Image source, Senedd Cymru
- author, Paul Piggott
- role, BBC News
-
A Welsh Conservative politician has been stripped of his press job after mobile phone text messages showed employees were asked to maximise expenses claims.
Conservative leader of the Senedd, Andrew R. T. Davies, said he had asked Laura Ann Jones to stand down from the Shadow Cabinet while she is under police investigation.
The messages, reported by BBC Wales on Friday, show a member of staff being asked: “When you fill up with petrol, always make more than I do, give me something extra.”
The context of the WhatsApp messages is unclear. Mr Jones’s lawyers have previously said that Mr Jones “believes any allegations of wrongdoing regarding expenses are entirely misconceived”.
The Senator for South Wales East remains in the Conservative group in the Welsh Assembly.
Jones was approached for comment.
Labour’s shadow minister for Wales, Jo Stevens, questioned why Mr Jones had not been suspended.
She said: “The latest revelations about Welsh Conservative politicians are deeply worrying.”
“Andrew R. T. Davis must clarify what he knew about this situation and when he knew it,” Stevens added.
The Liberal Democrats have also called for Jones to be suspended from his post.
“I have asked Laura Ann Jones to step down from the Welsh Conservative shadow cabinet whilst the investigation is carried out,” Mr Davies said.
“We do not comment on any ongoing investigations.”
BBC Wales cannot confirm whether the messages reflect the entire conversation between the parties or their full context.
Ms Jones is currently being investigated by Standards Commissioner Douglas Bain and South Wales Police.
Bain’s investigation is believed to have been put on hold whilst police investigations are carried out.
Police have spoken to at least one Conservative staffer but no arrests have been made.
The BBC has been told the original complaint against Mr Bain was about Mr Jones’s handling of allegations of bullying by senior staff.
A lawyer representing Jones previously said in a statement that “Mr Jones has not received any formal complaints of bullying against any staff member.”
She added that she was “confident that any allegations of misconduct surrounding expenses are entirely misconceptions.”
“Mr Jones believes these complaints submitted to the Standards Commissioner are without merit.”
“As these matters are still under investigation, it would be inappropriate for Mr Jones to comment further.”
“Mr Jones has no problem with the BBC or its sources raising these allegations with the police or the Standards Commissioner and, if requested by the authorities, he will be given the opportunity to respond formally as part of their investigation.”
