Thank you, Llywydd. I wasn't anticipating having to make this speech, as no notice had been given to me by Mandy Jones of her objection, but having said that, I will now take the opportunity to respond.

I made my arguments in the debate on the dignity and respect policy, and I made the point that all people in public life should be entitled to a private life and, in the context of that debate, referred in particular to Michelle Brown's case, where she found herself before the standards committee because of a conversation that she had on the telephone, which was secretly recorded and then was maliciously published by a former employee. I don't seek to defend the words that were complained of, but I did think, in the context of our dignity and respect policy, that there ought to be a test of reasonableness and a test of proportionality in the sanction applied if someone was found to be in breach of the rules. That said, that was the point of view that I put in the debate. The Assembly took a different view. And just as, over many, many years, I voted in the House of Commons and, indeed, in this Assembly on proposed laws of the land, if I was on the losing side, of course I accepted that I lost the argument, or at least lost the vote, and therefore I would faithfully uphold the rules that had been voted through, and that applies in this instance too. We disagree honourably amongst each other in a democratic Assembly, and we're entitled to take different views on the desirability of proposed courses of action. That doesn't mean that any of us condones the kind of conduct, behaviour or words that are reprehensible or opprobrious and are likely to cause egregious offence, and still less those that are racist or whatever.

All I will say is that if the Assembly approves this appointment this afternoon, I will perform the obligations of a Commissioner to the best of my ability, with the kind of professionalness, honesty and integrity that I think I have displayed in the two years that I have been here. I think there are enough Members who have worked with me in committees, as well as in Plenary sessions, to know that I have always done my best to uphold the principles upon which this place is based. My party, which opposed its creation in the first place, has accepted the result of the people, and the will of the people is all. I would take the same view of the will of the Assembly in respect of the rules that it adopts in respect of the conduct of its own Members. So, that, I think, is a brief statement of my position—that I will uphold the dignity and respect policy, as it has been approved by this Assembly.