Senedd plan to ban lying politicians ‘unworkable’

Published

2 weeks ago

June 18, 2024

PLANS to ban Senedd Members for deliberately lying may be unworkable, according to the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser.

Mick Antoniw, Wales’ counsel general, raised concerns about Adam Price’s proposals to disqualify politicians from the Senedd for deliberate deception.

The ex-Plaid Cymru leader’s amendment to the elections and elected bodies bill, which would create the offence of deception, was agreed after Labour’s Lee Waters abstained.

Giving evidence to an inquiry on accountability, Mr Antoniw said: “I’ll put my neck on the line at the moment and say I don’t think criminalisation is the way that it actually works.

“I think it’s actually unworkable probably.”

He said the issue would be best considered by the standards committee inquiry, suggesting Welsh ministers will try to delete the clause during the next amending stage set for July 2.

Vikki Howells, the Labour backbencher who chairs the standards committee, asked whether Wales should adopt Westminster’s approach to removing MPs between elections.

In the House of Commons, a recall petition can be triggered by a custodial sentence for 12 months or less, a suspension of ten sitting days or more, or an expenses offence conviction.

Mr Antoniw broadly agreed with the criteria, emphasising the importance of consistency across parliaments while accounting for Wales-specific circumstances.

He said the 12-month threshold – above which Senedd members are already automatically disqualified – seems “rather high”, suggesting six months may be more appropriate.

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths pointed out people could be imprisoned over a matter of conscience such as protesting about the environment, nuclear or the Welsh language.

Mr Antoniw recognised the concern, saying peaceful protest is part of a democratic society, but he said a six-month threshold would exclude “nearly all of those sorts of circumstances”.

He cautioned: “Discretions are always very difficult in terms of things like disqualification.”

Asked whether a recall system should apply to members who change their political allegiance after an election, Mr Antoniw warned it may be a step too far.

The counsel general said politicians defecting to another party risks inappropriately changing the balance of the Senedd and the outcome of an election.

But he told the committee a politician could leave a party over a matter of conscience, such as a group changing its position on an issue post-election.

Mr Antoniw argued the most effective way forward would be to ensure Senedd members cannot form or join another political party, with a requirement to sit as an independent.

He made the case for an appeals process as part of any recall system, warning the absence of one could throw up “all sorts of human rights issues” and lead to legal challenge.

But Mr Antoniw stressed the importance of proceeding at pace as he raised concerns about previous standards committee processes going on for a “very, very prolonged period”.

He argued a simple majority vote of the whole Senedd should be required to sign off on recall processes, rather than a two-thirds supermajority.

“Whips can’t apply,” he said. “I don’t think that would be appropriate in any circumstances.”

Responding to Mark Drakeford’s concerns about the risk of a minority blocking recall, Mr Antoniw agreed with the ex-First Minister that a supermajority risks over-politicisation.

Mr Owen Griffiths asked how the counsel general would envisage the process working in light of the complexities of Wales’ new fully proportional “closed-list” electoral system.

Under the members and elections bill, which is set to receive Royal Assent, people will vote for parties rather than individual candidates in future Senedd elections.

Mr Antoniw suggested a simple retain-or-replace public vote, saying it would effectively be a referendum on whether an MS should be removed.

“It’s not so much a petition because a petition is to ask permission to do something,” he explained. “And it’s not a byelection because there are no other candidates.”

He said the next person on a party’s initial list, which can include up to 12 candidates, would replace an unseated MS, retaining the make-up of the Senedd determined at the ballot box.

Asked whether parties should have discretion to later reorder lists, based on factors such as gender balance, Mr Antoniw cautioned against the added complexity.

Mr Drakeford highlighted that the 32 constituencies in Wales that will be used in the July 4 general election will be paired to create 16 for the next Senedd poll.

The Cardiff West MS suggested a threshold should be required in each constituency rather than across both, saying: “Fairness should trump anxieties about complexity.”

He said it is possible constituencies such as Blaenau Gwent and Monmouth, which have a different character, could be paired by the Electoral Commission.

Mr Drakeford warned: “Unless you have a threshold that applies to both, one half could actually determine the outcome for the other.”

Mr Antoniw accepted issues could arise, such as between industrial and rural constituencies, but his “gut feeling” favoured the simplicity of a combined threshold.

Asked whether polls should be open for a single day or longer as in Westminster’s system, Mr Antoniw preferred the latter as he argued it would best maximise participation.

The Conservatives’ Natasha Asghar asked about the chances of a recall bill being passed before the next election, and said having 96 more MSs will raise the risk of misbehaviour.

Mr Antoniw told the June 17 meeting: “The commitment given from the Welsh Government – from the First Minister – is that we would like to see this legislation in place by 2026.

“I think that is the public expectation as well.”

New supermarket scheme submitted to Pembrokeshire planners

Published

1 day ago

June 28, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

AN APPLICATION to demolish a Pembrokeshire supermarket, replacing it with a more modern facility, has been submitted to county planners.

Lidl Great Britain Limited is seeking to demolish the existing Lidl foodstore and adjoining properties at Great North Road, Milford Haven, building a new Lidl foodstore with associated works.

A supporting statement through agent CarneySweeney says: “The existing Lidl store is small and of an early generation format. Owing to Lidl’s well-established and growing local customer base, Lidl has outgrown its existing premises which no longer meets modern shopper requirements, and a larger store is sought to better serve local customer demand.

“In addition, the existing store is inefficient with regards to warehouse operations. The proposal for a new store aims to alleviate the problems presented by the existing store.”

It adds: “The development is suitably scaled to be no larger than necessary to address identified storage and staff needs and improve the existing store. Moreover, the new store will be better equipped to meet Lidl’s operational requirements, modern day staff requirements and better serve local shopping needs.

“The proposed sales floor space is modest and is not anticipated to lead to any material change in existing shopping patterns. The store will continue to trade on a like for like basis with other large food stores; the majority of which lie out of centre. Based on a quantitative assessment of trading effects no significant adverse impact on in centre turnover and trade is anticipated.”

The application says the development would create up to 40 jobs.

It concludes: “The proposed new Lidl store strives to reduce environmental impact, both through design and through the commitment of Lidl to follow best practice to reduce pollution during the construction phase.”

The application will be considered by Pembrokeshire County council planners at a later date.

News

Election hustings cancelled after just two candidates able to attend

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PALESTINE support group-organised general elections hustings saw only four of Ceredigion’s seven candidates offering to attend, and just two able to do so on the day.

Ceredigion Palestine Solidarity Campaign, with Heddwch Ar Waith, had organised the June 25 hustings to take place at Cardigan Guildhall, saying: “This General Election has been called at a moment when Palestinians are confronting the darkest moment in their struggle for liberation. Climate concerns, war in Europe, and the more than 100 armed conflicts across the world further endanger global stability and our economy.

“These are core electoral concerns for many Ceredigion Preseli constituents.

“This hustings is an opportunity for you to put your questions on these core issues to our General Election candidates.”

With a July 4 date set for the general election, candidates for the new Ceredigion Preseli seat are: Ben Lake for Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrat Mark Williams, Welsh Labour’s Jackie Jones, Conservative Aled Thomas, Tomos Barlow for the Green Party, Karl Robert Pollard for Reform UK, and Taghrid Al-Mawed for the Workers Party of Britain.

The hustings, saw just four of the seven confirmed candidates agreeing to attend: Taghrid Al-Mawed, Ben Lake, Tomos Barlow, and Mark Williams.

On the eve of the meeting, this was reduced down to Mr Barlow and Mr Lake, with the other two candidates unable to attend, for work and health reasons, leading to it being cancelled at the eleventh hour.

Dinah Mulholland, chair of Ceredigion Palestine Solidarity Campaign, a former Labour general election candidate, said the decision was taken not to hold a hustings after the number of candidates was reduced to two.

“The whole issue of Palestine has been completely wiped off the news during the election; nearly all the candidates are avoiding the issue,” said Dinah, adding: “Local democracy has been undermined over this.”

She added: “I really would’ve liked to have done something, even if it was recorded answers with the candidates.

“There’s such a strong history here [in Ceredigion] of radical movements, they’ve got a really strong radical base; all of these people are the same people who have an innate support for the Palestinians. These voters are not hearing any debate about this issue, and not hearing the candidates’ views.

“When I was candidate in 2017 and 2019 I would attend every hustings, that’s what you do here, you go to all the hustings, it’s a really valuable way for people to get to know you and see you under pressure.

“If you can’t cope with the hustings you can’t cope with Westminster.”

News

Labour Senedd member suspended in dodgy number plates scandal

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2024

Jon Coles

THE LABOUR PARTY has suspended one of its Senedd members after a photograph emerged showing their vehicle with fake number plates.

Rhianon Passmore, the MS for Islwyn, has been “administratively suspended” from the Labour group for fourteen days while an internal investigation takes place.

A Labour Party statement says, “The Labour Party takes the conduct of our elected representatives extremely seriously, and all complaints are investigated in accordance with the Party’s complaints procedures.”

A photograph taken in the Senedd car park shows Ms Passmore’s vehicle with a number plate hanging off the front with a second, and different, number plate exposed underneath.

The loose number plate fell off when Ms Passmore drove out of the Senedd car park. When she returned, her vehicle displayed different number plates on its front and rear.
One of the number plates is unregistered. The second is for an untaxed vehicle.

While the Labour Party conducts its investigation, the allegations against Ms Passmore constitute a criminal offence that the Police may also want to investigate.

Rhianon Passmore was first elected to the Welsh Parliament in 2016.

In 2018, she was suspended from the Senedd for fourteen days for failing to provide a breath sample after being stopped for suspected drinking and driving. She pleaded guilty to the offence of failing to supply a breath test.

There are different number plate offences, the approach to which depends on the Police and prosecutors’ approach and the circumstances of any alleged offence.

Drivers using non-compliant number plates or failing to display number plates are subject to a fine of up to £1,000. However, drivers can also be charged with a more serious offence of fraud and forgery under s44 of the relevant law for using fake plates.

An entirely innocent explanation for the number plate row is also possible, whereby Ms Passmore placed a personalised plate over the car’s original registration mark. While that would not address the failure to tax the vehicle or possibly register the changed registration mark, it places the allegations firmly into cock up rather than conspiracy.