Conservative MS censured for calling 20mph a blanket policy

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00:00Thank you so much, Presiding Officer.

00:01I can't quite believe that we're standing here today debating the use of the word blanket

00:05when there are much bigger issues at hand to be dealing with, but hey-ho, here we are.

00:09Having sat on the Standards Committee, I know how hard all of the members from various political

00:13parties as well as the Chair, the Clerks, work alongside the Commissioner tirelessly

00:18looking into complaints in relation to members.

00:20However, today, I, Natasha Ashgar, solely and respectfully object to the ruling that

00:27I have breached three rules within the Code of Conduct.

00:29To say that I brought the Senate into disrepute by using the word blanket for me is purely

00:33absurd.

00:34Let me be abundantly clear to everyone today.

00:37From the get-go, I make no apology whatsoever for standing up for my constituents and residents

00:41across Wales when it comes to the Welsh Government's 20mph speed limit policy.

00:47As I have said before, with 97% of former 30mph roads dropping to 20mph as a result

00:53of this policy, it remains my opinion that this is a blanket approach.

00:58And that's just it, Presiding Officer.

01:00It's my opinion.

01:01That's what I'm trying to get across.

01:02To sayó

01:03Y Dirprwy Lywydd, I'm just going toójust for Members to be aware, of course, that the

01:10Standards Commissioner hasóplease, I don't want any comments from a sideóthe Standards

01:16Commissioner and the Standards Committee have said that the use of the term blanket in the

01:24context of the 20mph policy is imprecise and inaccurate, and that Members should think

01:31very carefully about using imprecise and inaccurate words to describe policies.

01:39I have, in fact, changed my own mind on the use of the word blanket.

01:43I allowed it to be used in this Chamber for a number of months, but once the Standards

01:49Commissioner and the Standards Committee had ruled that it was an imprecise and inaccurate

01:54way of describing the 20mph policy, I have changed my view, and it is not correct to

02:02use it in that context in this Chamber any more.

02:05And that is my view, and I am the Llywydd, and I ask you all to respect my view on this

02:12and the view of the Standards Committee, and I ask you to show that respect today.

02:17Natasha Ashcroft.

02:18That's fine.

02:19Thank you, Presiding Officer.

02:20I take my job incredibly seriously.

02:22I love my region of south-east Wales and have the utmost respect for the Welsh Parliament

02:26as an institution.

02:27But, Presiding Officer, I acknowledge the report and, once again, as I said, thank the

02:31committee and Standards Commissioner for their time, but I do have to say that I do feel

02:35it within myself to be able to stand up for this particular policy, for this particular

02:39issue.

02:40It is something that I'm passionate about personally and professionally as well.

02:44So I want everyone to remain rest assured.

02:46I will continue to tirelessly campaign against this disastrous policy, regardless of others

02:51embarking on desperate attempts to stop me, and I hope to be able to move on from this,

02:55focus on my job, which I take incredibly seriously.

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