Friday 12 July 2013

Bethan Jenkin could she jump ship before being pushed.



According to Wales Online Plaid Cymru are in s turmoil over AM Bethan Jenkins' Rihanna hotel bill

In article by Martin  Shipton who seems to have it in for the errant AM after it emerged that the South Wales AM’s decision to make a hotel expenses claim after attending last month’s Rihanna pop concert in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium has caused a huge headache for the party.

Shipton goes on
Ms Jenkins, who represents South Wales West,  rejected her leader’s suggestion, saying  she had done nothing wrong and that the party should not be pursuing the matter at a time when it was fighting a crucial by-election in Ynys Mðn.
A senior Plaid source told the Echo: “At Westminster MPs refer themselves to the Standards Commissioner when it is suggested they may have broken the rules. By refusing to do so, she has put the party leader into a very difficult position.”
The source said Ms Jenkins was being backed by Carmarthen East & Dinefwr AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas, and there was a concern that he might leave the Plaid group if the party sought to discipline Ms Jenkins. He will be retiring from the Assembly at the next election in 2016.
The consequences to Plaid of Ms Jenkins or Mr Thomas leaving its Assembly group would be serious. Plaid currently has 10 AMs, which will go back up to 11 if, as expected, the party wins the Ynys Mðn by-election on August.
But if for any reason the number of AMs drops permanently to 10 or less, the party will lose many thousands of pounds in public funding and could potentially be forced to make staff redundant
But hang on a moment  the report which originated in the South Wales Echo  goes on to say 
.
Yesterday morning Plaid issued a press statement which said: “Bethan Jenkins has told the leader of Plaid Cymru and the Assembly Commission that her overnight stay was needed because she was working in the Assembly the following morning.
“The Commission has accepted this explanation and will not be referring the matter to standards.”

So it seems that theres no real turmoil here . Maybe a sigh a vewy sighs af annoyance that Ms Jenkins has got herself into the media for the wrong reasons again but "Turmoil"

And that whould have vbeen my argument,but  Ms Jenkins clearly believes that ther may be a internal party campaign against her.

In a blog posted yesterday Ms Jenkins said:

 "I  am pleased  that my explanation has satisfied the Chief  Executive of  the Assembly  Commission  and that she has  deemed it  unnecessary to  refer the matter  to the Standards Commissioner.
“I would of course prefer that  discussions between myself and the Chief Executive  remain private.
“However, if press reports  are  to be believed it appears I have been the subject of potentially  damaging anonymous briefings to journalists.
“On this occasion, I therefore  feel I have no choice butto  make discussions between myself and the Chief Executive  known.
“I entered politics to make a   difference, not to make money.
“I am disappointed by the  anonymous briefing against me.”

So  it seems that not only does Mr Shipton have Bethan in his sights there may be elements within the party briefing against her  .

Of course this makes it harder for Bethan Jenkins to get the nunber 1 spot on Plaid's regional list for the next Asembly elections but there may be a fear that if she fails to do so she might quit the party before the election and then Plaid might find itself in turmoil.

Clearly it is Ms Jenkins fault that she got herself in another mess but those who seem to have thier knives out for her will also be responsible if this sets back progress because of thier internal squabbles.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beware of the Mirror owned Western Mail a New Laborite rag trying to cause Plaid Cymru problems.
Are there New Labourite agents in Plaid? There are some people there who sail too close to New Labour.

Anonymous said...

Bethan Jenkins is a clean cut hardworking Politician, the jealous and the greedy get annoyed because she is very popular in Wales, and in England too, she's bang tidy!