Reform UK’s only representative in Welsh parliament suspended over racial slur

Reform’s UK only member of the Welsh parliament has been suspended for using a racial slur in a WhatsApp group.

Laura Anne Jones choked back tears after the parliament’s standards committee recommended she be banned for 14 days for her remarks.

Ms Jones, who defected from the Conservatives earlier this year, made the offensive remark about Chinese people in a group discussion about the Chinese-owned app TikTok in August 2023.

She wrote: “No c***** spies for me.”

While Ms Jones has previously issued an apology for the comment, the standards committee concluded that her actions “fell far below the standards expected” of a member of the Welsh parliament.

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The chair of the standards committee, Hannah Blythyn, welcomed the fact that Ms Jones has since undertaken diversity training, but said: “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 reports falls 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.”

When the suspension was confirmed on Wednesday, Ms Jones said she “fully accepted” the findings of the report, and added: “I welcome the clear and welcome conclusion of both the police and standards commissioner, clearing me of any fraudulent activity, the police stating that there was absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing.

“As for the language that I regrettably used in the private WhatsApp messages, I would like to take this opportunity to apologise once again for that in this chamber.

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“I never meant to cause any offence and would never have that intention of doing so. It is deeply regrettable that the message and others in which I had aired my frustrations in private, which I’ve also apologised for and do again, were leaked to the press and made public, where they had the potential of being misconstrued and hurt someone unnecessarily.

“My staff and I have all completed Senedd respect and conduct training, and I have actively been in contact and helped the community that is being referred to. I have reflected deeply on this, and I wholly accept the need to take greater care with my language 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 that regard.

Ms Jones became emotional as she addressed the chamber, having to compose herself before describing the “harrowing” experience of being under investigation.

She was encouraged to “take [her] time” before continuing.

She said the process had had a negative impact on her family and had been hugely detrimental to her mental health. “I wouldn’t wish this, what I’ve had to experience, on my worst enemy,” she said.