Reform's sole member of the Senedd faces 14-day ban over racial slur

REFORM’S only member of the Welsh Parliament faces a twoweek ban from the Senedd over a racial slur she used in an exchange of messages.

- DAVID LYNCH and CHRIS HAINES

The Senedd’s standards committee has recommended Laura Anne Jones, who defected from the Conservatives earlier this year, is given a 14-day ban from the Siambr - Senedd debating chamber - over the remarks.

MSs will have to rubber stamp the suspension next week.

Ms Jones used a slur about Chinese people in a WhatsApp group, during a discussion of the Chinese-owned app TikTok in August 2023.

“No ***** spies for me,’ she said in the group.

She has previously apologised for the remark but the Senedd standards committee said her conduct “fell far below the standards expected” of an MS.

In its report, members of the committee said: “The committee is clear that inappropriate and offensive comments have no place in our Senedd, or society more widely.

“These messages were contained within an office group WhatsApp chat, rather than a public forum. However the code is clear that it applies to Members at all times”

The committee also looked into allegations that Ms Jones had fraudulently made false expenses claims but found “no breach of the code of conduct” in relation to that.

In a statement released after the committee's report was published, the Reform Senedd member said: “I am delighted to have finally been cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the malicious accusation of fraudulent activity.

“I am now looking forward to drawing a line under this after nearly two years of being hounded over it, and the detrimental impact that it has on both me and my young family.”

She added: “I have apologised, and I apologise again, for the regrettable comments that I made in a private message. I never meant to cause offence to anyone.