Emily Price
A Welsh Conservative MS has vowed not to be silenced after the Presiding Officer switched off her microphone when she accused Labour of “sheer hypocrisy” during a heated debate on the M4 relief road.
Casnewydd Islwyn MS Natasha Asghar ripped into Welsh Labour on Thursday (October 22) when the party’s leader in the Senedd, Ken Skates, brought forward a motion on Wales’ busiest road.
But as Asghar’s speech reached its climax, Llywydd Huw Irranca-Davies interrupted to tell the Conservative MS she must bring her contribution to a close.
As Asghar attempted to conclude her speech, Senedd TV cameras showed Irranca-Davies pressing a button on his desk, cutting off her microphone.
Microphones elsewhere in the Senedd Chamber picked up muffled shouting as the Tory MS tried to make herself heard.
The Llywydd switched on his own microphone to speak over Asghar, inviting Labour MS Ken Skates to begin his contribution.
Skates turned to speak directly to Asghar seated behind him, but Irranca-Davies intervened, stopping the Tory MS from replying to her opponent.
Speaking to Asghar, the Llywydd said: “I said loud enough, please, to conclude the remarks.”
Towards the end of Plenary proceedings, Irranca-Davies appeared unwell, at times speaking in a hoarse voice that was barely audible.
When the Llywydd had instructed Asghar to conclude, it could just about be heard through his own microphone.
The Plaid Cymru government in Wales recently set out proposals to tackle congestion on the M4 around Newport which included plans to close some junctions.
Former Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford previously axed a project designed to bypass traffic congestion on Wales’ busiest road by building a new motorway on the Gwent Levels.
At the time it was scrapped, over £100m had been spent on the six lane scheme already.
But the cost of the project had ballooned to over £1.6 billion and Drakeford ruled the road would cause irreversible damage to the protected habitats of the Gwent Levels nature reserve.
The motion brought forward by Labour this week stated that Plaid’s new proposals for the relief of congestion on the M4 were “inadequate”.
It called on the Welsh Government rule out junction closures and begin work on an appropriate relief road instead.
During Asghar’s contribution, she pointed out that it was Welsh Labour that had axed the scheme seven years ago.
Prior to having her microphone turned off, the Tory MS said: “Labour spent more than £100 million of taxpayers’ money on research and development for the M4 relief road, including buying a caravan park, everybody, only for the former First Minister, Mark Drakeford, to scrap the project.
“And let’s not forget that the Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron, offered your Labour Welsh Government the money to build the relief road, but it was rejected.
“Where was the outcry from Newport Labour politicians then? Everyone sat there in silence.
“By not acting when you were in Government, you are equally to blame that these junction closure plans…”
It was at this point her microphone was muted.
Irranca-Davies is a Labour Member of the Senedd, but his role as the Welsh Parliament’s official referee requires him to remain politically impartial at all times.
Nation.Cymru asked Irranca-Davies if he had muted Asghar because he had lost his voice.
A Senedd spokesperson highlighted that previous Presiding Officers had at times muted microphones when Members had run over their speaking time.
The spokesperson declined to provide an on the record comment.
Following the debate, Asghar shared a clip of the moment she was silenced to social media, saying Labour had “more front than Brighton”.
She said: ” Labour don’t like it when you give them a few home truths about the M4.
“They might try to silence me, but I will never stop calling out Newport Labour’s hypocrisy.”
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