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| Welsh Assembly standards boss resigns over AM's secret recordings | Welsh Assembly standards boss resigns over AM's secret recordings |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The man who oversees complaints about politicians in Wales has resigned after he was secretly recorded by an assembly member. | The man who oversees complaints about politicians in Wales has resigned after he was secretly recorded by an assembly member. |
| Standards commissioner Sir Roderick Evans said "highly confidential conversations" with his staff had been taped. | Standards commissioner Sir Roderick Evans said "highly confidential conversations" with his staff had been taped. |
| The former Plaid Cymru AM Neil McEvoy has confirmed he made the recordings. | The former Plaid Cymru AM Neil McEvoy has confirmed he made the recordings. |
| Police are being asked to investigate and the assembly has arranged a sweep of the organisation's estate. | Police are being asked to investigate and the assembly has arranged a sweep of the organisation's estate. |
| The South Wales Central AM, who now sits as an independent, alleged he had found evidence that he claimed had brought Sir Roderick's office into disrepute. | |
| He said he had acted lawfully and in the public interest. He had been facing three separate investigations by the standards commissioner at the time, before Sir Roderick resigned. | He said he had acted lawfully and in the public interest. He had been facing three separate investigations by the standards commissioner at the time, before Sir Roderick resigned. |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "These have included highly confidential conversations with my staff including references to cases brought by members of the public. | "These have included highly confidential conversations with my staff including references to cases brought by members of the public. |
| "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. | "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." | "I'm not prepared to continue in my role as standards commissioner." |
| Welsh Assembly presiding officer Elin Jones said she had accepted Sir Roderick's resignation, and the process to find a successor will now begin. | 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. | 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." | "Arrangements have been made for a sweep of the Senedd estate to locate any unauthorised electronic surveillance devices." |
| In response to Mr McEvoy, the standards commissioner's office said: "The appropriateness of covert recordings of private and confidential conversations will be considered by the relevant authorities in due course." | In response to Mr McEvoy, the standards commissioner's office said: "The appropriateness of covert recordings of private and confidential conversations will be considered by the relevant authorities in due course." |
| 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. | 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. |