Hannah Blythyn nominated as new Senedd Standards Chair

Emily Price

The junior minister who was sacked by Vaughan Gething after being falsely accused of leaking messages to the media has been elected the Chair of the Senedd's Standards of Conduct Committee.

Hannah Blythyn was removed from her Welsh Government role of Social Partnership Minister by the former First Minister in May.

Mr Gething claimed she was the source of a screen grab leaked to Nation.Cymru from a Covid-era ministerial group chat.

The former health minister told members of the chat that he was deleting messages because they could be subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

Ms Blythyn denied forwarding the screen grab and Nation.Cymru took the unusual step of confirming she was not the source of the leak.

Speaking at the time of her removal from government, the MS for Delyn said: "Integrity is all in politics and I retain mine."

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Following her dismissal she spent several weeks away from the Welsh Parliament after being signed off work with anxiety.

Mr Gething was later forced to resign following a short and tumultuous stint in the top job which was marked by rows over donations to his leadership campaign from a convicted polluter.

The series of scandals led to a vote of no confidence in his leadership and the collapse of the co-operation deal between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

Four members of Mr Gething's Cabinet eventually quit after refusing to serve under him.

He will now return to Labour's backbench having not been selected to serve in the Cabinet of Wales's new First Minister, Baroness Eluned Morgan.

On Tuesday (September 17) Ms Blythyn was nominated by Julie Morgan and seconded by Lesley Griffiths as the Standards of Conduct Committee Chair without any objections.

Vikki Howells, who previously chaired the committee, was recently appointed Minister for Further and Higher Education.

The Committee's role is to consider complaints referred to it by the Commissioner for Standards.

It is also responsible for reviewing the code of conduct for Members of the Senedd, guidance on the code and complaints procedures, and rules for lobbying.

Speaking on her new appointment, Ms Blythyn told Nation.Cymru: "The Standards of Conduct Committee is undertaking a hugely important piece of work and I am grateful to colleagues for giving me the opportunity to lead it.

"Our current standards policies and procedures are due a review and we are determined to get this right for the future. The committee will listen to experts, and the public, as we develop recommendations for change.

"I’m very much looking forward to the challenge that comes with it and to playing my part in ensuring and advancing the integrity of the Senedd – from processes to policies and the people that serve within it."