Torfaen councillor Jason O’Connell on ITV Cymru’s Sharp End
A senior Reform UK figure in Wales has accused the Senedd’s standards committee of acting like a “kangaroo court” after it suspended the party’s only Member of the Senedd, Laura Anne Jones, for two weeks without pay.
Speaking on ITV Cymru Wales’ Sharp End, Torfaen councillor Jason O’Connell said he believed Jones had been treated “appallingly” during the investigation, describing the pressure she faced as “unrelenting”.
Jones was suspended on 19 November after a lengthy inquiry found she had breached multiple elements of the Senedd’s code of conduct, including using a racial slur in a private WhatsApp group. In one message sent to staff in August 2023, she wrote: “No chinky spies for me.”
O’Connell defended Jones, saying: “Laura made a mistake, a very minor mistake, and she held her hands up and apologised profusely. I think the kangaroo court that’s followed her around has been ridiculous.”
He added: “When you take the politics out of this, what you’re left with is a mother who brought herself right to the edge. In an age when we need to care about people’s mental well-being… the pressure she was put under because of this minor offence was unrelenting.”
His remarks drew criticism from Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan, who said she was “appalled”, adding: “It is right that we are held to a higher standard. We have to be accountable.”
Inquiry
The suspension followed an inquiry by the Senedd Standards Commissioner, launched after a complaint by a former staff member. The report found that Jones’ conduct fell “far below” what is expected of elected representatives.
In addition to the racial slur, the Commissioner said Jones made further derogatory comments about a former caseworker — calling him a “wanker” and suggesting he had ADHD — and failed to challenge offensive comments posted by staff in the same WhatsApp group.
Messages shared among staff also mocked multiculturalism, gay people, and fellow Welsh Conservatives.
The committee said the behaviour reflected “a pattern of poor culture within the office of the Member rather than an isolated incident”.
Mileage claims
Police were asked in 2024 to examine whether Jones had encouraged staff to inflate mileage claims after screenshots appeared to show her writing: “Always make more than I did – add in stuff please OK”. Officers found no evidence of fraud, and the Commissioner accepted her explanation that the messages had been misinterpreted.
While those allegations were dismissed, five breaches of the code of conduct were upheld, including discriminatory language, personal attacks, and failure to ensure staff acted appropriately.
Jones addressed the chamber before the vote confirming her suspension, saying she accepted the findings and apologised for her language, describing the comments as “regrettable”. She said the investigation had been “harrowing” and complained that confidential information had been leaked, which the committee denies.
Standards Committee chair Hannah Blythyn said the sanction reflected the seriousness of the findings, adding: “There was little respect towards others nor any consideration of what may be found offensive.”
Jones’ suspension took effect immediately, barring her from all Senedd proceedings until early December.
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