There can be no argument that the sort of populist politics conducted by "Plaid" AM Neil McEvcoy is an effective campaigner .
He has after all turned Cardiff West into a marginal Assembly Seat and his aggressive style wins a great deal of support from supporters, though he may well turn off an equal number of electors.
The problem for Plaid is that he appears to use it against colleagues as well as political opponents.
In March 2017 a Cardiff Council tribunal found a comment that McEvoy made to a council officer after a tenant's eviction hearing in 2015 amounted to "bullying behaviour".[21] The Adjudication Panel for Wales ruled he broke Cardiff council's code of conduct but did not bring the council into disrepute. After the hearing, Mr McEvoy described the panel proceedings as a "farce" but Plaid chairman Alun Ffred Jones said the matter was "serious because it involves bullying". McEvoy was subsequently suspended from the Plaid Cymru Senedd group on 7 March 2017 and reinstated two weeks later.
A Plaid Cymru disciplinary panel was to consider the complaints later in the Autumn.
In September 2017, McEvoy was suspended again, after a unanimous decision by Plaid's Assembly group, following accusations that he had undermined Plaid Cymru's policy on council housing. In January 2018 he was expelled from the Plaid Cymru group in the Welsh Assembly, with a spokesperson stating that "His ongoing behaviour has left assembly member colleagues feeling undermined and demoralised".He currently sits as an Independent.
Now Plaid are find themselves between Scylla and Charybdis in whether to readmit Mr MceEvoy and I imagine , thet many Plaid members and supporters are in the dark over just what Mr McEvoy has done
However the BBC now reports that Plaid Cymru assembly members are opposed to Neil McEvoy's application to re-join the party,
It's not for me to tell the Party what they should do, but if he is readmitted, then I expect he will be expected to abide to stringent conditions, which may not be in his nature to keep to.
He has after all turned Cardiff West into a marginal Assembly Seat and his aggressive style wins a great deal of support from supporters, though he may well turn off an equal number of electors.
The problem for Plaid is that he appears to use it against colleagues as well as political opponents.
In March 2017 a Cardiff Council tribunal found a comment that McEvoy made to a council officer after a tenant's eviction hearing in 2015 amounted to "bullying behaviour".[21] The Adjudication Panel for Wales ruled he broke Cardiff council's code of conduct but did not bring the council into disrepute. After the hearing, Mr McEvoy described the panel proceedings as a "farce" but Plaid chairman Alun Ffred Jones said the matter was "serious because it involves bullying". McEvoy was subsequently suspended from the Plaid Cymru Senedd group on 7 March 2017 and reinstated two weeks later.
A Plaid Cymru disciplinary panel was to consider the complaints later in the Autumn.
In September 2017, McEvoy was suspended again, after a unanimous decision by Plaid's Assembly group, following accusations that he had undermined Plaid Cymru's policy on council housing. In January 2018 he was expelled from the Plaid Cymru group in the Welsh Assembly, with a spokesperson stating that "His ongoing behaviour has left assembly member colleagues feeling undermined and demoralised".He currently sits as an Independent.
Now Plaid are find themselves between Scylla and Charybdis in whether to readmit Mr MceEvoy and I imagine , thet many Plaid members and supporters are in the dark over just what Mr McEvoy has done
However the BBC now reports that Plaid Cymru assembly members are opposed to Neil McEvoy's application to re-join the party,
They say,
New details have emerged of allegations that led the party's AMs to expel him from their Senedd group last year.A document seen by Newyddion 9 alleged Mr McEvoy had accused a colleague of racism based on an untrue allegation and made staff feel uncomfortable.Mr McEvoy said he could not reply to the claims because of confidentiality.The South Wales Central AM was expelled from the party's assembly group in January 2018. He was later expelled from Plaid for 12 months following an investigation into his conduct.It is understood that his former colleagues in the party group oppose his bid to be reinstated as a Plaid member, although leader Adam Price has not been involved in any discussions between the assembly members.
One AM said it would be "impracticable" for Mr McEvoy to rejoin the party and not the Welsh Assembly group.Evidence submitted to Plaid Cymru's general council, shown to Newyddion 9, has revealed the extent of the apparent breakdown in the relationship between Mr McEvoy and Plaid AMs between 2016 and 2018.In the document, which explains the decision to expel him from the group, the AMs claimed Mr McEvoy had:
- threatened to resign in the first group meeting after the 2016 election
- made an unfounded claim that ex-leader Leanne Wood told the group that non-whites were deliberately excluded from air time in the Westminster election
- accused a colleague of racism based on an untrue allegation
- undermined a member of staff in an email with a journalist
- adopted an aggressive tone
- submitted a Subject Access Request to Leanne Wood, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Dai Lloyd and Bethan Sayed asking for "all personal data about me"
- made staff feel uncomfortable
Mr McEvoy said: "I'm unable to comment as I respect the confidentiality of the (application) process".
Heledd Gwyndaf, a member of Plaid Cymru, defended his right to rejoin the party.
She said:
How Plaid resolve this issue could be vital , if they readmit him then they could face resignations from senior party members perhaps AMs as well, but if they do not then they can probably kiss Cardiff West goodbye."Neil McEvoy is a hard-working, principled and very effective AM; and if Plaid Cymru want to win the next assembly elections in 2021 and if Adam Price is to become the first minister of Wales, then I think they have to get Neil McEvoy back"."But the real story here is why has this story been released to the press... and for what purpose," she added.Mr McEvoy launched a bid to rejoin Plaid Cymru earlier this year.The decision fell to a disciplinary committee, which failed to reach a decisionwhen it met to consider Mr McEvoy's request to return to Plaid Cymru.It was set to hold another meeting, but following leaks to the press the committee asked party bosses to wind it up and find new members.BBC Wales understands the committee has been disbanded -in the party. delaying Mr McEvoy's bid to rejoin.
It's not for me to tell the Party what they should do, but if he is readmitted, then I expect he will be expected to abide to stringent conditions, which may not be in his nature to keep to.
1 comment:
Like you say Glyn, Plaid are between Cilla Black and a hard place on this issue. If McEvoy stands at the next Senedd Election or for Westminster their candidate will come third if it is not him.
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