Joe Martin, who represents Reform UK in the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, was expelled from the chamber on Tuesday and ordered to apologise after speaking about the replacement of white Britons in the UK and challenging the Welsh Government on the issue.
The Telegraph quotes from the Reform politician’s speech:
“Can I have a statement from your Government on the demographic replacement of white British people taking place in the UK?
“Because the scale of change has been breathtaking. Mass immigration and differing birth rates mean that, in just 37 years’ time, in 2063, we will be a minority in our own country.
“That change has already taken place in London, Birmingham, Leicester, Slough, Luton and Manchester, and I don’t want it to happen here.
“Indeed, at every opportunity, the majority of the electorate have wanted less immigration so that their nation can be preserved. A nation is not an economic zone, it’s not a hotel, and neither is it a charity.
“It’s a family, which is capable of absorbing people of all races if done at a sensible rate, but not if it’s replaced altogether.”
Welsh Minister Heledd Fychan subsequently asked the Senedd to determine whether Martin’s remarks were in line with parliamentary rules.
“We cannot differentiate between people of different religions, different sexuality, different skin colour. We are a Government for everyone here in Wales, we are supposed to be a Senedd for everyone here in Wales.”
Later that afternoon, the Reform politician was publicly reprimanded by the Leader of the Senedd, Huw Irranca-Davies.
Mr Irranca-Davies said he considered the comments made by Mr Martin, who was elected to the Senedd in May, to be “unnecessarily provocative and deliberately offensive”.
“Whilst it is always possible to raise legitimate policy matters in relation to immigration in this Siambr [chamber], the focus of that contribution on race and ethnicity was clearly discriminatory, offensive, and detracted from the dignity of the Senedd,” he added.
“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 the member to speak.”
Helen Jenner, leader of Reform in Wales, subsequently expressed the party’s wholehearted support for Martin, stating that “freedom of speech must be protected at all costs”.
On Wednesday, Ms Jenner announced that Reform was boycotting proceedings in the Welsh Parliament in a “show of support” for Mr Martin.
Speaking on the steps of the Senedd, Ms Jenner said the ban was an “infringement on freedom of speech”.
She added: “Quite frankly, nothing would have happened to Joe had he said these things out on the street, so why should he be silenced in the parliament here in Wales?
“As such, we have decided to make a stand, and our stand is this – if you silence one of us, you silence us all.
“We will not be attending plenary today, and that is our stance on it.
“We honestly feel that we are here to speak for our constituents, to speak for the people who voted for us, and we are being silenced and when we’re being silenced, those views of our constituents and our electors are being silenced as well.”
Farage, too, has expressed solidarity with the Senedd representative:
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, wrote on X: “It is ridiculous and scandalous that Reform’s legally elected member of the Senedd, Joe Martin, has been banned from speaking in the Welsh Parliament.”
“Why is it only Reform that’s targeted like this?”
Reform is the largest opposition group in Wales, where the government is led by Plaid Cymru, reports The Telegraph.
