Row after branch paid footballers to deliver cards
A BRANCH of the Labour Party paid a youth football team to deliver thousands of Christmas cards which contained a political newsletter to people’s homes.
The move has upset some residents in the Llynfi Valley who vented their anger towards the players of Maesteg Park FC’s youth side, who are aged 16 and 17, on the doorstep and on social media.
The previously rock solid Labour area has been left in turmoil following the resignation of a number of party members and councillors in protest after two longstanding Labour borough and town councillors – Ross Thomas and Keith Edwards – were deemed ineligible to stand for the party again.
The Maesteg councillors said their de-facto deselections stemmed from their refusal two years ago to obey the Labour whip and approve what would become a failed merger attempt between Bridgend County Borough and the Vale of Glamorgan councils.
They refused to back the merger claiming it could lead to a loss of vital European funding for the area.
But the Llynfi Labour group’s Christmas newsletter challenges their assertion that they had been deselected, claiming “there have been no deselections within Labour in the Llynfi Valley – only resignations” as councillors Thomas and Edwards had chosen not to appeal after failing an interview.
The newsletter also denies that the regeneration of the area was ever put at risk by the potential merger of the two councils.
Ross Thomas took to Facebook to counter what he called the “myths” in the newsletter, which also prompted some criticism of its delivery method.
Andrew Jones, secretary of Maesteg Park FC, which has 11 teams and 150 players, said players distributed 2,400 Christmas cards and newsletters on Labour’s behalf to homes in the area in return for a small donation to the team.
He said they agreed to do it as the current local councillors, including Ross Thomas and those who have remained with Labour, had previously helped the team to overcome difficulties and ensure its survival.
But he stressed the team has no political affiliations and had no part in the contents of the newsletter.
He said a couple of residents had expressed their disquiet at the delivery of the newsletter by the players
But he added: “There was nothing major, nothing nasty. Just silly re- marks. Apparently a couple of people said, ‘Don’t deliver this to my door’, and that was fed back.”
Maesteg councillor Mal Reeves, a member of the Llynfi Valley Labour group, said voluntary groups have delivered their literature for years.
He said: “I am amazed at the attitude of ex-Labour councillors and members to the delivery of councillors’ Christmas cards and newsletters.
“Labour Party literature has been delivered by various Llynfi Valley voluntary groups for several years without a murmur from these ex-Labour members!
“This has been some- thing that we as Labour councillors have been pleased to be in a position of assisting local voluntary groups in their fundraising efforts. This crude attempt on social media at intimidating local groups from .being involved in this activity and the abuse that they had on the doorstep is totally unacceptable.”