ONLY Reform MS Laura Anne Jones has been found guilty of breaking Senedd rules after using a racist slur in a WhatsApp group – but she has been cleared of fiddling her expenses.
An unpublished report by standards commissioner Douglas Bain, leaked to BBC Wales, reveals that Ms Jones used the phrase “no chinky spies for me” in August 2023 when discussing Chinese-owned social media app TikTok.
Mr Bain ruled the comment breached Senedd rules on discrimination, leadership, and bringing the Parliament into disrepute.
Jones, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform this summer, was also found to have failed to challenge offensive remarks made by a staffer. These included calling a former employee a “Grade A prick” and posting about “two tier policing” following comments by ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Cleared on expenses
The commissioner did not, however, uphold allegations that Jones deliberately made false mileage claims. Instead, he accepted her evidence that mistakes were made by a staffer who misunderstood her instructions. Jones has since repaid money for journeys she did not take.
Police had already investigated the matter last year and found no evidence of fraud.
Mr Bain’s report was scathing about the former employee who brought the complaint, accusing her of acting out of “revenge” after being sacked in February 2024. He described her as “not honest or trustworthy” and suggested she only went to the commissioner after attempts to secure re-employment or compensation failed.
The complainant has strongly rejected that characterisation, telling the standards committee she felt “mocked and humiliated” and that she raised concerns in good faith.
What happens next?
The Senedd’s standards committee will now decide what sanction to recommend. Options range from a formal reprimand to suspension from the chamber, though the Parliament has no power to remove her from office.
In a statement, Jones said: “It’s disappointing that, following several other leaks over the past 18 months, the investigation process once again hasn’t been respected. This whole ordeal has taken a significant toll on my own health and my family. I cannot respond to leaked reports without being in breach of the rules. I look forward to making a full response once the report is published.”
The row ensures that the Reform MS – once seen as a rising star in the Conservatives before her defection – remains one of the most controversial figures in the Senedd.
