The Senedd's presiding officer has formally reprimanded a Reform MS for using what he deemed offensive language during a debate on the Welsh Gender Service (WGS), marking the first direct rebuke of Joe Martin by the chamber's leadership.
Martin, Reform's representative for Caerdydd Penarth, called for the service to be permanently closed and demanded imprisonment of medical professionals he described as
"the liars and the butchers responsible for what's happened to what's left of the young people who have had surgery performed."He made these remarks during a debate triggered by Welsh Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter on Wednesday, who highlighted that patients were experiencing
"unbearable limbo"as a result of the service's operational pause.
Presiding officer Huw Irranca-Davies determined that Martin's contribution breached the Senedd's standing orders by containing disorderly and offensive language. A spokesperson for Irranca-Davies stated:
"The Llywydd has reviewed the contribution made by Joe Martin MS during the short debate yesterday. He has ruled that the remarks breached the requirements under standing orders, specifically that they were disorderly and offensive. The Llywydd intends to make this ruling on the record at the next available opportunity in Plenary and has written to the member to require that he does not use language of this type in future contributions."
Martin did not specify which cases he was referencing, and his characterisation was factually inaccurate: the WGS provides services exclusively to adults aged 18 and over, not children. The service's pause on surgical referrals began on 28 August 2026, following concerns about referral appropriateness, clinical governance and patient safeguards. According to reporting on the pause's impact, 451 Welsh patients have been affected by the suspension of gender surgery referrals.
This incident reflects a pattern of controversial statements from Martin in the Senedd chamber. In June 2026, he faced accusations of racism after claiming that attacks from Sudanese asylum seekers were
"inevitable,"prompting a complaint to the presiding officer. The following day, he triggered a walk-out from other MSs with remarks joking about Welsh students' literacy levels. While those earlier comments drew criticism from members of other parties, this represents the first formal ruling against him by the presiding officer.
Reform Wales acknowledged the presiding officer's decision while defending Martin's right to speak. A party spokesperson said:
"While we believe Joe's remarks should be protected as free speech, we accept the ruling of the Llywydd."Martin told Radio Wales Breakfast on Saturday that he had scheduled a meeting with the presiding officer for the following week.
What sparked the debate?
The Senedd discussion centred on the ongoing crisis affecting the Welsh Gender Service, which has been under independent clinical review since August. Reform colleague Cristiana Emsley acknowledged that the pause in surgeries was being managed in a way that might cause distress but argued it was justified by the concerns that prompted it. The independent clinical review panel has now been appointed, with work expected to begin in the week commencing 21 September 2026.
Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor immediately distanced the Welsh government from Martin's remarks, describing them as
"entirely unacceptable."Plaid Cymru's chief whip Heledd Fychan raised a point of order requesting that Martin's comments be reviewed for breaches of rules on discriminatory language, which prompted Irranca-Davies to agree there was merit in the concern and commit to a formal review.
Impact on patients and the service
The pause affects referrals for gender-affirming surgery, surgical assessments and surgery itself, though hormone therapy support, endocrine review and psychological support continue. The scope of the suspension has left hundreds of patients in limbo, with a petition calling for planned surgeries to resume immediately passing 10,000 signatures in less than a week, triggering a requirement for Senedd consideration.
David Fluck, executive medical director of Cardiff and Vale health board, which runs the WGS, stated:
"We are committed to being an open, diverse and inclusive employer and healthcare provider to all and we do not support any comments that discriminate or negatively stigmatise trans patients or communities."He confirmed that
"services are only provided for adults aged 18 or over"and emphasised the health board's commitment to the review process:
"The review aims to ensure patients continue to receive appropriate, safe and high-quality care that meets their needs and as a health board and provider of the service for Wales, we will co-operate with the review fully."
What happens next?
The Senedd petition on the paused surgeries is due to be considered for debate following its passage of the 10,000-signature threshold. The independent clinical review panel is expected to begin work in the week commencing 21 September 2026, with the review process aimed at determining whether suspended cases can safely proceed and establishing improved safeguards for future referrals.
