Politician suspended for 'different number plates'

Rhianon Passmore has been administratively suspended

Labour has suspended one of its politicians from the party pending investigations into allegations regarding her actions.

The decision comes after an allegation on the Guido Fawkes website that Islwyn Member of the Senedd Rhianon Passmore was seen driving a car with two different number plates.

In a statement, Labour said all complaints "are investigated in accordance with the Party's complaints procedures".

South Wales Police said no offence has been identified. The BBC has approached Ms Passmore for comment.

Guido Fawkes reported that Ms Passmore was "spotted driving out of the Welsh Parliament's car park with her number plate hanging off, revealing a different one underneath".

A Labour spokesman said: "The Labour party takes the conduct of our elected representatives extremely seriously and all complaints are investigated in accordance with the party's complaints procedure."

South Wales Police said: "It appears that the adhesive tape which secures the number plate to the car has become ineffective and the number plate has fallen off.

"The car remains on private property and as such, no offence has been identified. The owner of the car is aware of the matter."

Ms Passmore has represented Islwyn in Cardiff Bay since 2016.

Her suspension leaves the Labour party in the Senedd with only 29 of the 60 seats.

In 2018, the Labour politician was suspended from what was then the Welsh assembly for two weeks for failing to take a breath test.

She was banned from driving by Newport magistrates on 12 February 2018, after admitting failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

The assembly standards committee recommendation to exclude her for 14 days was accepted without objections in the Senedd chamber.

She apologised at the time, referring to "private struggles that I have found difficult to master".

Ms Passmore said that on the day of her arrest she had tried to drive from Cardiff to her mother's house after drinking three glasses of wine.

She said she suffered an asthma attack and took a high dose of medication, prednisone.

Her car broke down in the St Mellons area of the city and while she was waiting for the breakdown service, the police arrived and asked her to provide a breath sample.

A standards committee report said she tried twice but was unable to do so.

Ms Passmore said she did not deliberately fail to give a sample and was distressed after not being able to use her asthma medication properly.

The DVLA, which regulates vehicle registration numbers, says number plates "must be correctly displayed" and it is an offence to "alter, rearrange or misrepresent the numbers and letters".

Anyone doing so could face a fine of up to £1,000.