The Senedd’s Standards of Conduct Committee is today launching a report calling for a new ‘recall’ system, allowing the Senedd to recommend that voters can chose to remove and replace a Member of the Senedd (MS) if they seriously breach the Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour expected of an MS.
The Committee has laid out plans for a system that would allow the Senedd to trigger a public vote in a constituency. This vote would ask the public if they wish to remove the MS who has breached the Code of Conduct or keep them in post. If voters decide the MS should be removed from office, then they would be replaced by the next person on their party’s list of candidates put forward at the previous election.
The report asks the Welsh Government to bring forward legislation so that this system can come into force after the next election in May 2026.
Hannah Blythyn MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Standards of Conduct Committee said:
“For our parliament to function well, the public must have confidence in Members of the Senedd. Politicians must act with decency and integrity and if they fail to do so, they should be accountable to the public for their actions.
“The report on recall is part of an ongoing programme of work that is aimed at building trust and transparency, in both the Senedd’s standards procedures and our devolved democracy as a whole. It’s important that we create a robust system that means that MSs are fully answerable to the people of Wales.
“The Code of Conduct that MSs are expected to abide by must be respected. That is why we believe that it is right for the Senedd to introduce a system where the public have the option of removing MSs who seriously breach the code.
“Today we’re calling on the Welsh Government to implement our recommendations and bring forward legislation to strengthen our system and reinforce public confidence in Members of the Senedd.”
Clear information for voters
The report also lays out recommendations to ensure voters are well informed about the reasons for any recall vote and that the ballot papers are clear and easy to understand.
The proposal is designed to work alongside the Senedd’s new voting system, which comes into force at the next election in May 2026.
The Committee looked at similar systems in other countries and examined the system currently in place at Westminster.
When developing recommendations for the Welsh Government, Members of the Standards Committee heard evidence from independent academics and organisations with expertise in this area.
The Welsh Government will now respond to the report and its recommendations.
This report comes as part of the Senedd’s Standards Committee’s in-depth inquiry, looking at a range of issues:
- Individual Member Accountability (recall) and disqualification of MSs who are found to have deliberately misled/deceived.
- Donations - the arrangements for the registration of political donations to MSs.
- Dignity and respect policies.
- Declaration and registration of interests - reviewing whether the arrangements are still fit for purpose.
- Reforming the Commissioner for Standards Measure.
