Plaid councillor's offensive tweat overshadows the real story.

Plaid Cymru has distanced itself from remarks made by one of the party’s councillors in which she described a Welsh Government appointee as a “cocky little £93k madam”.

Llanelli town councillor and former mayoress Ruth Price sparked outrage after tweeting the message about Sophie Howe.

She also compared the new future generations commissioner to actress Sharon Stone, who famously crossed and uncrossed her legs in the 1992 film Basic Instinct. 



 Coun Price tweeted on Tuesday evening: “

Sophie Howe was crossing her legs Sharon Stone-style in her interview. What a cocky little £93k madam.”

The tweet has since been deleted, with Coun Price writing: 

“I withdraw my earlier “Sharon Stone” remarks and apologise if they caused offence. Questions still remain over the Commissioner appointment.”

The Tweet by  Councillor Price was totally unacceptable from am elected member an it ht has also alowed Labour to divert the story away feom genuine questions abot Ms Howe's appointment bby making aresonable argument that   Coun Price should be disciplined.


However to bring the Plaid Leader into the actions of a lowly Town councillor looks like  Labour are probably  secretly delighted by the row switching from what should be the real story on how someone got a £93K job when seemingly being unqualified or whether the position of a future generations commissioner should be created in thse times of austerity should be made in the first placed.

 Labour ’s South Wales Police commissioner Alun Michael – under whom Ms Howe currently serves as deputy – described the message as “vile” and “unacceptable”.
Mr Michael added:

 “There is no place for comments of this sort in a civilised society and it is particularly unacceptable in Wales.
“Anyone who knows the powerful role that Sophie has played as Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner in making effective many interventions that have been aspirations for years, not least in tackling violence against women and girls, will be as outraged as I am at the personal, unpleasant and violent use of language.

Fair enough but prehaps Mr Michael can explain on what grounds did he  appoint a former Labour Councillor as his deputy?
 
a Welsh Labour spoksperson said

“It’s simply not good enough for Plaid to try and brush this disgusting sexism from one of their councillors under the rug,” 

“It speaks volumes that Leanne Wood is attempting to stand by and let her members make offensive sexist comments like this unchallenged.”

On Tuesday, Coun Price said her words had been blown out of proportion.
And, on the appointment, she added: “It’s a very important job, and highly paid, and I don’t know how she is qualified to do it.”

 And Plaid’s health spokeswoman Elin Jones tweeted Ms Howe directly to say: 

“Just to let you know @sophiehowe the Tweet comment by a cllr was completely unacceptable, and I’m sorry for any offence it’s caused you.”

 I in no way approve of  Coun Price Tweet but we should not let it overshadow
Labours constant appointment of party cronies to well paid government  jobs.

Offensive remarks like Coun Price's Tweet are unacceptable but so is the cronyism in the Lanour Party  and the often unchallenged appointment of Party members to Jobs which they appear to be unqualified to carry out.