Reform MS attacks Plaid Members for wearing white poppies

Emily Price 

A Reform MS has lashed out at Plaid Cymru after some of its Members wore white remembrance poppies in the Senedd this week.

Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd MS Iain McIntosh accused Plaid of turning their backs on what the symbol of the red poppy represents.

In a post to X, McIntosh said: “I’m really disappointed to see Plaid Cymru members wearing white poppies in the Senedd during Remembrance.

“The red poppy is not a celebration of war. It is a symbol of respect, remembrance and gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

“Surely we can all support peace without turning our backs on a symbol that has united generations in honouring our Armed Forces.

“We will remember them.”

Attached to his post was an image of Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg MS Sarah Rees wearing a white poppy while giving a speech in the Senedd’s Chamber during Plenary proceedings on Tuesday (November 3).

Several other Plaid Cymru Members also wore white poppies, while others wore a combination of white and red poppies or red poppies alone.

Green Party MS Paul Rock also wore both a red and white poppy.

McIntosh shared the image of Rees wearing a white poppy to his Facebook page where some commentators left abusive remarks.

One popular Reform supporters page on Facebook branded Rees a “cretin”.

Some commentators questioned the meaning of the white poppy and how it differs from the traditional red poppy.

The red poppy commemorates military personnel and civilians who have served, sacrificed or lost their lives in the First World War and subsequent conflicts.

It also represents hope for a peaceful future.

The white poppy remembers all victims of war while challenging the glorification of conflict and promoting peace and non-violent solutions.

White poppies are not a recent invention – they were first produced in 1933 by the Co-operative Women’s Guild.

The Guild was made up largely of women who had lost husbands, fathers, sons, brothers and friends in the First World War.

The group was concerned by the growing militarisation of Remembrance events and what it saw as a disconnect between the red poppy and the need to actively work towards peace.

The Guild’s General Secretary, Eleanor Barton, called for renewed commitment “to that ‘Never Again’ spirit that was strong in 1918, but seems to grow weaker as years go on”.

Today, white poppies are distributed by the Peace Pledge Union and the numbers sold each year have risen steadily with over 100,000 sold in 2015.

In 2018, the Royal British Legion, which produces the red poppy, urged its supporters not to abuse people wearing white poppies.

The appeal followed weeks of online abuse directed at white poppy wearers, including from far-right individuals who claimed to support the red poppy and the Legion.

During a particularly heated day of debate about white poppies on Twitter in the run up to Remembrance Sunday, the Royal British Legion responded to abusive posts targeting individual white poppy wearers.

The Legion tweeted: “Please do not target people online like that for exercising their right to debate the poppy. We don’t condone that at all – it’s a personal choice.”

In a further post, the Legion said: “We also support the wearing of any colour (including white) or no poppy, as we truly believe Remembrance is a personal decision NO ONE should be targeted for.”