Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Conservative opposition in the Welsh Parliament, has been censured following findings by Senedd standards commissioner Douglas Bain that Davies’s tweets on policy matters “brought the Senedd into disrepute.” The investigation involved two primary complaints regarding Davies’s use of social media to critique Welsh Government policies, with the standards committee ruling that Davies breached the Senedd’s code of conduct.
The first complaint focused on Davies’s description of Wales’s new 20mph default speed limit as a “blanket” policy. In February, Shaun Haggerty filed a complaint against Davies, criticizing his continued use of the term even after it was deemed “imprecise and inaccurate.” Davies argued that the phrase was within his rights under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects freedom of expression. However, Bain’s report determined that while the statement may not have been intentionally deceitful, it was nonetheless false and failed to meet the standards expected of Senedd members.
Bain concluded that Davies should have known the term was “imprecise and inaccurate” given prior guidance. The commissioner’s report, issued on October 30, stated, “By ignoring the committee’s admonition and the guidance given, he failed to give the leadership required of him.” Davies will be formally censured in the Senedd on November 6.
In a separate incident, Davies faced another complaint, submitted by Anthony Jones in April, relating to a tweet that shared an image from political blog Guido Fawkes. The image alleged that the Welsh Government celebrated “birthing people” in a press release. The Welsh Government confirmed that no such release was issued, though Davies argued a ministerial statement had indeed used the term “birthing people.” Bain found that Davies made “no attempt” to verify the accuracy of the statement, ruling that the post was potentially misleading.
During the investigation, Davies defended his actions, asserting that his social media posts were covered by freedom of expression. He also noted that the complaint came from a “serial complainant,” referring to Jones’s previous submissions to the commissioner. However, Bain dismissed this defense, pointing out that Senedd members are expected to verify statements they choose to share publicly. “I am clear that is irrelevant,” Bain stated, emphasizing that members are responsible for any quotes they include in social media posts.
Bain’s report ultimately concluded that Davies’s posts “brought the Senedd into disrepute” on two counts. While he was cleared of dishonesty or intentional deceit, Bain highlighted the importance of fact-checking and accurate representation by public officials, especially on contentious issues. “Whilst I have no doubt the member’s tweet was incorrect and potentially misleading, I am not satisfied on the evidence it can be found to have been untruthful,” Bain wrote.
Despite the findings, Davies has continued to defend his conduct, maintaining that his statements were not intended to deceive. He noted that if a politician intentionally makes a misleading statement, “of course, that would be a case of bringing the Senedd into disrepute. But I don’t accept that in this case one iota.”
The incidents underscore an ongoing debate around political expression and accountability in public office. As Bain’s findings indicate, the Senedd expects members to uphold accuracy in communications with the public, particularly when addressing sensitive or divisive topics.
