Keith Davies faces censure vote by AMs

It's a week since AMs learnt that Keith Davies, the Labour AM for Llanelli, had admitted getting drunk on a night out in Cardiff and then returning to his hotel with a woman he had met so that they could drink some more. A motion of censure proposed by the Assembly's standards committee will be debated this afternoon.

His Labour colleague, Mick Antoniw, will move the motion on behalf of the committee. He's expected to keep it swift and business-like but some response is expected, as many AMs are unhappy that there is no tougher punishment available.

Suspension from the Assembly is only possible in cases of financial misconduct. Extending that power is under review but any change will come too late to deal with Mr Davies. Another idea is that an AM who misbehaves should be forced to make a public apology in the Senedd. Today Mr Davies will not be obliged to say anything.

Further action could be taken by his party, although suspending him from the Labour group of AMs would have little effect on him but would deprive but would leave the government in a minority. His chances of being reselected to stand in Llanelli again look slim but that may not cause much concern to Mr Davies, who is in his seventies.

Some Labour AMs take the view that his humiliating confession is punishment enough and all parties know that no political group is immune from embarrassing incidents in which drink has played a part,