Reform UK has suffered a significant setback in Wales after its only member of the Welsh parliament was suspended for two weeks without pay following her use of a racial slur in an office WhatsApp group.
Senedd Member's Offensive Comments
Laura Anne Jones, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform earlier this year, used an offensive Chinese slur during a discussion about potential Chinese government espionage through TikTok. The incident occurred in August 2023, according to an investigation by the Senedd's standards commissioner, Douglas Bain.
The Welsh parliament voted on Wednesday evening to suspend Jones for a fortnight without pay after considering the standards commissioner's findings. The investigation also revealed another concerning WhatsApp exchange from November 2023 involving Jones's office.
Problematic Office Culture Exposed
In the November exchange, a member of Jones's staff posted a message supporting former Home Secretary Suella Braverman's claims about "two-tier policing." The staff member wrote: "Suella was correct. We have two-tier policing. It was clear over the weekend if your white working class, you get hammered, if you're an Islamist it's all fine, spew all the hate you want."
The standards of conduct committee concluded that Jones's conduct "fell far below the standards expected" and indicated "an office culture where there was little respect towards others or any consideration of what may be found offensive." Although Jones accepted the staff member's post was unacceptable, she failed to reprimand them at the time.
Political Fallout and Reactions
Addressing the Senedd before her suspension, Jones apologised for her language, stating: "I never meant to cause any offence." She revealed that the investigation process and subsequent media leaks had negatively impacted her family and health, claiming she had nearly taken her own life.
A Reform UK Wales spokesperson commented after the report's release: "Laura has rightly apologised for her comments, made in a private WhatsApp." However, the suspension represents another blow for Reform, which had high hopes for significant gains in next year's Senedd elections.
This development comes just four weeks after Reform's hopes of winning the Caerphilly byelection were dashed by Plaid Cymru. That loss was widely interpreted as a rejection of Reform's anti-immigration stance in a country that has traditionally prided itself on welcoming newcomers.
Plaid Cymru described Jones's comments as "vile and completely unacceptable," while Welsh Labour noted that although the remarks were made when Jones was a Conservative, "we've seen in Caerphilly that the same sort of language is part of the Reform UK playbook."
When Jones originally defected to Reform, party leader Nigel Farage had expressed confidence that the allegations against her would "all go away." The suspension may deter some voters who were considering supporting Reform candidates in next year's Welsh elections.
Jones was cleared of separate complaints relating to false expenses claims during the investigation.
