Tory leader’s tweets ‘brought Senedd into disrepute’

Published

1 year ago

October 31, 2024

THE LEADER of the Conservative opposition broke Senedd rules by incorrectly describing 20mph as a blanket policy, a committee concluded.

Andrew RT Davies was found to have brought the Welsh Parliament into disrepute after calling the default speed limit a “blanket” policy on social media.

The tweet, posted just days after a ruling that the phrase was “imprecise and inaccurate”, read: “Another bus route cut thanks to Labour and Plaid’s blanket 20mph speed limits.”

An investigation by Douglas Bain, the Senedd’s standards commissioner, concluded Mr Davies breached the code of conduct by continuing to use the term.

But the Conservative was cleared of breaking rules around honesty, with Mr Bain saying: “I am satisfied that it was not his intention to deceive anyone.”

He explained that untruthfulness requires an element of deceit, fraud or moral turpitude.

Mr Davies, who has led the Welsh Tories in two stints since 2011, will be formally “censured”, which amounts to a slap on the wrists, in the Senedd on November 6.

The politician admitted he was aware of the standards committee’s conclusion that depicting the default speed limit as a blanket policy was imprecise and inaccurate.

Mr Davies argued he was entitled to use the phrase under Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

But Mr Bain ruled: “When he posted the tweet the member knew – or ought to have known that – although it was not untruthful or dishonest, it was false.

“It was not protected by the enhanced protection afforded to politicians.”

Mr Davies, who undertook not to use the term “blanket” until the complaint had been dealt with, asserted the descriptor should, at worst, be tolerated as an “inaccurate exaggeration”.

In February, Shaun Haggerty complained to the commissioner, criticising Mr Davies for “continuing to falsely use the term”, prompting the investigation.

And, in a report that followed on October 30, the commissioner found Mr Davies breached rules one (leadership principle) and two (bringing the Senedd into disrepute) of the code.

Mr Bain, who was appointed in 2021 after serving as acting commissioner, said it was incumbent on the leader of the opposition to set a good example.

He wrote: “I am satisfied that when he posted the tweet the member knew or ought to have known that it was ‘imprecise and inaccurate’ and so false.

“By ignoring the committee’s admonition and the guidance given … he failed to give the leadership required of him.”

Mr Davies was also investigated following a separate complaint, submitted by Anthony Jones in April, similarly centred on social media posts.

The tweet stated: “Vaughan Gething’s Labour government is embracing the same extreme ideology as its predecessor. Nothing has changed.”

Below was a picture, from the ‘Guido Fawkes’ political blog, of the ex-first minister and a pregnant woman, captioned: “Welsh Government press release celebrates ‘birthing people’.”

The complainant described the post as a “blatant lie”, warning that it was misleading and dangerous, with the Welsh Government confirming no such press release was issued.

Mr Davies pointed out that a ministerial statement on April 26 referred to ‘birthing people’ as he again argued he was exercising his right to freedom of expression.

Interviewed under oath, Mr Davies told the commissioner Mr Jones had “serially complained” about his conduct, with four other complaints since 2023.

But Mr Bain did not consider any of the four complaints vexatious and was not satisfied with an explanation that the text had been copied from ‘Guido Fawkes’.

“I am clear that is irrelevant,” he wrote in his report.

“Members are fully responsible for any quotation they choose to include in a tweet … that has been made clear to members repeatedly.”

Mr Bain pointed out that guidance on the code of conduct states Senedd members are expected to reasonably fact check and verify their assertions.

He said: “As a former member of the standards of conduct committee, I consider it inconceivable that he was not aware of that.”

The commissioner asked whether Mr Davies accepted that a politician knowingly making a false or misleading statement would be likely to bring the Senedd into disrepute.

He replied: “If someone deliberately did that, of course, that would be a case of bringing the Senedd into disrepute. But I don’t accept that in this case one iota.”

Mr Davies described press releases and ministerial statements as synonymous but Mr Bain did not accept this, saying there is a clear distinction.

He wrote: “Whilst I have no doubt the member’s tweet … was incorrect and potentially misleading, I am not satisfied on the evidence it can be found to have been untruthful.”

However, Mr Davies was again found to have brought the Senedd into disrepute.

The commissioner said: “I am satisfied that the member made no attempt to check the accuracy of the text from ‘Guido Fawkes’ that he copied into his tweet.”

Mr Davies was offered an opportunity to comment.

Labour hits out at Greens and Reform in escalating housing and tax row

Published

7 hours ago

March 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Party accuses rivals of “all words, no actions” as battle over renters and council tax intensifies ahead of Senedd election

A POLITICAL row has broken out ahead of the next Welsh Parliament election after Welsh Labour launched a twin attack on the Greens and Reform UK over housing policy and council tax.

The party issued a strongly worded response following comments by Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski (pictured) during a recent interview on BBC Politics Wales discussing renters’ rights and housing shortages.

Welsh Labour accused the Greens of saying they support tenants while opposing legislation aimed at increasing house building.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “The Greens say they want to back renters. Then why did they block the bill in parliament that will deliver more houses?

“All words, no actions – that’s what you get from the Greens.”

Labour pointed to the vote by Green MPs against the UK government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which ministers argue would help speed up the delivery of new housing.

The spokesperson added: “At a time when families across Wales are struggling to find somewhere affordable to live, blocking legislation designed to build more homes simply doesn’t make sense.”

The criticism also referenced proposals by a Green-controlled council in Bristol to consider selling council houses in order to fund housing services.

The exchange highlights growing political competition between Labour and the Green Party of England and Wales as housing increasingly dominates the political agenda.

Across Wales, shortages of affordable homes, rising rents and pressure from second homes have pushed housing towards the top of voters’ concerns.

Welsh Labour also used the opportunity to criticise the growing influence of Reform UK, which has been campaigning heavily on council tax and cost-of-living issues.

Responding to comments from James Evans discussing Reform’s stance on council tax, the spokesperson said the party had failed to deliver tax cuts where it holds power.

“Reform has no leg to stand on when it comes to talking about council tax rates,” the spokesperson said.

“They promised tax cuts in the English councils they run and haven’t delivered – in fact just over the border in Worcester council tax has gone up by nine per cent.”

Political observers say the exchange reflects a wider shift taking place in Welsh politics as the next Senedd election approaches.

With the expansion of the Welsh Parliament and the introduction of a new proportional voting system, smaller parties are expected to find it easier to gain representation.

That has encouraged parties such as the Greens and Reform to push harder into territory traditionally dominated by Labour.

For many voters, however, the debate ultimately centres on familiar concerns: the rising cost of living, the availability of housing, and the level of council tax bills.

With the election campaign beginning to take shape, those issues are likely to dominate the political battleground in Wales in the months ahead.

News

Rayner and Lammy visit Wales to discuss justice and community safety

Published

2 days ago

March 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE UK DEPUTY Prime Minister Angela Rayner visited Cardiff on Friday (Mar 13) alongside Justice Secretary David Lammy as part of a visit focused on community safety, probation services and cooperation between the UK and Welsh governments.

During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister travelled to the Dusty Forge community hub in Ely, where she met members of the public involved in local community projects.

The centre provides a base for a range of services aimed at strengthening community ties and helping people rebuild their lives. Rayner also met staff from the Probation Service who work from the hub, discussing their role in supporting offenders back into society and helping reduce reoffending.

While at the centre, the Deputy Prime Minister spoke with local campaigner Donna Hurley, often referred to locally as the “Queen of Ely”. Their conversation focused on the importance of community cohesion and the role community hubs can play in supporting people leaving prison to turn their backs on crime.

Following the visit to Ely, Rayner travelled to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay where she was given a tour of the Welsh Parliament building.

She later held talks with Huw Irranca-Davies MS, the Deputy First Minister of Wales.

The meeting centred on how the governments in London and Cardiff can work together more closely to improve public services and create a more effective and fair justice system.

Discussions also touched on cooperation around probation services and youth justice, areas where responsibilities between the UK and Welsh governments intersect.

The visit forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration between the two governments on issues affecting communities across Wales.

News

Welsh Labour proposes expanding Young Person’s Guarantee

Published

2 days ago

March 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WELSH Labour leader Eluned Morgan has pledged to expand the Welsh Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee, promising broader careers support and training opportunities for teenagers if the party forms the next Welsh Government after the Senedd election.

Speaking at Welsh Labour’s Valleys campaign launch at a college in Merthyr Tydfil, Morgan said the programme would be extended so that younger pupils aged fourteen to sixteen could access vocational options, careers advice and work-experience opportunities alongside traditional academic routes.

The Young Person’s Guarantee, introduced by the Welsh Government in 2021, aims to ensure that everyone aged sixteen to twenty-four in Wales is offered support to enter education, training, an apprenticeship, employment or self-employment. Welsh Labour says nearly 64,000 young people have received help through the scheme since it began.

Under the proposed expansion, younger secondary school pupils would gain earlier access to career guidance and vocational pathways.

Morgan told party supporters the approach recognises that young people succeed in different ways.

She said: “Some people do best in classrooms, while others shine when building, designing, fixing or creating. Our job is to open more doors, not close down creativity.”

The proposal forms part of Welsh Labour’s wider plans ahead of the next Senedd election, which also include a Lifelong Retraining Guarantee aimed at helping adults adapt to changes in the labour market driven by technology and the transition to net-zero industries.

Morgan argued that future workers will need opportunities to retrain during their careers.

“Jobs are changing rapidly, especially because of the transition to net-zero and the rise of AI,” she said. “We need to make sure people can learn new skills and move into new roles when industries change.”

Criticism and wider context

Opposition parties have previously questioned whether the Young Person’s Guarantee has delivered measurable long-term employment outcomes, arguing that headline participation figures do not necessarily translate into sustained jobs or apprenticeships.

Youth organisations have broadly welcomed efforts to expand careers support but have also warned that access to quality work placements and training opportunities can vary across Wales, particularly in rural areas.

Labour ministers say the policy complements wider investment in education, skills and infrastructure in the South Wales Valleys.

Morgan pointed to major transport projects including the completed Heads of the Valleys road upgrade and the electrification and modernisation of the South Wales Metro rail network.

She said such investment would help connect communities with jobs and training opportunities.

The Welsh Labour leader also highlighted recent health spending in the region, including a women’s health hub at Ysbyty Cwm Cynon and the development of a regional diagnostic and surgical centre at Llantrisant Health Park.

On environmental safety, Morgan noted that funding has been allocated to address risks from disused coal tips. The UK Government has committed £25 million this year and £118 million over the next three years, alongside £87 million from the Welsh Government, bringing the total investment to more than £230 million.

A new Disused Tips Authority, which will oversee coal tip safety and remediation work, is expected to be based in Merthyr Tydfil.

Morgan said that, after years of tight public finances, the party believes new funding commitments will allow further investment in public services and skills programmes.

She told supporters: “These communities have always adapted and rebuilt. Our job now is to make sure young people can see a future for themselves in the communities they love.”