Plaid Cymru councillor apologises over ‘ill-judged’ Facebook post about guarding Wales from ‘English people’
A Plaid Cymru councillor criticised by Labour and Conservative Senedd members over a “xenophobic” Facebook post in which he joked about guardian Wales’ shore from English people has apologised.
The post by the councillor who represents Penyrheol in Caerphilly, alongside a picture of him posing with a gun-shaped object, said: “Ogmore-by-Sea tonight for a quick swim and make sure there wasn’t any English people trying to cross the channel.”
He has now apologised, saying: “I would like to apologise for any offence caused by my now deleted Facebook post.
“It was ill-judged and I have apologised to the group leader Lindsay Whittle who has accepted my apology.”
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies had responded to the post yesterday to say that he was “speechless”.
“This is a Plaid Cymru councillor. [Plaid Cymru leader] Adam Price cannot let another scandal rage on without decisive action. This sort of xenophobic attitude is beneath us.”
‘Right thing’
The now-deleted message appeared on Councillor Jon Scriven’s Facebook page on 8 August but yesterday Caerphilly’s Labour Senedd Member Hefin David had drawn attention to it, saying that it was “not appropriate”.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats called on Plaid Cymru to suspend the councillor, with a spokesperson stating that there was “a clear implication of violence and xenophobia in this post”.
“Whether or not it was intended as a joke or not, it is entirely inappropriate for an elected official to make such comments, when they should know better.
“With so much hate in politics the last few years we should be trying to build bridges, not stoke division further.
“Plaid Cymru must now do the right thing and suspend the councillor in question.”
Nation.Cymru had contacted Jon Scriven and Plaid Cymru for comment yesterday but received no reply.
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Not convinced it was ill judged, except that this edgy joke was easy for the Tories to take politically motivated offence at.
No more offensive than Frosty the Brexitman saying the real British nations should not be “allowed” to exist.
A fair point mate for certain / BUT we do not behave like them and their MAGA mates in the USA .
Indeed. We do nothing but turn the other cheek. We may be subjugated, but we are morally correct. I must say I don’t find that as satisfying as I might.
Wow touchy! Considering there has been so many insults thrown the other way for centuries! Now you know what it feels like!
My very English Lib voting mum – now long passed – was won over while watching a TV debate between the ville and long dead Lord George Thomas and the firm but mild & ethical Gwynfor around our nations future. Hate and ill judged comment poison the discourse and loose the message. ARTD , Hefin D and this silly councillor need to have this in mind.
Interesting that the “Lib Dems” witter on about “building Bridges” having taken a flamethrower to their own when they turned tory in 2008
Yes, the image uploaded by Plaid councillor John Scriven was very unwise, foolish in fact. But let’s put this into context. Compare like with like. Conservative Foreign Secretary Liz Truss who was recorded in an interview actively encouraging British citizens to travel and fight against Russian soldiers in Ukraine conflict. So we have a serving government minister in Liz Truss encourage mercenaries from Britain, who are actually shooting guns not holding them like John Scriven, travelling to Ukraine to kill and be killed. And those British mercenaries that travelled which included ex & serving British soldiers that have been captured… Read more »
That cleared the decks…Your comment about the UK’s Foreign Sec is entirely valid and bodes ill for the coming two years. That there is not one shred of diplomacy understood or common sense between her ears is blindingly obvious and more. The PPE degree should be binned as it is a case of Pope’s “a little learning is a dangerous thing”. As for gun toting councillors, he would have been shot dead in London. Put together with the other councillor from yesterday who’s ignorance of the history of his ward makes this a disappointing 24 hours in local government land… Read more »
Plaid are sniveling apologists for literally anything that is thrown at them, and although this social media post was a possibly misjudged ‘joke’, the ‘party of Wales’ ought to have supported him instead.
What a bunch of lily livers.