Tory group at Assembly could be suspended in Reckless row

THE entire Tory group at the National Assembly could find itself suspended by the Conservative Party in the wake of a decision to admit former Ukip AM Mark Reckless.

Members of the previously 11-strong group decided unanimously this week to admit Mr Reckless even though he has not applied to rejoin the Conservative Party.

Feelings are running very high over the admission of Mr Reckless, who was an MP representing a constituency in Kent when he defected from the Conservatives to Ukip in 2014.

He resigned his seat and won a by-election but lost it to the Conservative candidate at the 2015 general election.

In May 2016 he topped Ukip’s regional list in South Wales East and was elected as an AM.

This week Mr Reckless quit Ukip and Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies welcomed him as a member of the Assembly group, while pointing out that he had not rejoined the party.

High-profile Welsh Tories have criticised the decision of the Assembly group to admit the former Ukip AM, with Cardiff North MP Craig Williams telling BBC Wales: “I’ve thought long and hard about the pros and cons of him joining and whether I should be as upset as I am.

“And I think we should be upset because he has treated the party with absolute contempt. In fact, he’s treated two parties with absolute contempt in as many years.

“Is this the kind of person we want to say to the electorate represents our values? No, it’s not.”

Asked how the issue was seen in London, given that the Conservative group at the Assembly had said things were all right and it would be possible to “move on”, Mr Williams said: “I wouldn’t be talking to you and doing a TV interview if I thought that Downing Street would be on the other side, if I thought the party were on the other side.

“I’m pretty convinced they’re as upset as I am. I’m pretty convinced, more importantly, that the rank and file of our party see suspending the important elements of a constitution as unforgiveable.”

In a clear sign of displeasure at the decision of Assembly group members to admit Mr Reckless, Lord Nick Bourne – who led the group for more than a decade – tweeted: “Mark Reckless left the Conservatives for Ukip standing against the party twice in his former seat and he has not rejoined the party.”

A senior Welsh Conservative who did not wish to be named said: “Andrew RT Davies did not seek permission from the party to admit Mark Reckless.

“To be a member of the Conservative group at the Assembly you need to be an AM and you need to be a member of the Conservative Party. It’s as simple as that.

“Mark Reckless is describing himself on his Twitter account as a Welsh Conservative AM when he is not a member of the party. This is wholly unacceptable.

“Andrew RT Davies does not own the Conservative Party and neither does the Conservative group.

“By defying the party rules they are all in it together. The logical outcome if they persist is that the party will move against the group as a whole, suspending them all.”

Another senior Conservative source said: “Andrew RT Davies has now fallen out with two Prime Ministers.

“He fell out with David Cameron over Brexit and now he is falling out with Theresa May over this issue.”

A Tory Assembly group source said: “The group decided to admit Mark Reckless because he has proved himself to be a hard-working and effective AM.

“His joining also allows us to become the official opposition, which gives us an enhanced ability to hold to account a failing Labour government.

“People in the party were briefed in advance but the group had the right to make this decision.”