Evidence that Plaid Cymru are still smarting over the loss of one of their Assembly Members to the Tories is there for all to see in today’s Western Mail.
The paper reports on a challenge from the newly selected PLaid Cymru PPC for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Jonathan Edwards, who wants to know what role was played by David Cameron and Tory Shadow Secretary of State, Cheryl Gillan in the affair.
This is more than an academic question simply because of the reasons given by Mohammed Ashgar in recent days for switching parties. He told a local radio station that he quit Plaid after he was told by party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones that he could not recruit his daughter Natasha as a press officer. The party had earlier decided to ban its elected politicians from employing family members.
As Mr. Edwards points out, this is contrary to the recommendations of the Kelly report into MPs’ expenses which said that in future members should not be able to employ family members. David Cameron has signed his party up to all of the recommendations in this report.
Plaid Cymru may well be regretting selecting Mr. Ashgar for an Assembly seat in the first place, however the Tories must be hoping that now he is with them, he stops trying to justify his defection and gets on with the job. At present neither side is coming out of this affair smelling of roses.
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No reason for Plaid to come out of this damaged Peter. At the end of the day, Mohammed went to the hustings, he was selected democratically, up until the point he was told he couldn’t be nepotistic in his employment practices, he was a member that fully supported Plaid Cymru’s aims.
If people show their true colours after they are selected and elected… What can anybody do about it?