'Ban former Senedd members from judging old colleagues' conduct'

TOP LAWYER CONTRADICTS PLANS IN NEW BILL

- By CHRIS HAINES ICNN Senedd Reporter

FORMER Senedd members should be permanently banned from judging the conduct of old colleagues, Wales’ top lawyer has suggested - contradicting plans in a new recall bill.

The recall bill includes a two-year cooling-off period before former Senedd politicians can become “lay” members of a committee which recommends sanctions for misbehaviour.

But Julie James, who is counsel general, the Welsh Government's chief legal adviser, argued the disqualification should be for life to overcome public cynicism.

She made the comments yesterday while giving evidence on plans to introduce a system of recall, which would allow voters to remove politicians between elections.

Under the bill, for the first time, lay members would be appointed to the Senedd’s standards of conduct committee but - unlike in other parliaments - this could include former members.

Douglas Bain, the standards commissioner who investigates complaints about Senedd members, has warned two years is too short and called for a four-year ban.