Reform's only MS chokes back tears after ban

REFORM UK's only Senedd member Laura Anne Jones has said a two-year investigation into allegations made against her have been a "nightmare".

- RUTH MOSALSKI

On Wednesday Ms Jones, regional Senedd member for South Wales East, was suspended from the Welsh Parliament for 14 days after admitting using a racial slur in a WhatsApp message.

There had been a wider investigation into claims that she had falsified expenses, unfairly dismissed a staff member and used racist language. Only the latter was upheld as a breach of the code of conduct Senedd members have to follow.

It was investigated by the independent Standards Commissioner and the Standards Committee, made up of cross-party members of the Senedd.

Ms Jones spoke in the chamber about the report, ahead of her suspension which starts immediately, saying it had caused her and her two children distress and led her to contemplate taking her own life a number of times as a result of the stress.

She said: "Firstly, I'd like to put on record that I fully accept the commissioner’s findings in this report and thank him for a full, fair and thorough investigation. I welcome the clear and welcome conclusion of both the police and Standards Commissioner clearing me of any fraudulent activity, the police stating that there was absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing.