Plaid Cymru Senedd member Rhys ab Owen suspended

Plaid Cymru has temporarily suspended Senedd Member Rhys ab Owen from the party's group in the Welsh Parliament.

He is being investigated by the Senedd's Standards Commissioner over an alleged breach of the code of conduct for members. 

Mr ab Owen was elected to the Senedd in 2021 and represents the region of South Wales Central. 

He will sit as an independent MS while the investigation takes place. No details of the alleged breach have been given. 

He remains a member of Plaid Cymru because this investigation is a Senedd matter not a party issue. 

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said, "Rhys ab Owen MS, Plaid Cymru Member of The Senedd for South Wales Central, and the Plaid Cymru group in the Senedd have mutually agreed to his temporary suspension from the Plaid Cymru group. 

"This is a neutral act, without prejudice, pending the conclusion of an investigation by the Senedd Standards Commissioner into an alleged breach of the code of conduct for Members of The Senedd. No further comment will be issued."

The Standards Commissioner, Douglas Bain, will investigate any complaints made about the conduct of members and will issue a report to the Senedd which will then decide what if any action should be taken. 

A spokesperson for the Senedd Commissioner for Standards said; “Section 16 of the National Assembly for Wales Commissioner for Standards Measure 2009 prohibits the Commissioner from disclosing any information about any complaint that may, or may not, have been received.”