New chair of Welsh Labour lives in Bolton!!!

 There appears to be yet another example that the Labour party regard Wales as merely a geographic location  as it emerges that he new chairwoman of Welsh Labour lives in Bolton in the North of England.

Wales Online informs us that  

Margaret Thomas, who has been the Wales regional secretary of the trade union Unison for the past six years, continues to live in the Greater Manchester town, where she is a magistrate.

 She took over as chair of Welsh Labour at the party conference in Llandudno last weekend, and will oversee discussions at Labour’s Welsh Executive Committee on whether there should be a change to current arrangements in the way Carwyn Jones’ successor is elected.

It continues,
 

Plaid Cymru has long been sceptical of the term “Welsh Labour”, pointing out that it has no legal significance and is merely a brand for campaigning purposes.
Reacting to the fact that Ms Thomas lives in Bolton, Plaid AM Adam Price said:

“This appointment blows apart the myth of ‘Welsh Labour’.
“However, it comes as no surprise from a Labour Party whose head office in London is out of sight and out of touch with Wales. If our country is to realise its potential, it needs a government at the helm which understands and cares for the best interests of its people and communities. The branch office of a Westminster party cannot and never will do this.”

Reacting to Mr Price’s comments, a spokesman for Welsh Labour said: 

“While Adam Price pens offensive claptrap like this, attacking hard working Trade Union women, Welsh Labour - in Westminster, in Cardiff Bay, and in council chambers and communities across the country - is getting on with the job of standing up for Wales.
“Since the Assembly was born, Welsh voters have responded positively to Welsh Labour’s progressive, outward-looking, and distinctly Welsh approach, and have put their trust in Welsh Labour to deliver for our communities.

 “In stark contrast, Plaid Cymru’s offer of divisive nationalism and narrow, inward looking politics has been repeatedly rejected by the people of Wales - most recently and comprehensively at last year’s General Election.”

Which to me just shows Labour arrogance  and that they have an almost divine right to power in Wales.  


But concern about the fact that Ms Thomas lives outside Wales was expressed from within Labour by Jeff Jones, the former leader of Bridgend council who is now a political consultant and commentator.
He said:

 “This is absurd and makes the party look stupid. How can you have a chair of Welsh Labour who lives in Bolton? When I mention it to people in my local pub, I know people will burst out laughing.
“The party goes on about its commitment to devolution and the existence of a distinctively Welsh agenda – yet allows a situation where someone living in Bolton becomes chair. It’s like having a chair of the London Labour Party who lives in Aberystwyth.”

Precisely ; if Ms Thomas had indicated that she intended to move to Wales soon, I don't think there would be a problem but she has been the  Wales regional secretary of the trade union Unison for the past six years and a Unison members have expressed concern to us about the fact that Ms Thomas does not live in Wales.


One said:

 “It would seem appropriate for a trade union leader representing more than 100,000 Welsh workers to live in Wales herself. People can’t understand why she doesn’t. Sometimes she operates from the Colwyn Bay office, which is much nearer her home than Cardiff, where the union’s headquarters in Wales is situated.

“The union is spending a lot of money on her expenses, including hotel stays in Cardiff costing thousands of pounds a year.”


A Unison spokesman confirmed that Ms Thomas lives in the north west of England, adding:

 “Unison has three offices in Wales, and as part of her job, the regional secretary needs to travel around the country on a regular basis, and to other parts of the UK supporting Unison members and branches, and meeting senior Welsh Government officials.
“As with all other employees of the union in Wales and across the UK, expenses incurred are reimbursed, which includes standard class rail travel and car mileage, paid in accordance with HM Revenue & Customs rates. This is common practice in unions and other organisations.”

You could use this argument to move the Welsh Assembly  to Bolton usung this argument.

Why don't  "Welsh" Labour and Unison argue for a vast improvement in Transport links in Wales?

Instead Labour seem in cahoots with the Tories to split Wales  into  a North west of England region around Liverpool and South West around Bristol.


This  is an incredible expose. It is not  a case of  " divisive nationalism and narrow, inward looking politics" to expect the chairwoman of Welsh Labour and
Wales regional secretary of the trade union Unison to experience the daily life of Wales.

There is no "Welsh" Labour no registered party with that name and a term that is used to convince the Welsh electorate that they have our interests at heart .

The truth is for many of that  leadership Wales, is nothing more than a geographical  region  that could just as well disappear into maps of North and South West England.