Jane Dodds is calling for legislation to be introduced to help ensure that Members of the Senedd are held to a high standard of public accountability.

The Mid and West Wales MS said at the Senedd that legislation of that kind is already within the Welsh Government’s programme - particularly the element of deliberate political deception and making that an offence through an independent process.

Ms Dodds said: “Public trust in politicians is at an all-time low, with only nine per cent of the public expressing confidence in us - the lowest it has been for 40 years.”

This is in reference to data from the Veracity Index.

“More than half of UK voters - 58 per cent - believe that politicians almost never tell the truth,” said Ms Dodds.

“We only need to look to the new President of the United States. When he was the President the first time around, his presidency was marked by an astonishing 21 falsehoods a day, according to The Washington Post.

“We never want to see that in Wales, and we don't have that problem in Wales.

“But we do need legislation to ensure that we have a Senedd that is beginning to restore trust in people in Wales.”

First Minister, Eluned Morgan, said the Welsh Government is committed to bringing forward legislation in relation to disqualification of Members and candidates found guilty of deliberate deception.

She told Ms Dodds: “The Senedd's Standards of Conduct Committee is conducting an inquiry into individual Member accountability.

“It includes consideration of both recall and deception issues, and we're looking forward to receiving the report and recommendations of the committee.”

Speaking after the session, Ms Dodds said: “We can no longer tolerate the hijacking of our political system by mistruths and deception. We have return power back to voters.”