A police and crime commissioner has said he is “not sorry” after complaints about his conduct when he tweeted that those who backed Brexit were “turkeys voting for Christmas”.
Arfon Jones, Plaid Cymru’s police chief for North Wales, tweeted the response in reply to a Labour MP who was critical of Brexit.
He wrote: “Ah well, told you so back in 2016. Leavers = turkeys voting for Christmas.
“It will get worse and much more expensive not to mention a double whammy for the economy and employment. Not seeing no benefits on the horizon.”
Ah well, told you so back in 2016.
Leavers = turkeys voting for Christmas.
It will get worse and much more expensive not to mention a double whammy for the economy and employment.
Not seeing no benefits on the horizon. https://t.co/25li8BMAXh
— Arfon Jones 🏴🏴 (@ArfonJ) July 14, 2020
But the tweet ended up with the former councillor in hot water – with a complaint which claimed it was “name-calling” upheld by a panel overlooking the procedures.
According to a report, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Jones has been told to apologise on his social media accounts where he made the remarks.
“As the principles of the code of conduct should apply, then the comments made on social media were not appropriate and that the PCC had fallen short of his obligations taken as part of his oath of office, in that he agreed to treat others with dignity and respect,” said the report.
But Stephen Hughes, the chief executive at the commissioner’s office, dismissed claims Jones needed to apologise.
“Turkeys voting for Xmas is an English idiom where one clearly votes against one’s economic interest,” Hughes told the panel.
“The use of a phrase to describe behaviours cannot possibly be a conduct issue.”
A tweet containing details of the complaint was pinned to Jones’ Twitter profile.
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