Welsh election 2021: Social media attacks 'horrifying' in campaign

Janet Finch-Saunders said her family had been left offended by personal attacks during the election campaign

A newly re-elected Conservative politician has hit out at personal attacks on social media during a "horrifying" campaign.

Janet Finch-Saunders was re-elected to her Aberconwy seat on Friday as votes were counted in the Welsh Parliament election.

Giving her acceptance speech, Ms Finch-Saunders said she had been "horrified" by attacks on social media.

Ms Finch-Saunders said her family had been left offended.

The Member of the Senedd for the area since 2011, who has also sat on Conwy County Council, said: "I have been horrified by this particular campaign.

"I have had my family records and declarations of interest in the Senedd pored over, I've had personal offensive slurs from my opposition, and it's been frankly not acceptable behaviour for anyone wanting to enter public life."

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She added: "We have just come through a very shocking year, the last thing people wanted to see on social media were people attacking people personally.

"I draw the line when my family have been offended in the way they have."

Nathan Gill MEP, who is Reform UK's leader in Wales and a former UKIP Member of the Senedd for North Wales, said the "toxification of politics needed to be stamped out".

He tweeted, after Ms Finch-Saunders shared her comments, that "most people who stand now receive torrents of abuse and vilification as well.

"Death threats are not uncommon. Why is this tolerated?."

Ms Finch-Saunders spoke out as results continued to be declared for the make-up of the next Welsh Parliament, following the vote on Thursday.

In the Vale of Clwyd, where the seat was claimed after a closely-fought battle by the Conservatives after 22 years in Labour hands, candidates praised each other for the friendliness of the campaign.