SENEDD members queued up today in First Minister’s Questions to attack Reform UK and Russian interference in Welsh democracy after the 10-year jail sentence given to the party’s former Welsh leader.

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar expressed his disgust with Nathan Gill, who was sentenced last week for accepting bribes to make pro-Russian speeches in the European Parliament.

He said: “Let’s remind ourselves that Nigel Farage has previously described Gill as, and I quote, an ‘honest, decent, honourable man.’

“He’s [Farage] also spoken of his admiration for Vladimir Putin, and peddled the Russian propaganda line that the West provoked the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

Mr Miller was joined in his condemnation by back-bench Tory member Tom Giffard, who wanted to know how the Welsh government is working with the security services to keep the next Senedd election free from foreign interference.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “We’re working side by side with the UK government, the security services, the police, the Senedd Commission and the defending democracy task force to make sure that we don’t see that kind of political interference when it comes to our elections.”

She also made a statement in response to the publication of Baroness Hallett’s second Covid pandemic report, saying: “It is important that we remember the immense loss and suffering of so many people due to Covid-19.

“There are undoubtedly lessons to be learnt from the pandemic and there is a need to provide answers to those who have lost loved ones and who were affected by the virus.”

Opposition leaders continued to echo the calls from the Covid Bereaved Families Cymru group, who want a specific inquiry in Wales focusing on the Welsh government’s decisions and actions during the pandemic.