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Tory MS blasted over anti-20mph protest effigy stunt
Emily Price
Natasha Asghar has been blasted for "abuse" and "harassment" after a photo taken on the steps of the Senedd showed her with her arm around the neck of a crude effigy of former deputy minister Lee Waters.
In an apparent act of defiance, she recently posed for photos with a "blanket" and Guy Fawkes figure of the former transport minister whilst meeting with disgruntled road users outside the Welsh Parliament.
Posting the images to Facebook she wrote: "Plenty of blankets at the anti-20mph protest today to keep us nice and warm!"
In another image the stuffed representation of the Labour MS can be seen draped in a blanket with a sign that reads: "Don’t call me a blanket."
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'Strangle'
A further photo was shared online by a member of the United Voices Senedd Lobby Group who gather regularly in Cardiff Bay to protest the 20mph policy.
The photo was taken outside the Welsh Parliament's main entrance and shows Ms Asghar kneeling down on the floor with her arm around the neck of the homemade figure.
The caption reads: "Lovely little gathering on the steps for Guy Fawkes night. Sadly no dynamite but nice to see Natasha with a blanket and trying to strangle Liar Waters."
It was shared on Bluesky by Mr Waters on Wednesday (November 20) who said: "There was me thinking she was giving the effigy a cwtch! But the group in the 'United Voices' FB group makes it clear she was 'trying to strangle Liar Waters'.
"She also wore a blanket as a shawl - which shows what she thinks of the Senedd Standard's process. There's a line, and I think this crosses it."
Labour MS Mick Antoniw says the photo shows an "act of personal abuse" that should have "no place in our politics"
He said: "It is a form of populist harassment and personal denigration - It is unacceptable behaviour."
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'Absurd'
The shadow transport minister was formally censured by the Senedd in September for using the word "blanket" to describe the 20mph default policy introduced by the Welsh Government.
Ms Asghar refused to back down saying it was "purely absurd" to suggest she had brought the Senedd into disrepute.
The complaint against her was made by Mr Waters - her former shadow counterpart who would regularly do battle with Ms Asghar in the Chamber over the default policy.
Mick Antoniw, the Welsh Government former chief legal advisor, says the Tory MS's behaviour after the censure "shows a contempt for the Senedd."
He said: "Standards of conduct in the Senedd are dependent on the respect from members for the decisions of the independent Standards commissioner and the Senedd itself.
"Anything less brings the Senedd into disrepute - It is sad and disappointing to seem members arrogantly trashing these decisions. It shows a contempt for the Senedd and the public."
We asked Natasha Asghar to address claims that she had tried to "strangle" the effigy of Lee Waters. She declined to comment.
The images she posted to her Facebook page have now been edited to crop out the effigy of Lee Waters.
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