Reform Politician Suspended Over Racial Slur
The Reform Party's sole Senedd member is facing a two-week suspension for offensive comments made in a WhatsApp chat.
Laura Anne Jones used a racial slur to describe Chinese people in August 2023.
Recommending the ban, the Senedd's Standards Committee stated that "inappropriate and offensive comments have no place in our Senedd or in society at large." Jones was cleared of complaints related to false expense claims and unfair dismissal.
Jones apologized "again" for the "regrettable comments" in a "private message" but welcomed being "cleared of any wrongdoing related to the malicious allegation of fraudulent activity."
Warning: This news story contains strong racist language and profanity.
Following a lengthy investigation by Douglas Bain, the Senedd's Standards Commissioner, the Senedd's Standards Committee recommended a two-week suspension.
They were asked to consider three allegations against Laura Anne Jones, including complaints that she had made racist remarks and failed to address discriminatory behavior.
Jones, who represents South Wales East in Cardiff Bay, was a Conservative Member of the Senedd (MS) at the time of the allegations.
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Mr. Bain found that in August 2023, Jones had said "no chinky spy for me" in a WhatsApp group in which she and the complainant were both members.
TikTok came at a time when people were concerned that the Chinese government could use the app to gather information.
The committee also stated that Jones "acknowledged that his post was 'completely inappropriate and unacceptable' and has apologized for it."
Mr. Bain also found that in a WhatsApp conversation with a former employee in August 2023, Jones called the former employee "a worthless person" and a "bitter, twisted, worthless person."
"I tried to be very understanding," he wrote.
"I also asked if he had ADHD or something else and if he needed extra support... because something wasn't right with him!?"
The former employee involved in the conversation also called the person the politician criticized a "grade A fool."
In a WhatsApp message dated November 13, 2023, the staff member Jones spoke to in the above message stated: "What Suella [Braverman, former Home Secretary] said was also correct. We have a two-tier policing system. It became clear over the weekend that if you're from the white working class you'll be beaten, if you're an Islamist it's all right, spread as much hate as you want."
The Standards Committee stated that Jones had acknowledged the post was "unacceptable," but did not reprimand the staff member.
In light of the Commissioner's findings, the Committee stated that Jones had breached several rules of the Code of Conduct for Members of the Senedd and that his conduct "fell far below the expected standards."
"This points to an office culture where there was little respect for others or any consideration of what might be found offensive."
However, the committee also concluded that Jones was suffering from "poor physical and mental health" at the time of some of the alleged comments.
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