Tory MS claims Vale showgoers praised him for branding Plaid Cymru ‘separatists’

Emily Price 

Welsh Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has claimed he was praised at the Vale of Glamorgan Show for using the term “separatists” to describe Plaid Cymru politicians.

In a social media post following the event, the former leader of the Tories in the Senedd said members of the public had approached his party’s stand to congratulate him for “holding the new Plaid administration to account”.

Davies claimed the group of showgoers told him they were “very pleased” that he uses the term “separatists”, arguing that Plaid Cymru’s support for Welsh independence should be highlighted.

The former Tory leader has faced repeated criticism and mockery from political opponents and social media users over his continued use of the term “separatists” to describe supporters of Welsh independence.

Critics argue that Davies’ use of the buzzword has become tedious and a deliberate tactic designed to frame Plaid Cymru’s pro-independence position in hostile terms.

Commentators have also highlighted the irony of a prominent Welsh Conservative criticising “separatism”, given his strong support for Brexit, which saw the UK leave the European Union.

Davies’ comments came as he described his visit to the Vale of Glamorgan Show, which he said was his “home show” as a local farmer.

He praised organisers, competitors and exhibitors for working in the heat while also cheering a skydiving display in which a parachutist landed on the show field flying a huge Union Jack flag.

“We’re proudly British in the Vale,” Davies wrote on his social media account, which is largely run by his advisor, Vale of Glamorgan councillor George Carroll.

Davies used a homemade ballot box at the show to ask members of the public whether people convicted of killing police officers should be eligible for early release from prison.

The Welsh Conservative MS said the response, which called for showgoers to throw a plastic ball into a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ box was overwhelmingly opposed to the idea.

The UK Government is set to release around 5,000 offenders from October under new measures aimed at easing overcrowding in prisons.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham came under pressure this week to exclude cop killers Jessie Cole and Albert Bower from the scheme.

The pair fatally injured Thames Valley Police traffic officer PC Andrew Harper when he was dragged along a road for more than a mile after his ankle became caught in a strap attached to the back of a getaway car.

Davies said the UK Government had “made a mess of this”, adding that the early release of people convicted of killing police officers should have been ruled out from the outset through a “simple Act of Parliament”.

Davies has used his homemade ballot box at the Vale Show before as part of a controversial stunt in 2024 when he asked visitors to vote on whether the Senedd should be abolished.

The move drew fierce criticism from within his own party, triggering a series of internal disputes that ultimately contributed to his resignation as Welsh Conservative leader in December 2024.

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