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Welsh Assembly standards chief resigns over 'AM's secret recordings' Welsh Assembly standards chief resigns over 'AM's secret recordings'
(about 1 hour later)
The Welsh Assembly's standards commissioner Sir Roderick Evans has resigned, accusing an assembly member of secretly recording him. The man who oversees complaints about politicians in Wales has resigned after he was secretly recorded by an assembly member.
Sir Roderick, who oversees complaints about AMs, said the unnamed politician recorded "highly confidential conversations with my staff". Standards commissioner Sir Roderick Evans said "highly confidential conversations" with his staff had been taped.
The retired high court judge alleged he had been recorded "over a period of what seems to be several months". The former Plaid Cymru AM Neil McEvoy has confirmed he made the recordings.
He said the actions were "wholly unacceptable". Police are being asked to investigate and the assembly has arranged a sweep of the organisation's estate.
Sir Roderick Evans has served as the assembly's standards commissioner since 2017. The South Wales Central AM, who now sits as an independent, alleged he had found evidence that he claims had brought Sir Roderick's office into disrepute.
In a statement on Monday he said: "It has come to my attention that conversations with my staff about a variety of highly confidential and sensitive matters have been secretly, and possibly illegally, recorded over a period of what seems to be several months and in what seems to be a number of different locations by an assembly member. He said he had acted lawfully and in the public interest.
"These have included highly confidential conversations with my staff including references to cases brought by members of the public. Sir Roderick, a former high court judge and pro chancellor of Swansea University, said Mr McEvoy's actions were "wholly unacceptable" as he stood down on Monday.
"When considering and investigating complaints it is necessary for me and my staff to have open and frank discussions about the complaints, the appropriate approach to them, and their implications. "It has come to my attention that conversations with my staff about a variety of highly confidential and sensitive matters have been secretly, and possibly illegally, recorded over a period of what seems to be several months and in what seems to be a number of different locations by an assembly member," said Sir Roderick, who had served as the assembly's standards commissioner since 2017.
"That a member of our national assembly could behave in this way is wholly unacceptable. It undermines the integrity of the complaints procedure and brings our democratic process into disrepute. I'm not prepared to continue in my role as standards commissioner. "These have included highly confidential conversations with my staff including references to cases brought by members of the public."
"I thank my staff for their support during the last three years, but I therefore ask you to accept my resignation." "That a member of our national assembly could behave in this way is wholly unacceptable. It undermines the integrity of the complaints procedure and brings our democratic process into disrepute. I'm not prepared to continue in my role as standards commissioner."
He was embroiled in a row last year after he said a video featuring a Labour AM's face superimposed on a woman in a low-cut top was not sexist. Welsh Assembly presiding officer Elin Jones said she had accepted Sir Roderick's resignation, and the process to find a successor will now begin.
She said: "Covert recording of private conversations is a serious matter and we will be asking South Wales Police to investigate how such recordings were obtained.
"Arrangements have been made for a sweep of the Senedd estate to locate any unauthorised electronic surveillance devices."
Sir Roderick was embroiled in a row last year after he said a video featuring a Labour AM's face superimposed on a woman in a low-cut top was not sexist.
Earlier in 2019 he was accused of double standards after he recommended a Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood be reprimanded for a swear word in a tweet.Earlier in 2019 he was accused of double standards after he recommended a Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood be reprimanded for a swear word in a tweet.