Reform politician suspended from Welsh Parliament over racial slur

Laura Anne Jones defected to Reform UK from the Conservatives over the summer

Reform's only Welsh Parliament member has been banned from the Senedd chamber for 14 days after using a racial slur to describe Chinese people.

Laura Anne Jones apologised for breaking the parliament's code of conduct over her behaviour, including the offensive comments made in a WhatsApp chat in August 2023.

In an emotional statement in the Senedd, she said investigations by police and Senedd standards commissioner, which cleared her of making fraudulent expenses claims, had a hugely detrimental effect on her mental health.

The suspension, imposed by fellow Senedd members, stops her taking part in proceedings for two weeks and docks her pay.

Senedd standards commissioner Douglas Bain found that Jones had both made offensive comments on WhatsApp and not taken action when one of her staff members had made separate offensive comments on the same messaging service.

On Wednesday evening, standards committee chair, Labour's Hannah Blythyn, told the Senedd: "The committee considers a breach of the code of conduct by any member of the Senedd a serious matter, and we are clear that inappropriate and offensive comments have no place in our Senedd or society.

"More widely, the conduct found in the commissioner's report fell far below the standards expected, and points to an office culture where there was little respect towards others or any consideration of what may be found offensive."

Jones apologised for the WhatsApp exchanges, but said she had faced the expenses allegations she was cleared on for nearly two years.

They "had a negative impact on my family, especially my children, as well as a hugely detrimental impact on my own health and mental health," she said.

She said the allegations had "taken a significant toll on me, which led me to try and drown out that noise and nearly take my own life a number of times".

"Hasten to say, I wouldn't wish what I've had to experience on my worst enemy," she added.

Jones will be able to take her seat in the Senedd once more from Wednesday 3 December.

Jones represents South Wales East in Wales' parliament, and was a Conservative member at the time of the allegations before defecting to Reform in July and giving the party a seat in Cardiff Bay for the first time.

A spokesperson for the Chinese in Wales Association said: "This incident highlights the ongoing prejudice faced by our community.

"Public figures have a responsibility to uphold values of respect and inclusion. Language like this has a real impact on people's lives and communities, and it's important that such behaviour is addressed."

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line