Plaid leader backs party in ‘bullying’ row

PLAID CYMRU leader Leanne Wood has insisted the party takes bullying “very seriously” after an AM was suspended from his role as a councillor.

South Wales AM Neil McEvoy was suspended as a Cardiff councillor for a month following a disciplinary hearing last Friday.

An independent panel found that Mr McEvoy showed “bullying behaviour” towards a member of Cardiff council staff.

Plaid’s leadership have came under fire from within and outside the party for allowing Mr McEvoy to speak at the final day of the party’s conference in Newport on Saturday despite his suspension.

Ms Wood told BBC Wales the party took bullying “very seriously” and said it was “important we respect” due process.

She told Radio Wales: “Plaid Cymru takes bullying very seriously and we also take process seriously. This has been referred to the party chair now in accordance with our party processes.”

When asked if Coun McEvoy should have been allowed to speak at conference, she said the decision had been taken by Plaid Cymru’s chair Alun Ffred Jones and a steering committee, but she was not in a position to express her own opinion about the decision.

But there was condemnation from Plaid AM Bethan Jenkins over the decision to let Mr McEvoy appear at the conference.

She wrote on Twitter: “Leadership shouldn’t let someone speak day after this result.

“We cannot condemn this behaviour and ignore in own ranks.

“If nobody else will say #notosilence.”

She added: “Supporting a woman facing eviction by bullying another woman is not acceptable and I firmly stand against any bullying against anyone.”

Party chairman Alun Ffred Jones told the BBC the one-month suspension means Mr McEvoy will still be a candidate in May’s local elections, and any decision to drop him would be for the it

Iwill. local party – which is not expected to happen.

Mr McEvoy has now said he will be appealing.

He said: “If you’re going to let me call witnesses, if you’re going to have full disclosure of emails, if you’re going to listen to all of the arguments, then fine. Then maybe I’d have a different opinion.

“I’ve been found guilty without being able to present... evidence that I wanted.”

The case before the independent panel centred on the fact that Mr McEvoy turned to city finance team member Deborah Carter in 2015 and said: “I can’t wait for May 2017 when the restructure of the council happens.”

That came after a hearing where she was told she would be evicted from her council home after racking up arrears over a number of years.

He said: “The only woman who was bullied that day was the poor single mother.”