Senedd member broke code of conduct over 20mph social media posts, committee finds

19 September 2024, 14:40 | Updated: 19 September 2024, 17:32

A member of the Senedd broke its code of conduct over social media posts about the 20mph limit, the standards committee has found.

The Welsh government's former deputy minister for climate change, Lee Waters, complained about shadow minister Natasha Asghar's use of the word "blanket" to describe the default speed limit.

The default limit on Wales's residential roads was reduced from 30mph to 20mph on 17 September last year.

The policy was met with significant opposition, including a record-breaking petition on the Senedd's (Welsh parliament) website.

It prompted the Welsh government to carry out a review and change the guidance issued to local councils.

Ms Asghar did not accept her comments constituted a breach of the code of conduct.

The standard committee's report outlines her belief that "when she used the blanket descriptor she had been expressing an opinion".

But the committee noted Ms Asghar had been involved in considering a similar complaint about Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies at the beginning of the year.

At the time, the committee cleared Mr Davies but concluded the "blanket" description for the default limit was "imprecise and inaccurate".

Ms Asghar had agreed with that report but "shortly afterwards acted in contradiction to it", the committee said, as it agreed with the Senedd's standards commissioner that her conduct had brought the Senedd "into disrepute".

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The Senedd's standards of conduct committee concluded Ms Asghar would be censured over the comments.

A censure is a way for the Senedd to note its disapproval of a member's behaviour, but stops short of a temporary ban.

(c) Sky News 2024: Senedd member broke code of conduct over 20mph social media posts, committee finds