Reform's Joe Martin given Senedd speaking ban over "offensive" remarks

A Reform MS has been banned from speaking in the Senedd until he apologises for claiming white people were being replaced in the UK.

Presiding Officer Huw Irranca-Davies said Joe Martin's comments were clearly "discriminatory" and "offensive".

On Tuesday Martin asked the Welsh government for a statement on the "demographic replacement of white British people".

Reform was asked for comment.

Huw Irranca-Davies' statement in the Senedd follows attempts to address Martin's conduct privately, after previous comments made by him, and a formal warning in September.

The MS for Caerdydd Penarth was told by the presiding officer he had repeatedly "pushed the boundaries" of rules in the Senedd.

Martin's comments on Tuesday echoed a far-right conspiracy theory that the white population is being deliberately replaced by the immigration of other ethnic groups.

He said: "Can I have a statement from your government on the demographic replacement of white British people taking place in the UK."

"Mass immigration and differing birth rates mean that, in just 37 years' time, in 2063, we will be a minority in our own country."

Immediately, the government business minister, also known as Trefyndd, Heledd Fychan asked the deputy presiding officer, Kerry Ferguson, for a ruling on whether the question was in line with standing orders - the rules governing Senedd conduct.

Fychan said: "We cannot differentiate between people of different religions, different sexuality, different skin colour. We are a government for everyone here in Wales."

Later in the afternoon, Irranca-Davies said after reviewing the record, "we consider that the contribution made by Joe Martin MS during the Business Statement was unnecessarily provocative and deliberately offensive.

"Whilst it is always possible to raise legitimate policy matters in relation to immigration in this Siambr, the focus of the contribution on race and ethnicity was clearly discriminatory, offensive, and detracted from the dignity of the Senedd.

"This is not the first time the member has pushed the boundaries in his contributions, and I have previously warned him about his conduct.

"Until I receive a clear indication that the member understands the boundaries of acceptable parliamentary conduct and apologises to the Siambr, we will not be calling him to speak."

Martin was accused by Plaid Cymru of dangerous rhetoric in June when he claimed attacks from Sudanese asylum seekers were inevitable.

The next day MSs walked out during a speech where Martin joked that Welsh students were unable to read and Indian nurses were taking Welsh jobs.

He was later accused by the presiding officer of making offensive remarks in a debate about the crisis-hit Welsh Gender Service.

Plaid Cymru's Senedd group chair Marc Jones welcomed the ruling.

He said: "Words have consequences. It's only right that Reform's Joe Martin apologises for the constant harm and fear he causes among our communities."

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