MP has Plaid Cymru whip withdrawn following arrest
A Plaid Cymru MP has been suspended from the parliamentary party after being arrested on suspicion of assault.
Jonathan Edwards, who has represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 2010, was arrested on Wednesday.
Dyfed-Powys Police said a 44-year-old man from Ammanford had been arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of assault. He has been released on bail and the investigation is ongoing.
A spokesman for the party said that the whip had been withdrawn from Mr Edwards pending the conclusion of a police investigation.
‘Complying fully’
The spokesperson said: “On May 20th, Jonathan Edwards MP was arrested following a report of an incident.
“The party whip has been withdrawn pending the conclusion of a police investigation.
“Mr Edwards has accepted this course of action and is complying fully with the police enquiries.
“It would be inappropriate for the party to comment further at this time.”
Mr Edwards, 44, has represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since May 2010 when he replaced Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price.
He will sit as an independent while the Plaid Cymru whip is removed.
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This could be good. Plaid is so bound by its holier than thou stances that Edwards may need a new party. Get on the blower McEvoy and get a head’s start down west.
Utterly brainless comment. He hasnt been charged with any offence and he hasnt been convicted of any offence
When did such considerations ever inhibit Plaid ?
Bet from wig-wearer who’s been round the block, and did a similar case in Telford – Jonny namesake won’t be convicted of anything. Probably facing allegation of micro-aggression from wife, with mother-in-law on the scene. Female Judge in Telford was excellent in protecting husband in similar case – very wise and fair. Women like using the police complaint route (not the Family Law Act) because, hey, it works like a charm! Andthey don’t need to prove a thing! Could be wrong, of course, because I wasn’t there but I know how many beans make five.
Yeah, I bet the guy didn’t do anything wrong. But nonetheless, his career is destroyed, and his wife will do everything she can to take the kids and cash from him too.
Until I hear evidence to the contrary, I can’t help but feel sorry for the guy.
No doubt Plaid will pursue Jonathan Edwards as vigorously as they have Neil McEvoy.
When did Plaid pursue Neil McEvoy vigorously? Seeing as though he still holds a seat on Cardiff Council and the Senedd with his appalling track record I think he’s avoided accountability pretty well Keith.
Where have you been for the last couple of years?
Please enlighten everyone about the “appalling track record” that you are commenting on. Or is it just another example of making political capital?
He has an “appalling track record” of working on behalf of the class of people regularly ignored by the professional careerist politicians that dominate the Bay Bubble. Willing to confront the self serving bureaucracy that spends most of its time ignoring the needs of the communities they are supposed to serve. Nuff said.
Why do political parties withdraw the whip (often immediately) when an MP or AS is accused of breaking the law, is arrested or is investigated by the police? Do they believe in the idea that someone is innocent until proven guilty or what? It just seems the reaction of an organization which is concerned only about itself. Once they are found guilty would be the more appropriate time or in cases of reputation after due diligence.
He’s been suspended pending the investigation, therefore if he’s found not guilty he’ll probably be reinstated as a Plaid MP.
They play safe. If it sticks, they want to maximize their ability to distance themselves. I can understand the impulse.
Speaking personally, I wouldn’t like to get in a confrontation with Jonathan Edwards, but the Plaid MPs are of a reasonable calibre compared to their Senedd colleagues, and if Mr. Edwards has done something regretable I hope it gets sorted out quickly and painessly so that he can carry on with his duties — whip in hand. Pob lwc iddo fo.
And what if the assaulted person is a woman? You’d like a woman beater in Westminster would you?
Certainly not. I imagine he’d be obliged to resign if that were so, but that is speculation at the moment, and we shouldn’t be indulging in it.
Turns out it was a ‘domestic’. Hope it gets resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
Most right thinking people wouldn’t want someone who beat up Women or Men in Westminster. Whats gender got to do with it?
Absolutely! I’ve never understood the silence, and apparent condoning of violence against men. Of course violence against women is bad and intolerable, but surely in the interests it should be violence against anyone that should be condemned and dealt with appropriately?
Wow, the legal system here is crap. Go to Scandia or Germany for real anonimity before publicity. And as for the jury system!
He always came across as short-tempered on TV.
he hasnt been charged with any offence and he hasnt been convicted of any offence
He hasn’t been charged with any offence and he hasn’t been convicted of any offence – i’m very surprised and concerned comments have been allowed on this story
Me too. Hope Cymru can get a better legal system when we get Independence (sweet word!). People put in the newspapers for very little and be gawped at! Primitive. Damn well done, Cliff Richard!!
Not surprisingly, Cliff has left UK.
and good job too ! He may not have been guilty of anything but having his obnoxious whine on TV was enough to make me puke.
That is obviously unreasonable.
Jonathon Edwrads is one ofWales best representatives in Westminster and very much respected, he is definately one of PCs best politicians and full of integrity .it would be a shame to lose him. Who knows what occured, i hope this is a storm in a teacup, if not, so be it
Plaid Cymru must SACK HIM or be accused of hypocrisy! Gethin.
PS: Why didn’t Nation Cymru tell us who he assaulted, his wife, the rest of the Media did which leads me to think can NC really be trusted after all they have not given the full story on BERRY either and Plaid Cymru is very silent on that as well? G
The conclusions that you are drawing here regarding duplicity by Plaid and NC are little more than speculation at the moment. You may be right about a deliberate ommission, but let’s wait and see, for now, if anything comes out in the wash.
If anyone’s unhappy with either, they can go back to Wales Online or any amount of anodyne puff!
Sack him for what? We don’t know what the charge o’r accusation is yet let alone being guilty o’r innocent. is , stop talking nonsense
PC don’t have to do anything ….yet. Be assured they will get it ass backwards. He will be ejected if he’s committed one of their list of cardinal sins, whereas a really serious offence might get overlooked because the victim might have been a fascist or a homophobe/mysoginist/transhostile etc etc and that would justify JE whacking him with his pickaxe handle ! Whacky old world within Plaid.
The silence from the ‘feminists’ in Plaid is deafening. Can you imagine how it contrasts with what they would have said by now had it been McEvoy? I mean, just try to imagine the reaction if McEvoy had been arrested for attacking his wife.
Welsh politics is sick.
Simon Thomas got more sympathy from Plaid than ‘bully’ McEvoy.
My understanding is that senior members of Plaid continue to visit him, and to ‘mentor’ him.
The truth is, they’d have him back tomorrow if they could, and certainly if it were a choice between him and McEvoy.
Plaid is a sick, sick party.