Tory MS Laura Anne Jones sorry for old 'shooting chavs' Facebook post

Laura Anne Jones apologised for the comments on Facebook

A Conservative Senedd member has apologised for historical comments on social media about shooting "chavs".

Laura Anne Jones was not an elected politician at the time she posted the comments on her Facebook page.

In the posts, Ms Jones said: "I would like to do a spot of Chav shooting" and added it is "a shame that isn't legal."

Ms Jones, now the Welsh Conservatives' equalities spokesperson, has said her "flippant use of language was unacceptable and inappropriate".

The 42-year-old had served as a member of the Senedd, which was then known as the Welsh Assembly, prior to the posts before she lost her South Wales East seat after four years in 2007.

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She also joked about shooting the then UK Labour leader, Ed Milliband, saying she would become the "perfect shot" if she had "ol' Red Ed to aim at."

Ms Jones became a Monmouthshire councillor in 2017 and returned to the Senedd in 2020 as Conservative MS for the South Wales East region after the death of Mohammad Asghar.

In a statement, Ms Jones said: "I apologise for this post that was made on my personal Facebook page nearly 10 years ago.

"I do not condone the use of violence in any form, and my flippant use of language was unacceptable and inappropriate, which I deeply regret.

"They do not represent me, or my views, and I'm very sorry for any offence I have caused."