Plaid Cymru is facing a backlash for allowing Jonathan Edwards MP to rejoin the party. The MP has been allowed to resume his party membership but will remain sitting as an independent MP. The Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP was arrested by Dyfed-Powys Police in Ammanford on May 20, 2020, and accepted a caution for assaulting his wife.
In a written statement, he later said he was "deeply sorry" for the "biggest regret of my life". He was suspended from the party by a disciplinary panel for 12 months and has been sitting as an independent MP since. Mr Edwards asked the same panel to look again and see if it felt he could be readmitted. The panel unanimously agreed that the suspension of Mr Edwards’ party membership should be lifted with immediate effect. However he is not yet sitting as a Plaid MP.
Many were stunned that a party disciplinary panel had allowed a man who admitted assaulting his wife to re-join Plaid Cymru. William Aled Jones wrote: "Very, very sad decision. Plaid should be ashamed".
Julie Ann Richards write: "How does someone like me, who is a victim of domestic abuse, deal with this decision?" Ar Jae Wills write: "Shameful and despicable! Why does Plaid want those who were arrested assault as party parliamentarians? This isn't ok!"
Writing in Welsh, Eleni said she was "extremely, extremely disappointed", saying it suggested the party did not take violence against women seriously." Huw Marshall wrote that he agreed it was a terrible decision. Another commenter said it was disappointing and was not a good look.
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A statement from the panel of the membership, discipline and standards committee reads: "The same panel which imposed Jonathan Edwards' 12-month suspension in July 2020 has now reconvened at Mr Edwards' request. The panel unanimously agreed that the suspension of Mr Edwards’ party membership should be lifted with immediate effect.
"In arriving at its decision, the panel agreed that Jonathan Edwards had satisfied the conditions placed upon him at the point of his suspension. The suspension imposed in July 2020 reflected the seriousness with which the panel dealt with the matter and reinforced its unequivocal stance that all forms of harassment, abuse and violence are unacceptable."
It's understood the Plaid Cymru disciplinary panel agreed unanimously to readmit Mr Edwards to the party after he fulfilled two conditions imposed previously - a year’s suspension and a course in domestic violence.
In a deal negotiated between Mr Edwards and party officials, there was an agreement to undertake a polling exercise aimed at determining whether Mr Edwards remained an electoral asset for Plaid in the constituency. In the meantime he was prepared to take his name off Plaid’s list of approved candidates. These moves now appear to have been superseded.
For now, he remains an independent MP. A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: "The internal process of determining Mr Edwards’ membership of the Westminster group is yet to be concluded."
Despite the livid backlash at Plaid Cymru for allowing Mr Edwards to rejoin as a member, he has some supporters within the party who want to see him back as a Plaid MP.
Plaid Cymru's chairman, Alun Ffred Jones, has resigned his post because Mr Edwards has not been allowed to sit as a Plaid MP. The National Executive Committee’s instruction that Mr Edwards should not have the party whip restored to him was seen by Mr Jones as incompatible with the disciplinary panel’s decision and he resigned as party chair.
The party's spokesman said: "Plaid Cymru wishes to thank Alun Ffred Jones for his many years of unstinting loyalty and service to the party. Alun Ffred has chaired the party’s National Executive Committee with dedication and professionalism at all times. The vice chair, Beca Brown, has been elected Chair for a period until the Annual Conference when the position will be up for election."
Councillor Glynog Davies who represents Brynaman and is a cabinet member on Carmarthenshire County Council said: "It's a very dark day for our great party that a disciplinary procedure has been politicised in such a blatant manner. Plaid Cymru at a national level has started a very dangerous precedent where justice in the party will now be determined by the mob and natural justice will be denied.
"Ultimately a party that has no respect for its own rules has no respect for itself. I am extremely concerned that a hard working asn successful MP like Jonathan has been treated in this manner."
Betws councillor Betsan Jones said: "The national party are going to face a significant backlash locally if they try and take our MP away from us."
Mr Edwards said: "I am happy to confirm that the disciplinary committee have determined that I have met the conditions to terminate my suspension. I look forward to discussing the way forward with local party members over the coming weeks before making any decisions about my political future or issuing any further statement."
In Mr Edwards' statement shortly after the incident, he said: "I complied fully with the police and acted with the best interests of my wife and children as my primary motive throughout. I have referred myself to an investigation by my party. My priority now is to work with my wife to ensure as stable a future as possible for our family."
His wife Emma Edwards also gave a statement, saying she accepted his apology. She added: “Throughout the decade we have been together, he has been a loving and caring husband and father. As far as I am concerned the matter is now closed.”
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