Plaid councillor jumps ship over ‘lack of support’ claim
A LONGSTANDING Plaid councillor for Carmarthen has jumped ship over what he claims was a “lack of support” from the party over calls to involve the public in talks over the future of monuments and street names linked to slavery.
Councillor Alan Speake, who has represented the Carmarthen West electoral ward since 2004, has joined the Independent party on the county council.
Street names and monuments, including a memorial to slave-owning soldier Sir Thomas Picton, are to be re-evaluated across Carmarthenshire.
However, Mr Speake felt everyone in Carmarthenshire should have a say because council taxpayers had contributed to the upkeep of memorials and monuments for years.
His motion was not supported and the fact no other Plaid councillor supported his view was the last straw, he said.
At the meeting, Mr Speake said: “I would rather see all of us consulted – black, white, yellow and brown.”
Councillor Andre McPherson said he thought Mr Speake’s comments were racist, while councillor Fozia Akhtar said BAME (black and minority ethnic) individuals were also taxpayers.
Mr Speake said he was taken aback by councillors McPherson and Akhtar’s comments.
“All I mentioned was that everybody should be involved - simple as that,” he said. “I’m not racist. I take that very seriously and strongly.”
Mr McPherson then said he hadn’t been calling Mr Speake racist – rather that the words he had used “unfortunately in this day and age are not appropriate”.
Last night, Mr Speake said: “I have decided to leave Plaid due to the lack of support from the party over an amendment I proposed at council which was to have a public consultation over the future of Picton Monument in Carmarthen and the reevalution of street names.
“I had no support from my fellow councillors and I believed it was right to have everyone involved to get the public’s views on these issues.
“I have been contacted by several members of the public who are up in arms over the Picton statue.
”I have been a Plaid county councillor for 16 years since 2004 and my reason for leaving the party is nothing other than what I have stated, the sheer lack of support for involving the public over the talks for the statue’s future and street names.
“I have no personal issues with any of the Plaid councillors at all, that has no part in this.”
Last week, county councillors voted in favour of a motion which makes clear the authority’s abhorrence of racism, prejudice and discrimination - past and present. The motion supports the Black Lives Matter message – spawned by the killing George Floyd in the US – and pledges to work with BAME communities to identify and eradicate racism.
A cross-party task and finish group will be set up to take the work forward, and efforts made to include colonialism, exploitation, discrimination and racism in Wales’s new school curriculum.
Plaid in Carmarthenshire said it had accepted Mr Speake’s resignation from the party following allegations that he had used inappropriate language during a debate on racism at last week’s county council meeting.
“Both Plaid and Labour members swiftly reprimanded Mr Speake’s comments during the meeting,” said councillor Emlyn Dole, who leads the council and the Plaid group. “He left the group before an inquiry and possible training or disciplinary action could be taken. Having said that, it’s sad that the party political career of a member who has served Plaid for many years should come to an end in such an ignoble way.
“I did, of course, point out to him that Plaid would be fielding a candidate against him, should be decide to stand again in 2022.”
Many Plaid Cymru councillors are baffled by Mr Speake’s stated reason for leaving the party.
“Along with other Plaid councillors, I was approached by Alan asking if I would support his amendment calling for a public consultation on the Picton monument and street name issue,” said councillor Alun Lenny.
“I pointed out that such an amendment would be superfluous, as Plaid’s Notice of Motion was to have full public consultation through the cross– party Task and Finish group, which will take everyone’s opinion into account. Since he voted for the Notice of Motion in council, I can’t understand why he’s done this now. If he felt that strongly, surely he should have voted against the motion.”
Independent party leader on Carmarthenshire Council councillor Mair Stephens said: “Mr Speake has a wealth of experience and this will give him the opportunity to deliver on his principles.”