Found: Following the murders of Jo Cox in 2016 and Sir David Amess in 2021, immediate steps were taken to improve

Found: It was set up in 2016 following the murder of Jo Cox.

Found: They cited the murder of Jo Cox MP, the volume of abuse suffered by Diane Abbott MP, the media racism

Found: been understandably greater public attention of the abuse MPs experience following the murders of Jo Cox

Found: in a campaign to improve political culture (the Clean Up Politics Campaign) and together with the Jo Cox

Found: We worked with the Jo Cox Foundation, the NPCC and the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL)

Found: to MPs after a parliamentary debate on bombing Syria, the scope expanded after the deaths of Jo Cox

Found: ● In June 2016, Thomas Mair murdered Labour MP Jo Cox on her way to a constituency surgery in an Extreme

Found: again by scientists, ultimately leading to tragic real-life consequences such as the killing of Jo Cox

Found: and harassment both online and offline in 2024.35 The Committee has also worked closely with the Jo Cox

Found: SCS0008 - Speaker’s Conference on the security of candidates, MPs and elections The Jo Cox Foundation

Found: The man who murdered Jo Cox MP, was influenced by far right, neo-Nazi, white nationalist ideologies.28

Found: The Jo Cox Foundation, Oxford University, and Queen Mary University of London Oral Evidence

Found: II:   Will Fletcher, Interim CEO, Jo Cox Foundation, Dr Sofia Collignon, expert in the study of candidates

Found: More in Common takes its name from Jo Cox MP’s maiden speech in parliament.

Found: social connections, include:  Great Get Together events (2024): Migration Yorkshire worked with The Jo Cox

Found: The links with Far Right activism are illustrated by the murder of Leeds MP Jo Cox in 2016 whose assailant

Found: Safety Bill and Elections Act in 2023 in preventing online abuse of MPs; ● implementation of the Jo Cox

Found: RGE0010 - Review of the 2024 general election The Jo Cox Foundation Written Evidence

Found: At their most serious, the tragic murders of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, are examples of the threats

Found: It means that if I decided tomorrow to praise Thomas Mair, who murdered Jo Cox, and say, “What a

Found: praise the actions of terrorists or glorify their ideology, whether it is Thomas Mair who murdered Jo Cox

Found: sure that, like us, you are looking forward to seeing the civility commission coming out of the Jo Cox

Found: They are responsible for the arrangements that were put in place after the murder of Jo Cox and reinforced

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Democratic Republic of Congo: Humanitarian Response Plan 2023 and (b) UK–Democratic Republic of Congo development partnership on (i) development and (ii) the prevention of genocide in that country.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell

The UK is committed to supporting efforts to build stability and reduce violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-led (OCHA) Humanitarian Response Plan is a critical tool for the coordination of the activities of the humanitarian community in their response to urgent humanitarian needs. The UK leads by example, delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance with our £21 million programme in eastern DRC as well as urging the international community to give more resources and lobbying the DRC Government to take responsibility to improve access. Three projects in eastern DRC received £1 million in funding from the Jo Cox Memorial Grant (JCMG) to identify and prevent identity-based violence. These projects were undertaken between July 2019 and July 2022. Workshops supported by the JCMG have helped to inform British Embassy Kinshasa's current atrocity prevention approach including monitoring and calling out hate speech and ethnically motivated attacks against Tutsi and Rwandaphone communities in DRC.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they provided funding for research into atrocity prevention in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo via the Jo Cox Memorial Grant; what was the level of that funding; and what progress has been made with the project.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Three projects in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo received £1 million in funding from the Jo Cox Memorial Grant (JCMG) to identify and prevent identity-based violence. These projects were undertaken between July 2019 and July 2022. Workshops supported by the JCMG have helped to inform British Embassy Kinshasa's current atrocity prevention approach including monitoring and calling out hate speech and ethnically motivated attacks against Tutsi and Rwandaphone communities in DRC.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in the cost-of-living on trends in the level of social isolation; and whether her Department is taking steps to help tackle social isolation.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Many people experience loneliness and social isolation, and the government is committed to building a more connected society, where everyone is able to build meaningful relationships. Having strong social relationships plays an important role in our physical and mental wellbeing, and government, local councils, health systems and voluntary and community sector organisations all have an important role to play in tackling loneliness.

The Community Life Survey, which the department publishes annually, measures loneliness and collects data on people’s social interactions and support networks. Last year we also published research into the factors associated with loneliness in adults, and found that being on a lower income or unemployed was a contributing factor. We also engage regularly with stakeholders like the Jo Cox Foundation, who are monitoring the impact of cost of living pressures on individuals and charities providing services that aim to reduce loneliness.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is also delivering the ‘Know Your Neighbourhood Fund’ to boost volunteering and reduce loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England. The £30 million fund will create thousands of opportunities to bring people together, allow them to develop skills, build relationships and feel more connected to their community.

As announced at the Spring Budget, the department is also delivering a £101.5 million package of support for charities and community organisations in England. As part of this, the £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund is currently open until 16 October 2023 for applications from frontline organisations, including those that tackle social isolation, that are seeing increased demand for their services and increased delivery costs because of cost of living pressures.

Found: Children receiving free school meals and 7 Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, C ombatting loneliness

Midlothian Council Jo Cox civility pledge

Found: Will Fletcher, CEO of the Jo Cox Foundation, said: Through the Jo Cox Civility Commission, we have highlighted

Found: The assassinations of our friends Jo Cox and Sir David Amess have affected us all.

Found: security system has undergone significant reform in recent years, most notably following the murders of Jo Cox

Found: The world’s first government strategy on loneliness was launched in October 2018 in response to the Jo Cox

Found: She is also a Trustee of the Jo Cox Foundation.

Found: Horeseracing Authority An update on negotiations on the Horserace Betting Levy Stuart Andrew 2024-03-20 Jo Cox

Found: Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Commander of the Order of the British Empire Dr Juliette Jo COX

Found: For services to Business and to the Dormant Assets Scheme (Sevenoaks, Kent) Dr Juliette Jo COX (Jo

Found: -16 Roundtable - Sport England, Community Together, UK Coaching, LoveBrum, Canal and River Trust, Jo Cox

Found: However, in the aftermath of the murders of Jo Cox MP and David Amess MP, this issue has received significantly

Found: Foundation • Local Government Association • Demos • Runnymede Trust • The Change Foundation • Jo Cox

Found: Conversely, the security concerns following the murders of Jo Cox M P and Sir David Amess M P have

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: might also refer to the statement on conduct of political party members which we developed with The Jo Cox

Found: Maggie O’Boyle, Press Officer Su Moore, CEO, and Hannah Phillips, Research and Policy Manager, The Jo Cox

Found: 18 JANUARY 2024 AGENDA Su Moore, CEO and Hannah Phillips, Research and Policy Manager, The Jo Cox

Found: On that subject, Committee members noted that The Jo Cox Foundation would kindly attend the January Committee

Found: The Jo Cox Foundation Members noted that The Jo Cox Foundation had updated the Secretariat on progress

Found: br/>Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Following the murder of my sister, Jo Cox

Found: escalates to result in the murder of Members of Parliament, most recently Sir David Amess in 2021 and Jo Cox

Found: (Session 6) 24106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112.Elect Her referenced recommendations made by the Jo Cox

Found: in the United Kingdom have increased, some with severe consequences, most notably the murders of Jo Cox

Found: in the United Kingdom have increased, some with severe consequences, most notably the murders of Jo Cox

Found: There are also security concerns, particularly after the murder of Jo Cox for example.

Found: The former fishing skipper, 71, also sent an internet link relating to the murder of Jo Cox, the Yorkshire

Found: threats are being made regarding MSPs by right -wing groups, particularly after what happened to Jo Cox

Found: independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-jeremy-corbyn-labour- conference-michel-barnier-meet-jo-cox-a8556336

Found: guide also featured on ITV’s advice pages: https://www.itv.com/advice/articles/coronation-street-the-jo- cox

Found: guide also featured on ITV’s advice pages: https://www.itv.com/advice/articles/coronation-street-the-jo- cox

Found: CgGc / WCVA 2022-06-22 00:00:00 Araith/Speech Race Council Cymru 2022-06-22 00:00:00 Araith/Speech Jo Cox

Found: State for Wales - Coal Tips 2023-08-10 00:00:00 Cyfarfod/Meeting Sue Moore, Chief Executive of the Jo Cox

Found: 2024-10-06 00:00:00 Cyfarfod/Meeting NHS Welsh Confederation 2024-10-06 00:00:00 Cyfarfod/Meeting Jo Cox

Found: The idea was inspired by the late Jo Cox, who believed passionately in reducing loneliness and isolation

Found: Another example is the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Programme, which is delivered across the UK.

Found: However as Jo Cox, the former MP for Batley and Spen said, ‘young or old, loneliness does not discriminate

Found: support. 3.3 One of the recent key drivers in tackling loneliness at the UK level has been the Jo Cox

Found: In the light of the Jo Cox tragedy and other representations, we intend to modify the need to hold surgeries

Found: Inspired by MP Jo Cox, who was tragically murdered last year, The Great Get Together aims to bring together

Found: across the country will be feeling upset, scared and angry, it is important we remember the words of Jo Cox

Found: deeply affected by the tragic events in Birstall the day before; the Council paid their respects to Jo Cox

<p>Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. I welcome the opportunity to set out work under way to improve Wales’s democracy. This encompasses both work by the Welsh Government on electoral administration and reform, and also work of other organisations that we are supporting. To focus first on work where the Welsh Government has been delivering against our programme for government, this has been an important year of legislative reform. The Welsh Government has delivered on our programme for government commitments through the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 and the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024, which were both passed by the Senedd in recent months. These Acts will assist in the modernisation of election administration in Wales and provide an opportunity to remove the barriers to people taking part in elections. The legislation also increases the size of the Senedd to 96 Members, better equipped to scrutinise policies, laws, spending plans and to hold the Welsh Government to account.</p>
<p>My focus now is to ensure the functioning of these Acts through supporting secondary legislation, in preparation for the safe delivery of the 2026 and 2027 elections, with a well-informed and engaged electorate. The Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act introduces provision for voters to be added to the local government register without having to apply to do so—often referred to as automatic voter registration. Wales is the first part of the United Kingdom to take this step of removing the barrier that registration can present to some potential voters. These automatic registration provisions can only be brought into force following piloting and evaluation by the Electoral Commission. The pilots are being designed, developed and delivered through a core working group, including Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd, Newport and Powys, the commission and the Association of Electoral Administrators. I am grateful to all stakeholders for helping ensure the pilots are as effective and insightful as possible, well understood by the electorate, and protective of the most vulnerable people in our communities. Welsh Government officials are also sharing learning with other administrations across the UK as the pilots' design and implementation progresses.</p>
<p>The Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act places duties on Welsh Ministers to introduce schemes to support people with a range of protected characteristics and from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds to stand for election. This is important work that I will keep the Senedd updated about, as well as rolling out a fund to support disabled candidates following the successful access to elected office pilot. This complements the draft diversity and inclusion guidance for parties published by the Trefnydd last week. As well as encouraging under-represented candidates to stand, our democratic engagement grant is funding projects across Wales to build participation. This includes digital surgeries organised by the Politics Project, and workshops to empower deaf people and make their opinions known. Following a robust evaluation of the grant, I will consider the future of its important work and will update Members soon.</p>
<p>Finally, in addition to making necessary updates to the rules for elections to the reformed Senedd, we have modernised, consolidated and fully translated them. I will be publishing the draft of the Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order for consultation later this month—the rules and procedures for conducting elections to the Senedd. The draft Order updates and consolidates the rules and procedures as part of an accessible, bilingual framework for the first time, using modern and clear language. The rules for our elections are so fundamental to our democracy, and I look forward to receiving feedback on this legislation.</p>
<p>Alongside the work of the Welsh Government on electoral reform, my officials are also providing support to the work of others that share our interest in Wales’s democracy. Starting at our most local level of democracy, democratic health matters a great deal in relation to town and community councils. The report published last week by the democratic health task and finish group laid out several challenges and recommendations. I will shortly attend the Local Government and Housing Committee to give evidence as part of their inquiry on town and community councils. I look forward to that and to the outcome of the committee’s work, following which I will work with stakeholders to support any necessary reforms in this area.</p>
<p>Moving to principal councils, the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 gave them the option to choose between first-past-the-post and single transferable vote systems for their elections. Three local authorities, Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Powys, agreed to consult on whether to change to STV. Following their consultations, each council recently opted to not implement the single transferable vote system.</p>
<p>In addition to thanking the local authorities for engaging their communities on the electoral system, I want to thank the Electoral Reform Society Cymru for their work in building understanding about the different electoral systems. We believe it's right for councils to decide their own electoral system and I have no view, as Minister, on the decisions taken. But I do want to ensure that the choice before councils is viable, and so I wrote to the three authorities to ask for their reflections on the potential change, and I look forward to hearing from them.</p>
<p>Moving to accessibility of elections, the Electoral Commission and the Royal National Institute of Blind People have published reports on the recent elections that were the responsibility of the UK Government. This highlighted that many blind and partially sighted people still feel unable to cast their votes independently and secretly. My officials are working alongside the Electoral Commission and the RNIB to trial different solutions, to build a knowledge base to support more accessible elections in the future. This will help returning officers understand what works best and blind and partially sighted voters know what to expect, and what to demand, at the polling station.</p>
<p>Turning to the delivery of elections, the legislation the Senedd passed replaces the voluntary Wales Electoral Coordination Board with a stronger, but equally inclusive and independent electoral management board. And I'd like to thank Colin Everett, former chief executive of Flintshire, Karen Jones, former chief executive of Neath Port Talbot and the Democracy and Boundary Commission Board, for their leadership in strengthening electoral administration. As an example, the voluntary arrangement has helped improve electoral delivery through Welsh. The new board has the potential to drive this further, in combination with clearer rules in the conduct Order and the standards set by the Electoral Commission.</p>
<p>Finally, the Electoral Commission’s report last week on the recent elections drew out the issues of harassment and abuse of candidates. Too many candidates experience unacceptable behaviour when standing for election.&nbsp;We are working on updating secondary legislation, so that safety-related costs will be exempted from spending limits for Welsh elections. This meets a recommendation from the Jo Cox report and aligns with the UK approach. Everyone should feel safe to stand for election, to campaign, to vote and to work in delivering elections. Welsh Government stands ready to work with election colleagues and the police in tackling bad behaviour.</p>

<p>Well, I mean, I hope what's going to come out of this debate today is approval of the general principles, recognising that I've said we've got a credible legal case, although the challenge to the legal competence is the risk, isn't it, in terms of the timing, not just in terms of us moving to follow the section 109 route, but also the fact that that in itself still could lead to a legal challenge. I'm afraid I'm running out of time rapidly, Llywydd, and I beg you to give your indulgence, because this is a really important Bill that we’re considering. But what we need out of this debate today is your backing and confidence that we are seeking to put the gender quotas into statute here in Wales. It is groundbreaking: no-one else is doing it in the UK; 130 countries are doing it elsewhere. Let’s get the backing today for us to start that process and get through those barriers.</p>
<p>Now, I recognise that I haven’t answered all the questions that the Chair of the committee raised, particularly, I think, about vacancies. I do think that it’s important that we’re implementing the recommendations of the special purpose committee and its predecessors about having a candidate quota, and those have rules applying only in respect of placement of a proportion of women in respect of the list. So, I think it’s really important. Why I have rejected your recommendation is that it wouldn’t necessarily further the Bill’s purpose of a more effective Senedd if there was withdrawal, because the provisions in the Bill, I think, offer such a good chance of returning a gender-balanced Senedd, but it can’t be guaranteed, and there still could be an imbalance, with women still in the minority, and the recommendation that you made could result in the gender imbalance being perpetuated; for example, an outgoing man could be replaced by a man. So, that’s why we’re not accepting that recommendation.</p>
<p>But we do want to, very clearly—. We’re working with the Jo Cox Foundation, addressing the issue about intimidation and bullying and helping to counter harassment and abuse in politics, and I think that’s something that the measures within the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill will help us with. Can I finally say, in terms of that Bill, of course, that this does help us move forward in a voluntary way to look at the whole issue about diversity and inclusion—strategies that all political parties are going to have to adopt? It is in statute that there will be guidance, and then we would expect political parties to take that forward and to accept that.</p>
<p>So, can I just say finally that all of the key points about why we need this Bill have been made by the Members today? I think we could spend a lot more time on the debate. But this is now moving us forward to the next stage; you know the Bill timetable was approved at Business Committee. Can I just say that, look, we know we’re not gender balanced, we haven’t got enough women in this Senedd? We’ve got committees with no women on them—can that be right? Every political party has got to look to themselves and say, ‘In our way forward with Senedd reform, do we want to have a gender-balanced Parliament, a diverse Parliament, in 2026 and 2030, which will be in statute?’, and this Bill will help lead us to that point. Diolch.</p>

<p>Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I hope, in due course, you'll be as generous with myself, if the need arises. The matters that Adam has raised are indeed very important matters—matters that, I think, exercise all of our minds. The Bill does contain a number of changes and implications for the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, and these will need to be prioritised to avoid jeopardising delivery. So, I won't be supporting the amendments.</p>
<p>I do want to thank Adam for the amendments, though, because they are related to important issues that we will need to consider in due course. They do add a function for the DBCC—Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru—delegated to the electoral management board, of advising the Welsh Ministers on issues relating to the democratic health of Wales, as well as requiring a unit within the DBCC to support this function and to report. I accept that these issues could indeed be helpful and are matters of importance for the EMB, or the wider DBCC, to consider in the future. As Members will know, the issue of democratic health is a serious matter of concern for me. It's one I've mentioned numerous times, and it is underpinning the consideration of all our work on electoral reform. We may indeed need to look to add these functions at a later date through subordinate legislation. I fear that adding them at this point could jeopardise the DBCC's immediate focus, and that's why I'm not supporting them. I have real concerns about overloading at a time when we are engaging on such an important and fundamental transformation of the way our electoral system will be managed.</p>
<p>Turning to amendment 36, whilst it highlights a matter of great concern for the Welsh Government, I think it goes beyond the current intended remit of the DBCC. There are already mechanisms for reporting political harassment, abuse and intimidation of elected representatives through the public services ombudsman, local standards committees, the Senedd standards committee, and a range of regular surveys. That is the main reason, but just to say that of course there is ongoing work in this area. It's an area of work where officials are in regular engagement with the Jo Cox Foundation, working with the Welsh Local Government Association, One Voice Wales, and wider shareholders. So, I don't want to reduce the importance of what the Member is actually saying. I just think, at this moment in time, it's ensuring that we prioritise and focus these transformations and changes to ensure that they are up and running and in a position to fulfil their functions for 2026. But this is an ongoing process. Diolch, Llywydd.</p>

<p>I do have more to say on democratic health.</p>
<p>The intention of amendment 27 is to ensure that the democracy commission encourages democratic innovation and it puts a framework in place as to how the commission should exercise its functions for the democratic health of the nation by establishing a unit within the commission that would have responsibility for co-ordinating a programme of work. It suggests some areas that could be reported on, including turnout of elections, and so on and so forth. These amendments all build practically on the conclusions of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, in addition to the excellent work on this subject by other organisations, such as the Wales Centre for Public Policy, commissioned by Government.</p>
<p>A key part of democratic health is also about ensuring that the democratic arena is secure for all candidates and representatives. My final amendment in this group, amendment 36, places a duty on the commission to monitor harassment of elected members and candidates; to establish a particular unit to do that monitoring work; and to report on the findings of that monitoring, which could feed in to a comprehensive annual report on democratic health.</p>
<p>There is no doubt, unfortunately, that another element of the crisis that we are facing is the appalling levels of threats, violence and intimidation and harassment that are targeted at politicians, particularly female politicians, and other members of oppressed groups—ethnic minority groups, for example, and LGBT people. The murders of Jo Cox and David Amess do outline the most appalling outcomes of this. But, despite the ongoing efforts to tackle this issue, the truth of the matter is that very many politicians today have to ask for police protection from day to day, and also we know that this leads to people leaving politics, particularly women, particularly those from ethnic minorities and other oppressed groups, and that is not acceptable.</p>
<p>What we're asking for through this amendment is that we do have information that provides us with that data, as a baseline, to assess the success of any interventions that we and the Government put in place in order to tackle the issue. Unless we have a monitoring unit—. And such monitoring units have now been created by other parliaments around the globe. The Dáil recently, in Ireland, have discussed this. So why can't we do that at the Welsh level in order to ensure that we do have a unit that not only monitors, but also provides advice, support, practical support, which advises people on what they can do if they do face that kind of harassment? So, there are things in the pipeline, and Counsel General will mention those. But why not bring them all together in one place in order to ensure that we do tackle a problem that has such a negative impact on our democracy? And with those few words, I will conclude for now.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cabinet Secretary, I was very pleased today to host the Jo Cox Foundation here in the Senedd, and, as you know, they work to bring people together and they’re working with Refugee Week on a great walk as part of the Great Get Together and I think it’s really important that their values inform the way that Government and organisations operate, and I’m very pleased to say that in Newport I think we have some really good examples of that where we have Newport Live, as the leisure trust, taking forward a Momentwm project that partly gives cycling skills to refugees and asylum seekers. And as we’ve heard already, transport issues are very important in terms of accessing services, work, education, training, and so on, so having those bikes, being able to cycle and cycle safely I think is crucial. And they also work with the Gap project around Newport Live’s Positive Futures project, which uses sport to integrate refugees and asylum seekers into our community. They’ve been running weekly football sessions, for example, for quite some time. So, I wonder if you would just recognise some of these examples of good practice, because in all our communities, as Members of the Senedd, we want to see these values in action in terms of integration and that warm welcome.</p>

<p>Thank you. Yes, I would actually absolutely recognise those specific cases of, as you say, best practice. I visited Newport Live with you; it was a different scheme that we were looking at, but I could see the amazing work that they do, and that integration is so important if we are to make sure that people understand what we mean by nation of sanctuary. It is really important that people who come here, if they flee persecution or war, feel they are able to integrate in the community in the way that they would want to, and we certainly want them to do so. I know there are lots of themes in the work that we support via the Welsh Refugee Council. There are lots of examples in relation to that. I wasn’t aware of the event that you sponsored today in Jo Cox’s memory as part of her foundation, but I think, again, that’s really good, and it’s good that we still recognise the amazing work that Jo Cox did.</p>
<p>I didn’t answer the housing question, sorry, for Sioned Williams, and I think that is a discussion I need to have with the housing Minister, because I think it is really important, as you say, that we are able to protect people in the same way we protect Welsh people, that we protect people who are coming here looking for sanctuary, and I will certainly take that forward.</p>

<p>I'll be very interested in the work of the group the Member reports—the report and any recommendations they do provide. It's worth pointing out that we are undertaking some work that does look at tackling abuse in politics, especially in what we do with local government. As regional or constituency Members, we have a direct link with a number of our communities. Local councillors of any and every party have an even more direct route, where their constituents almost always live within a fairly short distance of where they are and they're visible, and I am concerned that some people are being driven out of local politics because of a rise in abuse. The work that Rebecca Evans started is being carried on by Julie James as the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning. She'll be meeting with the Jo Cox Foundation to explore where there is more that we can do together, because I'm deeply concerned about the survey work undertaken in this area.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So, I’m keen that there is not an idea that there is a monopoly on good ideas to deal with a societal-wide challenge. We will all be better off if our politics can be more civil in the way that we disagree with each other. It’s an important part of democratic debate that we are capable of disagreeing without being disagreeable and I think that has been progressively lost, and my fear is good, decent people will not take a step forward to want to represent their community because they’ll see the price that other people have paid, and that will leave us all the poorer.</p>

<p>Thank you, First Minister. As you will know, there have been several recent examples of politicians in Wales experiencing verbal abuse from the public, in ever-increasing voracity. As we all witnessed on the news, the Rt Hon Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, whilst attending a Cardiff University students' event, was set upon by protesters and had to be escorted into a security vehicle by no less than eight security guards. Our very own Natasha Asghar experienced similar threats and intimidation when she attended another Cardiff University event, and I am sure we have all seen the video of students hammering the door during her speech.</p>
<p>Although I have cited two examples involving Conservative politicians, this abuse is experienced cross-party and impacts us all. Sadly, it can have terrifying consequences, as we have seen with the tragic murders of Jo Cox and David Amess. I have spoken here in the Chamber in the past about how we need to be mindful of the language we use, and though we all agree that lawful protest is a fundamental right, we cannot and should not ever accept harassment and intimidation. With this in mind, and given the events I have just mentioned, what specific steps are the Welsh Government taking to ensure that politicians have adequate support and security when attending events and public engagements? Thank you.</p>

<p>I'd like to start by thanking my committee Chair, John Griffiths, for opening this debate. I am pleased to see that the Government has accepted, or accepted in principle, all the recommendations in this report. I believe strongly that we need to encourage diversity in politics, local or otherwise, whether it's gender, race, thought or socioeconomic, because it brings together everyone's individual experiences and backgrounds to collectively help their communities.</p>
<p>In my remarks today, I want to particularly focus on recommendations 12 and 13, those of bringing together key partners to combat abuse in local government politics, and pressing the UK Government to take stronger action against social media abuse. It is undoubtedly human nature for people to react strongly against Governments and their policies. We heard yesterday in this Chamber from some Members who believe that the policies of the UK Government are evil, yet we are a society that fundamentally believes and encourages free speech. But with great power comes great responsibility, and we should be mindful of how our actions and words in this Chamber are viewed by those outside, and, more importantly, what reactions our words encourage. In today's digital age, we are seeing growing numbers of people now believing that they have the right to hurl vile abuse and threats whenever they feel like it, and we must, for the future of our democracy, take action in setting the standards of how we engage with others and how we express our frustrations and concerns towards each other. It will be mirrored by those watching us.</p>
<p>Diversity is a challenge in local government. There's very little incentive to put your head above the parapet and to advocate for your community. There is a widespread lack of respect for politicians. There's very little thanks shown, and you open yourself up to huge amounts of abuse for just trying to make your community a better place to live. Who in their right mind would do such a thing?</p>
<p>I imagine everyone here has suffered abuse in one form or another. I know I have, and it usually comes from people who would ordinarily see themselves as quite rational under normal circumstances. Yet the harsh truth is that a lot of this abusive behaviour is incited by politicians themselves. Members of all political parties have to understand that, when we make derogatory and personal comments about other politicians, we are setting an example for the public to follow.</p>
<p>And this is not a new problem either. In 1948, Tory voters, as far as Aneurin Bevan was concerned, were 'lower than vermin'. There are also many recent examples as well: Angela Rayner labelling Tories as 'scum' only serves to validate the hurling of abuse by Labour supporters towards Conservatives and, in turn, validates Conservatives in hurling it back—a vicious circle. We know the situation is bad when even a bishop, such as the former Bishop of St Davids, who should be proclaiming the gospel messages of love and care for our neighbours, is fully prepared and unashamed to incite hatred towards those with differing political opinions. Verbal abuse can so easily lead to physical abuse, and this hatred eventually boils over into violence and despicable acts, as we have so sadly seen with the horrifying murders of Jo Cox and David Amess.</p>
<p>Dirprwy Lywydd, I know that I have cited only three examples, but this isn't a problem solely with Labour or the left; activists and politicians from every political party, including my own, have been guilty at some point of this, and we have to realise that this behaviour is putting people off standing. In order to encourage diversity and address abuse towards politicians, we need to be mindful of the language we use. We have to call out Members, and Members of our own parties, when they haven't set the high standards we should expect.</p>
<p>I appreciate, as mentioned in the report, the efforts made to provide training and materials to deal with harassment and abuse, but we need to do more than just accept it as a part of public life; we need to make a conscious effort to change public attitudes. The Senedd should be instrumental in helping reset the standards for how politicians at all levels are treated. It is fair and proper that we campaign, scrutinise and call out policies that we see as negative or detrimental, but when it turns to abuse, nobody wins. Thank you.</p>

<p>I'd like to start my contribution by commending the Local Government and Housing Committee for an excellent report. This is a really helpful piece of work, setting out the progress that has been made to ensure our councils represent the communities they serve. It also shines a spotlight on some of the areas where additional work is needed to deliver change by removing barriers.</p>
<p>Before I turn to the report itself, I'd just like to make a few comments on why diversity in local government is so important. As mentioned, all tiers of our democracy should reflect the diversity in the areas they represent—that is crucial for engaging with the marginalised and tackling stereotypes. It also brings different viewpoints and perspectives to the table, leading to better decisions grounded in lived experience of the people. As the founder of the 50:50 Parliament campaign reminds us, representation shapes policy and diversity leads to better decision making.</p>
<p>Turning to the report itself, recommendation 2 around sharing best practice is very important. Considering the issue of gender, in my local authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf, just under 47 per cent of councillors elected in 2022 were women. In my constituency, that stands at a fantastic 56.5 per cent. This is an increase from the 2017 elections, where the figures were 43 per cent and 52 per cent respectively. But across Wales, the change still strikes that snail's pace the Chair writes about in his foreword to the report. We need to look at what works and prioritise those interventions.</p>
<p>With that being the case, I want to mention recommendation 6, which calls for an evaluation of the access to elected office fund pilot, so there is sufficient support for disabled candidates before local government elections. I was interested to read the evidence from witnesses, including Disability Wales, the WLGA and Professor Evans, that this fund was a game changer in enabling people with disabilities to overcome barriers so they could be candidates. I also note their comments around improvements to the fund, not least of all in promoting awareness of it in a timely fashion. I'm glad the Welsh Government has accepted this recommendation, and I look forward to seeing how the fund develops.</p>
<p>Recommendation 10 deals with the support for town and community councils so they are all able to access multilocation meeting technology. Again, this is crucial to attract and empower candidates from a diverse variety of backgrounds. Some Members may have met my late constituent Richard Jones. Richard was someone I was proud to call a friend. Born with brittle bones, he did not let that get in his way, and amongst his numerous activities served several years as a member and then chair of Hirwaun and Penderyn Community Council. Multilocation working was crucial to allow him to fulfil his role as councillor, and I know that that is true for many other councillors in all tiers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Finally, I want to briefly discuss recommendations 12 and 13, asking the Welsh Government for an update on work to combat abuse in politics and to press the UK Government to take appropriate action to tackle social media abuse. I was pleased to attend last week's event on abuse in politics in my role as chair of the Senedd Labour group. I would like to thank the Minister for Finance and Local Government for organising what I found to be a very constructive day, bringing together stakeholders from across Wales and beyond, including the Jo Cox Foundation. We heard from the foundation's civility commission research that 88 per cent of local councillors who were surveyed in 2022 had experienced abuse and intimidation. That is just unacceptable. There is evidence that councillors are having to escalate and put in remedial measures, such as police or security involvement, due to the threat to elected members. And the LGA say that one in four councillors have decided not to run again due to abuse.</p>
<p>As I'm sure the Minister will reflect on, the big unresolved issue at the end of the Welsh Government's event was the role of social media. Unacceptably, social media companies seem unwilling to take action to prevent abuse on their platforms. There is a need for the UK Government to step into this vacuum. But as we heard in comments made after the horrendous murder of Brianna Ghey, Rishi Sunak seems content to let the big social media companies monitor themselves. I just want to associate myself also with the comments of Peredur Owen Griffiths on Rishi Sunak's comments today.&nbsp;If we want to ensure diversity in local government and encourage more people from a wider variety of backgrounds to stand for office, then all of that is just not good enough. Thank you.</p>

<p>Just a couple of other initiatives to let you know about, we're working closely with the WLGA and One Voice Wales to promote training on the code of conduct, including, obviously, the duty on political group leaders, and also working with councils through our statutory guidance to ensure that councillors know where to go to get help should they find themselves the subject of abuse and harassment. I also recently met with the public services ombudsman particularly to discuss the level of complaints within local government and the nature of those complaints. Obviously, bullying and that kind of behaviour were part of that discussion, and we're going to work more closely together on that.</p>
<p>And then I'm also meeting the Jo Cox Foundation to explore whether there are opportunities for us to work together there. Again, we've got, obviously, a very clear shared agenda with them. And then it's the intention to hold an event later this year to bring together a wide range of organisations to discuss what further steps we can take together to combat abuse in politics.</p>

<p>As we come today to what I know as the debating Chamber, it's really good that we're coming together today, putting aside politics for once, and I'd like to recall the words of the late Jo Cox, where she said that</p>
<p>'There's more that unites us than divides us.'</p>
<p>We're here as sons, daughters, some of us parents and grandparents, just as the Queen was a granny as well, and we talk about how we can connect with the Queen, and we see that we really do connect.</p>
<p>I'd like to pass on my condolences to her family, to the royal family, today. She has been a constant in our lives. I remember going to the Jubilee street parties as a child and then continuing to organise community events as well, and it's about that great spirit of community togetherness, I think, that's really, really important. I remember going to Mold high street, taking my youngest with me, and there was much laughter and excitement there as we were all trying to squeeze onto the pavement just to watch the Queen go by in a car and catch her wave. I remember going with other volunteers to Llandudno, and it was an event that the Queen was going to, and just thinking how lovely that all these volunteers were together, and the sense of community. It's that, really, that brings the warmth as well.</p>
<p>Last year, it was a great privilege to meet the Queen as a new MS in the Senedd. We were in a big group, weren't we, as she was coming along, and I was thinking, 'Oh my word, what will I do if she wants to talk with me or ask a question? What have I got in common with the Queen? What can I say?', not knowing the protocol, really, as a newbie. But, I remember her coming along with the Llywydd and talking about having meetings via Zoom and how she had learnt to manage them, and I was thinking, 'What have I got in common? I know, dogs.' And, as she came nearer, I said, 'When I have my Zoom meetings at home, I sit with a dog either side of me, and often they do try and join in with conversations on Zoom', as you have heard as well. And then I was just thinking, 'How many times has she had to do that over the years, in so many different predicaments, trying to think on the spot, 'What can I say to this person? What have we got in common?' There's the humour she's brought, especially in her later days, as Alun said earlier, with James Bond, and I was thinking, 'What else have I got in common with the Queen?' Well, I also carry sandwiches in my handbag, as she revealed to Paddington Bear, especially on my long train journeys up and down. So, I just think there's that great humour, connecting with people, that's so important as well that she had.</p>
<p>And also, I'd just like to say what a great example of leadership to women everywhere, and I look at that as well as inspiration. So, may she rest in peace. Condolences to her family. I look forward to welcoming King Charles here to the Senedd later on in the week and to north Wales.</p>