Senate Introduces Bill to Boost Member Accountability and Combat Election Misinformation

New legislation introduced by the Welsh Government aims to strengthen democratic accountability through improved oversight of Senedd members and measures to combat electoral misinformation.

The Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Bill proposes three significant reforms to Wales’ democratic processes: a recall system for elected representatives, enhanced standards procedures, and new powers to address false statements during campaigns.

The recall system would create a formal mechanism for voters to remove Members of the Senedd between regular elections. Similar to the system implemented for Members of the UK Parliament in 2015, it reflects the unique context of Wales’ new electoral arrangements, particularly the closed list proportional representation system being introduced in 2026.

Under the proposed system, a Senedd member could face recall if they receive a prison sentence of 12 months or less for a criminal offense, or if the Senedd votes to initiate a recall poll following a recommendation from the Standards of Conduct Committee.

If triggered, the Llywydd (Presiding Officer) would schedule a single-day recall poll within three months. Voters in the member’s constituency would decide whether the representative should keep or lose their seat. If removed, replacement procedures would differ based on whether the member was elected from a party list or as an independent candidate.

The bill also seeks to strengthen standards procedures within the Senedd by introducing lay members to the Standards Committee and granting the Standards Commissioner the power to initiate investigations without requiring a formal complaint. These changes follow recommendations from the Standards of Conduct Committee’s report on deliberate deception and align Welsh practices with similar models used in the UK Parliament.

“These reforms are designed to bring external expertise and independence to the Committee’s work,” said a Welsh Government spokesperson, noting that the UK Parliament has employed a similar model since 2013, with lay members serving alongside elected representatives.

The third component of the bill addresses electoral misinformation by providing Welsh Ministers with the legal framework to create criminal offenses for making or publishing false or misleading statements during Senedd elections. While the bill itself doesn’t immediately establish these offenses, it creates the mechanism for future governments to implement such measures through secondary legislation.

This provision responds to growing concerns about misinformation in democratic processes and follows recommendations from the Standards of Conduct Committee. Any new offenses would likely not take effect until the 2030 Senedd election at the earliest, as the rules for the upcoming 2026 election have already been updated.

The bill comes at a time of significant change in Welsh politics, with the 2026 election set to introduce a new electoral system with 96 members elected through closed list proportional representation across 16 constituencies.

With the next Senedd election approaching, the Welsh Government is working to complete its legislative program before the Senedd dissolves in April 2026. This timeline has placed pressure on the newly established Member Accountability Bill Committee, which must complete its evidence gathering and publish its report by December 23, 2025.

The committee has launched a public consultation open until November 19, 2025, and will be taking targeted oral evidence from key stakeholders, including Julie James MS, the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery who is overseeing the bill.

Political observers note that these reforms represent a significant evolution in Wales’ democratic infrastructure as the devolved institution matures. The proposals reflect a growing emphasis on accountability and transparency in democratic institutions across the UK, while also addressing the unique context of Welsh governance.