Natasha Asghar breached code of conduct with 'blanket' description of 20mph speed limit

Emily Price

The Senedd's standards commissioner has found that shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar breached the code of conduct when referring to Wales’ 20mph default as a "blanket" speed limit.

Commissioner Douglas Bain began a probe into the Welsh Conservative MS following a complaint submitted by former transport minister Lee Waters about her description of the controversial speed limit which was rolled out on restricted roads last year.

Use of the word "blanket" by the Tories has been criticised because local authorities have the discretion to impose exemptions – therefore not all 30mph roads are now 20mph.

Ms Asghar has been at the forefront of calls to axe the speed limit and has regularly characterised it as a "blanket" policy in both the Senedd Chamber and her social media channels.

As the complaint about conduct in Plenary was not referred to the Commissioner by the Llywydd, Elin Jones, Mr Bain said he was only able to consider Ms Asghar's conduct on social media.

He concluded that she had breached rules one, two and three of the Senedd's Code of Conduct; members must uphold the overarching principles, members must act truthfully and members must not act or behave in a manner that brings the Senedd, or its members generally, into disrepute.

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Complaints

Mr Bain is an independent person appointed by the Welsh Parliament to investigate complaints about the conduct of MSs.

Once he completes an investigation, his report is turned over to the Senedd's Standards Committee for consideration.

Ms Asghar previously sat on the Committee for a separate report against another member regarding use of the term "blanket".

The Committee concluded that describing the new default speed limit on restricted roads as a "blanket" policy was "imprecise and inaccurate".

The Committee agreed with the Standards Commissioner that as Ms Asghar had acted in contradiction to the prior report, she had brought the Senedd into disrepute and failed to show the leadership expected of members.

Lee Waters said in his complaint: "It is clear that as a Member of the Standards Committee Natasha Asghar was very well placed to understand the ruling and her decision to keep misrepresenting the 20mph policy was a conscious and deliberate one."

Douglas Bain concluded: "As an experienced member of the Standards of Conduct Committee it was incumbent of the Member to set a good example and to scrupulously follow the guidance given by the Committee.

"She was a Member of the Committee that agreed the Eighth Report which included the admonition 'that Members should take care to not intentionally make statements which are imprecise and inaccurate.'

"She ignored that admonition on two occasions within days of the Eighth Report being published. By so doing, she failed to give the leadership required of her."

He added: "As the Committee agreed in its Eighth Report 'Untruthfulness, like dishonesty requires some element of deceit, fraud or moral turpitude'.

"Given the circumstances in which the Member posted the comments complained of, I am satisfied that there was a degree of moral turpitude."

In reaching its decision, the Committee took into account the fact that Ms Asghar was an active participant in the consideration of the previous complaint, despite knowing there were two complaints against her about her use of the "blanket" descriptor, and had not recused herself.

The Committee has recommended that the Tory MS be publicly censured following a vote in the Senedd once she has responded to the findings of the investigation against her.

No apology

Natasha Asghar told Nation.Cymru: "I make absolutely no apology for standing up and speaking out on behalf of my constituents, and those further afield, who are sick to the back teeth of Labour’s 20mph speed limit policy.

"With around 97% of former 30mph roads dropping to 20mph following the introduction of this policy, it remains my opinion that this is a ‘blanket’ approach.

"Trying to censure me for expressing an opinion – which I believe fairly reflects the situation – sets an extremely dangerous precedent.

"I look forward to setting my views out in more detail when this matter comes before the chamber and I will continue to fight against this costly policy, which is set to deliver a £9bn blow to our economy."