MS?
BTW, anyone seen the Tesla factory in Germany recently? Led by Donkeys on the money again.
Musk has done more for the victims of rape gangs in the UK than any UK MP or Senedd member has done.
No, he really hasn’t.
If the party just get to put up their next clown then there’s no real point to it. This new system already puts far too much power into the hands of party officials and out of those of the public. Damn Labour and Plaid for pushing ahead with it against independent advice
Donald of Panama is absolutely right. This idea just makes a terrible system of government worse. All power to the party bosses to appoint lists of Yes Men and Women, political timeservers and non entities. The closed lists should be scraped and replaced with Single Transferable Vote now!
This is the same as the current system. Just look at the last Westminster election ‘yes men’ are parachuted into safe seats with out local approval. i.e. Torston Bell (Tufton Street stooge) in one of the Swansea seats.
The new system is the same as the current (or “old”) system. The current system is a closed list system. The party decides on the candidate. If you want to vote for that party you have to accept their candidate. Don’t want that candidate you have to vote for a different party. That is the same as the new system. Constituency MSs and MPs are all a closed list of one candidate. Yes STV was recommended, and would be better and we should absolutely adopt it in future elections. But don’t pretend that the “new system” is actually different from… Read more »
Excellent. ‘Honesty’. You only seek election to our national Parliament if you recognise it as such and will work in the interests of the people of Cymru from there. ‘Integrity’, ‘decency’ and ‘accountability’ follow from that. Those who seek to abolish our national Parliament must be ‘fully answerable’ to the people of Cymru as they plan to harm and eradicate our ‘devolved democracy’. Such people must fall foul of these strengthened standards. We have sat on our hands for long enough on this matter. The ‘Abolish’ movement is now all under the banner of the promised coming threat of Reform… Read more »
Absolutely correct. Calling for removal of a countries right to self governance should be considered a hate crime.
There is a democratic process for a reason.
Not before time it was across the whole of the UK!!!