McEvoy to appeal Plaid suspension

ASSEMBLY member Neil McEvoy will appeal his suspension from Plaid Cymru.

The South Wales Central AM was suspended from the Plaid Cymru group for the second time this year in September.

Under Plaid Cymru standing orders, an Assembly Member suspended from the Assembly group can make an appeal to the party’s National Executive Committee to be reinstated.

He has said that he understands the National Executive Committee will hear the appeal on November 18.

Mr McEvoy, pictured, said: “I have made an appeal to Plaid Cymru’s National Executive Committee to be reinstated to the National Assembly group. I’ve also informed the chair, the chief executive, and the Assembly group’s chief whip of my decision.

“Through this appeal I hope to make a positive return to the Plaid Cymru group.”

The primary cause of his suspension was comments he had made opposing the party’s policy on the right of council tenants to buy their homes.

Plaid supports the Welsh Government’s view that the right should be removed because it has depleted the supply of social housing, while Mr McEvoy thinks it should remain because it has provided the means for many working class people to buy their own homes.

After his suspension Plaid leader Leanne Wood accused Mr McEvoy, who is also a councillor in Cardiff, of being “impossible to work with” because of his “character, demeanour and attitude”.

A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: “We can confirm that Neil McEvoy has notified us of his intention to appeal his suspension from the Plaid Cymru Assembly Group.”