South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle is one of three Members behind moves to ban the smacking of children in Wales.
The Plaid Cymru politician, and former leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, has joined with Labour’s Christine Chapman, Julie Morgan and the Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams in calling for the new law.
The cross-party group of Assembly Members have tabled a debate in the Senedd for Wednesday and will urge the Welsh Government to remove the defence of “legal chastisement”.
The four have used a new system in the Assembly which allows AMs to bring forward motions of their choosing for debate
A previous attempt to outlaw smacking in Wales fell apart over doubts the Assembly had enough powers to introduce it. This time around, Labour’s First Minister Carwyn Jones has said he feels the Assembly does have enough authority to introduce it.
Labour, in a manifesto pledge during the last Assembly election, said it would “work to make physical punishment of children and young people unacceptable through the promotion of positive alternatives”.
Mr Whittle said: “This is something where the Assembly could really make a major impact, one of the first big laws we could pass since the new powers.”
I agree with Lindsay in the main thrust of his argument.
The one reason I hold this view is that I don`t think that ANYONE should be subject to intimidation OF ANY sort, or at whatever age, including bullying, which of course as people get older they learn many ways to bully and control others, and some politicians are not exempt.
To inflict such physical `punishment` on children is unwise in that it quickly becomes clear to the child that physical violence is a form of intimidating control, and it is not difficult to extrapulate that into being an inflicter of violent behaviour, the abused becoming the abuser.
I hope that all parties at the Assembly will support Lindsay in this endevour.
I was smacked when I was younger because I used to play up really badly and I'm glad I was because it instilled discipline! Who knows where id be now if I wasn't, not working as an Engineer like I'm doing now! I might add that I'm only 24 years old, so not that long ago!