PLAID CYMRU Councillor Terry Davies has been suspended by Carmarthenshire Council after he was found to have used discriminatory language against fellow councillors Andre McPherson and Suzy Curry. The Standards Committee concluded that Mr. Davies had referred to his colleagues as “outsiders” and probably swore at Mr. McPherson outside a playground in February 2021. The ombudsman’s report also revealed that Mr. Davies had dubbed his colleagues “drop-in councillors” and made the comment “Wales is for Welsh people, and we have a Welsh community here.”
All three councillors cover Llanelli council’s Tyisha ward. The Standards Committee determined that if Mr. Davies’ language had been heard by the public, it would have brought Mr. Davies’ office and the town council into disrepute. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the committee stated that the public could have overheard the discussion that took place at the playground.
At the hearing on 12 April, Mr. Davies’ barrister David Daycock argued that his client was a passionate Welshman who felt that you needed to be from Tyisha to understand the issues there. He also claimed that Mr. Davies’ comments should have been taken as “part of the rough and tumble of political debate,” and that councillors should have “thicker skin and greater tolerance.” However, the committee recommended that Mr. Davies undertake code of conduct training and be suspended from the town council for a month.
After the hearing, Mr. Davies maintained that he had not used discriminatory language or sworn at Mr. McPherson. The incident highlights the need for all councillors to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner, as well as the importance of upholding standards of conduct in public office.
