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AM cleared in standards inquiry AM cleared in standards inquiry
(about 2 hours later)
A Labour AM has been cleared by the Welsh Assembly's standards commissioner of misusing its postal service to send leaflets to party members. A Labour AM has been cleared by the Welsh assembly's standards commissioner of misusing its postal service to send leaflets to party members.
Richard Penn said he was satisfied the leaflet sent out by Mid and West Wales AM Joyce Watson, was not a personal, business or commercial communication. Richard Penn said he was satisfied the leaflet sent out by Mid and West Wales AM Joyce Watson was not a personal, business or commercial communication.
A code of conduct prohibits AMs from using assembly resources to produce or distribute unsolicited mail.A code of conduct prohibits AMs from using assembly resources to produce or distribute unsolicited mail.
The investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged by the Conservatives.The investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged by the Conservatives.
Ms Watson had confirmed she produced a newsletter and a second similar one and posted both of them to around 1,000 Labour members in mid and west Wales using the assembly's pre-paid envelopes. Ms Watson had confirmed she produced a newsletter and a second similar one and posted both of them to around 1,000 Labour Party members using the assembly's pre-paid envelopes.
The glossy full colour newsletters contained pictures of Ms Watson and articles about her work as an AM. The full colour newsletters contained pictures of Ms Watson and articles about her work as an AM.
Ms Watson insisted the newsletters were not "party political" because they did not mention she was a Labour AM, and she maintained her staff had cleared the mailing with the appropriate assembly authorities.Ms Watson insisted the newsletters were not "party political" because they did not mention she was a Labour AM, and she maintained her staff had cleared the mailing with the appropriate assembly authorities.
Mr Penn said the fact the recipients were Labour party members was "somewhat irrelevant" in deciding whether it was a party political communication. Mr Penn said the fact the recipients were Labour members was "somewhat irrelevant" in deciding whether it was a party political communication.
"It is the content that makes a document party political," he said.
"I have read the document and my judgement is that there is no party political content."
He dismissed the complaint as "not admissible".