Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar has called the interruption of his address on grooming gangs in the Welsh Parliament “pretty astonishing” following a heated exchange two days ago.
Speaking to GB News, Millar said the public “were not impressed” with the interjection from Speaker Elin Jones during his questioning about sexual exploitation.
The Conservative leader is pressing for either a Wales-wide or national inquiry into grooming gangs, citing evidence of such criminal activity in the Swansea area.
“We need to know here in Wales that there’s not another Rotherham or a Rochdale happening on our doorstep,” Millar told GB News.
Darren Millar says he was ‘astonished’ by the interruption in the Senedd
GB News
The dramatic scene unfolded when Speaker Elin Jones repeatedly interrupted Millar as he questioned Labour First Minister Eluned Morgan about grooming gangs.
Jones first intervened when Millar referenced a South Wales victim’s case, claiming he was being “overly descriptive” and “verging on not being respectful of the victim”.
When Millar insisted he was “just stating facts,” Jones sharply disagreed, warning him to avoid “inflaming any kind of discrimination”.
Speaking to GB News, Millar claimed that the interjection was “astonishing”, as he was “trying to shine a light” on the problem.
Millar was interjected multiple times as he attempted to speak out on grooming gangs
Welsh Parliament
Millar stated: “It was pretty astonishing, and the public have made it clear that they were not impressed with that interjection.
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“What I was trying to do was to shine a necessary light on the problems that we’ve got here in Wales.”
Millar pointed to findings from Professor Jay’s inquiry that uncovered evidence of grooming gangs operating in the Swansea area.
He also highlighted current concerns, citing a Crime Stoppers national campaign in Wales addressing exploitation of young people.
“Young people as young as 11 and 14 have been offered vaping products in return for sexual favours, not just by one individual but by a number of individual in flats upstairs of their local shops,” Millar told GB News.
The Welsh Conservative leader criticised the Government’s approach, saying they had “simply accepted the assurances” of South Wales Police and local authorities.
Millar told GB News that he is ‘determined’ to make sure groomings gangs are ended in Wales
GB News
Millar emphasised the need to put party politics aside on the issue, welcoming news of MPs speaking out against their party lines to support an inquiry.
“I am determined to make sure that the things which have happened when people have blown the whistle on these issues in other parts of the UK and they’ve been told to be quiet because of community tensions, I’m determined to make sure that those things don’t happen here in Wales,” he said.
The Conservative leader called for cross-party support of survivors’ campaign for a comprehensive investigation, stating that “insufficient investigation” had occurred thus far.
He stressed the importance of understanding “the extent of the problems in Wales” to address them effectively.
