Reform MS makes false complaint about Nation.Cymru to press regulator
Martin Shipton
A Reform UK Senedd Member has made a false complaint about Nation.Cymru to the press regulator, claiming wrongly he was under no obligation to declare that he is a Freemason.
In April this year we reported how Iain McIntosh, then a member of Powys County Council, had failed to declare on the council’s Register of Members’ Interests that he was a Freemason.
At the time Mr McIntosh, who defected from the Conservatives last year, was number 2 on Reform’s list of candidates for the Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency in the Senedd election.
A political source had sent Nation.Cymru the minutes of a meeting of the Brecknock Lodge of the United Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of England, Province of South Wales held in March 2022.
The minutes stated: “Brother Iain McIntosh initiated as a freemason 26/2/2020, passed November 2021.”
The political source said: “Is this THE Councillor Iain McIntosh of Brecon? How many Iain McIntosh’s are there in Brecon? It is not a common name in that area.
“If so, he has not declared it in his Council Declaration of Interests.
“Will he declare Freemasonry in his Senedd Record of Interests if he is elected?
“If it is right that he has not declared the interest, I have the following comment: This is not a debate on the merits and demerits of freemasonry. McIntosh’s failure to declare the interest is about openness and transparency. If he is serving constituents, some may be comfortable with his freemasonry, others may not be. So, it is important that he is open, transparent and straightforward by telling them what oaths he has sworn to certain clubs and societies.”
Powys County Council’s Register of Members’ Interests asks councillors to make a series of declarations about jobs they do, shares they hold, properties they own etc, including one that seeks “details of membership of any company, industrial and provident society, charity or body directed to charitable purposes”.
Charity donations
The Freemasons make regular charity donations, and the United Grand Lodge of England is a registered charity. However, Mr McIntosh declared “None” in this category.
Although many distinguished scientists and intellectuals became Freemasons in the 18th Century, the organisation developed a reputation as a secret society whose members were expected to swear oaths that they were forbidden to disclose to those outside “the brotherhood”.
During the 20th Century, a widespread view developed among those who were not members that Freemasonry was used by men in business, politics and the police to advance their own interests.
When we contacted Cllr McIntosh, who ran a carpet business in Brecon, he immediately confirmed that he was the Iain McIntosh referred to in the Brecknock Lodge minutes.
He said: “I didn’t realise I was supposed to declare my membership in the Register of Interests, because I didn’t see any conflict. Powys County Council has no contracts with the Lodge I am a member of.
“I was invited to join a few years ago and did so to make some charity donations and to socialise. As it happens, I haven’t attended a Lodge meeting for a year or 18 months.
“I’m a very transparent person and it’s not in my nature to be secretive. If it was up to me, I’d be quite happy to let people know what goes on at meetings – there’s nothing dodgy.
“I’m by no means the only Freemason on Powys County Council. Looking more widely, there are Freemasons in all parties.
“If I get elected to the Senedd and they want me to declare I am a Freemason, I’ll be happy to do so.”
Mr McIntosh went on to be elected to the Senedd, after which he made a complaint to IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation, alleging that our story was inaccurate because he did not have to declare his membership of the Freemasons. He claimed he had been given advice to that effect by the council’s Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer.
Following his election to the Senedd, he resigned from Powys County Council.
We wrote a subsequent story in which we again referred to the fact that Mr McIntosh had failed to declare his membership of the Freemasons when he should have done. He made a further complaint to IPSO.
On July 20 we wrote to Powys County Council stating that we were putting together an article about Powys County Council’s apparent inconsistent approach to the declaration by councillors of their interests in relation to membership of charitable organisations.
We pointed out that the authority’s Register of Members’ Interests made it quite clear that Members were expected to declare “details of membership of any company, industrial and provident society, charity or body directed to charitable purposes”.
We added that it appeared that the council made an exception for membership of Freemasonry, despite the fact that the United Grand Lodge of England and Wales is a registered charity.
We asked the council why it required membership of all charitable bodies to be declared except membership of the Freemasons.
A spokesperson for Powys County Council responded with a succinct comment: “Membership of the Freemasons requires a declaration and there is no exception.”
Failure
We then wrote to Mr McIntosh and to Reform UK stating that Mr McIntosh had made false complaints to IPSO about his failure to declare his membership of the Freemasons to Powys County Council. We asked whether he would now withdraw his complaints and apologise to Nation.Cymru and the journalist who wrote the articles. Neither responded.
Mr McIntosh has declared his membership of Freemasonry to the Senedd.
Meanwhile Reform UK Wales leader Dan Thomas has tabled a written question to Culture Minister Heledd Fychan which asks: “What assessment has the Welsh Government made of whether Nation.Cymru provides accurate reporting?”
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What a clown.🤡
Da iawn Nation Cymru !
When i read the last paragraph relating Reform’s query:
“What assessment has the Welsh Government made of whether Nation.Cymru provides accurate reporting?”
…that was a belly laugh, ‘cherry on top’ moment 😀
Typical fascist response-close down any exposure / opposition to or of them
Any political party that tries to bully, punish, censor or chastise the press for reporting facts is a danger to democracy. What a (non)surprise that their members seek to hide the ‘hidden advantage’ we know is the reason most members of the Masons join
A family member would assert how membership conferred the key to doors otherwise locked and especially employment. Any politician accepting an invite to the ‘Square’ or failing to turn a dodgy handshake into a round of thumb war has already compromised their independence if not their integrity.
My response to the leader of ‘No Scrutiny UK’ (shi••ing pigeon Cymru branch) is double down doesn’t work against the watertight, fabulous, journalistic evidence held by Nation Cymru, most of which was provided by the former councillor, now MS, himself. They seem to think they can strut around our canolbarth like it’s the wild west and have it defended at the highest level in our Parliament. Truly pathetic and thick as pig muck.
Reform like to scrutinise everyone but hate the spotlight on them.
They spout free speech as long as it’s them spouting hate but don’t like people questioning them.
They don’t like that people are laughing at their leader busy arguing with a bin with a 5 million bung in his back pocket.
He would tell us what goes on in the Feemasons if it was up to him. He doesn’t even respect THEIR rules. Can he continue as a ‘brother’? Can he continue as a self interested only PUBLIC SERVANT? What happens when his leader falls to Binface? Does he know where Sigma 9 is?
These ex tory defects are completely incapable of telling the truth. It was indeed their beloved leader who said “you can never trust a tory” and then fills his entire party with them and all being well, looks set to lose to a dust bin.
Do all councillors in all counties need to disclose this? As in all of the councillors in Pembrokeshire?
Reform UK Ltd has no internal elections, no published membership structure, no transparent leadership selection, and no built-in governance mechanisms to promote democratic accountability.
Of course they have a natural allergy to scrutiny. It comes with the territory of an opaquely funded personality cult masquerading as a legitimate political entity.