CONTROVERSIAL UKIP AM Neil Hamilton should “consider his suitability in his role” after an “abhorrent statement” that “suicide is an option” during a National Assembly debate into Brexit, it has been claimed.

Mr Hamilton was heard to make the comment when fellow Mid and West Wales regional AM Eluned Morgan was speaking about the potential impact of Brexit on mid Wales, leading to one resident calling for him to consider resigning following the “callous and completely offensive” remarks.

Matthew Jones, who works for Plaid Cymru’s Ceredigion AM Elin Jones, said he had been shocked by the remark and said it was offensive to families of people who had committed suicide.

He said: “Regardless of anyone’s views regarding Brexit, poverty, depression and suicide are not subjects to be scoffed at by people in privileged positions, especially people who have been elected to represent constituents who may well be suffering in very real situations, or have been touched by these immensely negative issues.”

Ms Morgan AM added: “The presiding officer felt that the language was inappropriate in the Siambr so asked Mr Hamilton to apologise.

“What made the whole episode even worse was his reluctance to admit he’d done anything wrong.”

But Mr Hamilton said: “My remark was an aside and, quite obviously, not meant to be taken seriously.

“It was directed at Eluned Morgan because her relentless and exaggerated doom-mongering about Brexit is out of all proportion to reality.

“When one considers the words and phrases which have been used by Labour and Plaid Cymru about UKIP generally and me personally, it is hypocritical of them to seek to make political capital out of nothing.”