Investigations into Ukip AM’s comments
UKIP AM Michelle Brown is likely to face two investigations after a recording of her calling Chuka Umunna a “f ****** coconut” was made public.
The north Wales regional AM has been reported to the National Assembly’s watchdog over the alleged “racist” comments she made about the black Labour MP.
The chairman of Ukip has also confirmed the party will investigate the recording of her call in May 2016 to her then senior adviser Nigel Williams.
Ms Brown said her language was “inappropriate” and has “apologised to anyone that has been offended by it”.
Ukip chairman Paul Oakden said Ukip “obviously does not condone the personal views expressed by Michelle Brown”.
“We will conduct an investigation into this matter, the findings of which will be passed through to our National Executive Committee so that they might consider disciplinary action,” he said.
“We will also investigate whether a Ukip member and official surreptitiously recorded a private telephone conversation with Michelle Brown and disseminated it without her consent.”
The Daily Post reported that Labour’s leader in the Senedd, Hannah Blythyn AM, has also written to the Commissioner for Standards asking him to investigate the Ukip representative’s conduct.
In her letter Miss Blythin said: “I believe that these comments constitute a clear breach of the Code of Conduct for Assembly Members.
“I would ask you to look into this matter at the earliest possible opportunity.”
A spokesman for the National Assembly for Wales Labour group said: “This is absolutely outrageous language and lays bare the disgusting racism at the heart of Ukip.
“Anything less than immediate suspension would be a clear endorsement of Michelle Brown’s racist slur.”
The Code of Conduct for AMs states that members should “at all times conduct themselves in a manner which will tend to maintain and strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in the integrity of the Assembly and refrain from any action which would bring the Assembly, or its Members generally, into disrepute”.
During the same recorded conversation Ms Brown called former Labour MP Tristram Hunt a “t**t” and also labelled former United States President Barack Obama “a coconut”.
Her former aide Mr Williams said: “I’m appalled. There was no meltdown... She just decided to throw that into the conversation.”
Ms Brown said: “The point I was making is that, because of his considerable wealth and privilege, Chukka Umunna cannot possibly understand the difficulties and issues that the average black person faces in this country any more than I can, and I stand by that assertion.
“I do however accept that the language I used in the private conversation was inappropriate and I apologise to anyone that has been offended by it.”