MP Wayne David has labelled UKIP’s Sam Gould a “liar”, for making claims the Labour politician had a hand in stopping Vote Leave supporters campaigning in Caerphilly town centre.
Sam Gould, the chairman of Caerphilly’s UKIP branch, has also questioned the impartiality of Gwent Police because its Police and Crime Commissioner is campaigning for a remain vote in the upcoming European Union referendum, being held on June 23.
Labour’s PCC for Gwent Jeff Cuthbert has strongly refuted the claims.
Vote Leave campaigners were in Caerphilly town centre on Saturday, June 11, and said that soon after Mr David had walked past them, a highways officer from Caerphilly County Borough Council arrived and explained they were obstructing the pavement.
Officers from Gwent Police were also called after campaigners refused to move.
Mr Gould, who stood as UKIP’s Caerphilly candidate in this year’s Assembly election, filmed part of the incident as it unfolded and posted the footage on Facebook.
In it he claimed that the democratic process was being stifled.
He said: “Very interestingly, our Police and Crime Commissioner has been campaigning for Remain and we don’t see the police in Caerphilly – we don’t.
“But today, because we are out campaigning for Leave, they are everywhere to intimidate us. This is wrong. This is an affront to democracy.”
Speaking to Caerphilly Observer, Mr Gould said he thought it more than a coincidence that a council worker appeared shortly after Mr David had walked past Leave campaigners on Cardiff Road.
He said: “We were not blocking people – it was very clear for pushchairs and wheelchairs.
“The police were very reasonable and were doing what they were asked to do. Personally, I was surprised by the number of police sent out to us.”
The UKIP politician said Leave campaigners did not want to waste police time, packed up and joined fellow campaigners at the nearby Tommy Cooper statue – only to be told they had to move again.
He said: “I question the integrity of Gwent Police and I do question the impartiality they can have when we have a PCC campaigning for Remain.”
Mr Gould added that he would be writing to Mr Cuthbert and Gwent’s Police and Crime Panel.
Caerphilly MP Wayne David has hit back at claims he had anything to do with the moving of the Leave campaigners and described them as “lies”.
Mr David said: “It is a complete lie, and they know it is lies.
“It says a lot about their campaign and the sort of people they are quite frankly. It’s not even politics, it’s lower than the gutter.”
Asked if he had contacted Mr Gould over the video, which has been viewed around 500,000 times, Mr David replied: “There is no point. If he was a decent person, he wouldn’t produce a pack of lies like that, knowing it is lies.
“In my 40 years of active politics I have never come across such bare-faced, downright lying.
“It is a sad reflection that democracy in our country has been abused in this way.
“To attack the police and suggest they are being politically manipulated is quite ridiculous. The police in this country are impartial – and long may that continue.”
Since the posting of the video, which has had in excess of 500,000 views, Mr David said he has been subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation on the streets of Caerphilly and on Twitter and Facebook from Leave supporters.
Gwent’s PCC Jeff Cuthbert also refuted Mr Gould’s claims.
He said: “I was not present in Caerphilly town last Saturday morning so it would not be appropriate for me to comment on what happened in terms of the Leave and Remain campaigns. I must point out that any decision to deploy Police Officers or Police Community Support Officers is a matter for the Chief Constable and not that of my office.
“I have campaigned on the Europe referendum in a personal capacity but not in my official role as Police and Crime Commissioner and I have not used public resources. Guidance issued by the Cabinet Office clearly states that commissioners are not prohibited from undertaking political activity in a personal capacity.
“I support the right of anyone to campaign for their views provided that they conduct themselves in a peaceful and respectful manor.”
A spokesman for Caerphilly County Borough Council confirmed that Mr David had not made a complaint and that it had asked Remain campaigners, Leave Campaigners and an insurance firm to move to a more “appropriate location”.
He said: “Concerns were identified during a routine highway inspection about obstruction caused by a number of organisations within Caerphilly town centre. Each group was asked to move to a more appropriate location in the interests of highway safety.”
A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said: “Neither group had informed the local authority of their intentions or sought the correct permits.
“Through the agreement of the local authority, both groups were moved to a safe area and allowed to continue to campaign, officers remained at the location to ensure public safety and to allow for the lawful communication of their views.”
Caerphilly Inspector Andy O’Keefe said: “I am aware of the views held by members of both sides of the referendum and as such my officers will remain independent and impartial to ensure that both sides are able to express their right to freedom of speech.
“I would expect both groups, now that they are aware of the need to contact the local authority, to do so and by doing this agree a suitable and safe location to lawfully express their views.”
Thousands of people in Caerphilly have seen me campaigning in the same location every week since the General Election Campaign in 2015 and I never been forced to move on by the authorities before. Why is it now when we are just days away from casting the most important vote of our lives for our freedom from the undemocratic EU, that the Remain side supported by Wayne David MP and Jeff Cuthbert PCC for Gwent Police are not faced by the same action at the same time, yet we are moved on?
I feel for the dedicated Police Officers, PCSO’s and the council worker who were acting under the orders of their superiors, clearly they are not to blame here but those who support silencing the freedom of speech and democracy in our country and ordered them to carry out what they did. I have to call into question the judgement of the council and those instructing them whom saw fit utilise scare police resources in this way when the average citizen struggles to get the police to attend a burglary and council services are under intolerable pressure.
How exactly have I lied? I have told nothing but the truth, look at the evidence, the videos and the photos or don’t just take my word for it there are plenty of comments from people who were there and saw it on my facebook page or ask them yourself this Saturday when we return at 9:30am.
This name calling by Wayne David is coming from an MP who told Leave campaigners to flyer elsewhere or on another side of the road just the week before in Caerphilly.
He needs to choose his words carefully just like when he mistakenly said that he “Welcomed” dogging on Caerphilly Mountain and said that there “should be more of it” thinking it was the rounding up of stray dogs.
This is coming from an MP who was caught red handed in 2011 taking down other parties campaign boards in telling residents they were “illegal” or “offensive”.
This is coming from an MP with a very impressive record during the expenses scandal, how much did he have to pay back?
It’s hypocrisy. Do you think the council moved on Labour when they held a campaign launch in a very similar spot? I like the implicit bias in this paper. Straight away taking the quote of Wayne David in the headline to imply you are in the wrong. If it was neutral the headline would read “MP Wayne David and UKIP MP candidate Sam Gould in public spat.”
And the paper reported on the Labour campaign launch and failed to report on both visits of Nigel Farage to Caerphilly and Blackwood.
Mr Gould, the police were called – you assumed it was Wayne David’s doing because he is your opponent.
Surely you can see that YOU are the one making accusations, not him.
1. Leave campaign moved on.
2. Other groups not moved on when in the same seat.
3. Wayne David pictured talking to a police officer.
4. Wayne David supports the opposite campaign.
It could all be a coincidence…a big one.
No one wants to see this rabble, spouting their lies, on the streets of Caerphilly.
Exactly! the Remain side are atrocious liars. Great support for Leave in Caerphilly and all over Wales.
I’m so looking forward to seeing Wales crash and burn when the EU cash pot that has regenerated them is pulled away because you can be sure no far right Tory Government will ever give you the cash that the EU has doled out to you all.
Thanks for that.
Another hypocrite Welsh Nationalist who wants to hand ever more power to run Wales over the Brussels whilst demanding more power from England to run Wales, how does that work exactly?
I live nowhere near Wales and am not Welsh but get very angry that you get so much cash from the EU yet want to leave. I can assure you that if and it’s a big if we leave, Boris, Gove, Grayling, IDS and their cohorts will leave you high and dry. Madness
We are in the same boat as England regarding spending, we pay more into the EU than we get back. Once we leave it is up to Welsh MPs to make a case for government investment, just the same as poor regions of England.
One thing is certain, the government will have more money one we stop funding the EU. This edifice is propped up with money from us and Germany, this is why the German government is keen to keep us in.
Is this all lies then? http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/19-things-european-funding-done-10939396
I don’t look at ‘Walesonline’ much so I clicked the link you kindly supplied. The article begins with,
“Some think it’s just UK money sent back to Wales from Brussels – others argue it has had enormous benefits to Wales.”
I think the former, so the article is not lies it does recognise that not everyone believes that the EU is value for money and that geting just some of our taxes back is not a good deal.
Others, perhaps including you Stuart, think the the EU is a benevolent institution that has the interests of Wales at heart. We all have our vote on the 23rd June and can cast it according to the way we think. I am voting ‘Leave’ and quite a few people are going to do the same!
I see that the Steel workers who you represent are supporting the Remain camp or are they of no importance to you any more?
Funnily enough I once worked supplying coke to the steel industry before I was made redundant. I don’t know where you get the notion that steel workers are any more likely to vote to ‘Remain’ than ‘Leave.’
The steel industry where I live has long gone, we have all been made redundant. So far as I am aware there are no steel workers in my ward and make no claim to represent them. If I did I would urge them to vote to leave the EU. This would allow our armed forces to insist on British steel for their armoured vehicles and ships. At present the EU require that much of this steel comes from abroad.
In any case you are, by your own admission, “angry that you (Wales) get so much cash from the EU.” If that is the case surely you should vote Leave in order that this money no longer gets spent in Wales?
Yes Stuart, Wales has received an obscene amount of EU funding, come to Wales and see how most of it has been wasted covering the landscape in innovation centres that sit idol, putting crazy paving and pot planters in deprived towns to tart them up and Welsh councils building themselves plush new multi million pound office blocks across the length and breadth of the country. Look up Canolfan Cywain rural heritage centre – a utter waste of £3.4M of EU money. Welsh Labour have squandered a criminal amount of EU funding on pet projects, white elephants and have squirrelled plenty of it away to safe guard their cushy jobs in the assembly, yet the crooks won’t lift a finger to help the steel workers oh no that’s Westminster’s problem not theirs – and the good folk of Wales keep voting them into power, it really does beggar belief.
Ah, so for you it’s political and not a genuine vote for your children and grandchildren. Glad I don’t have you representing me then
I think you have it right in respect to Wales voting by a huge majority to LEAVE. And this includes LABOUR members and supporters all still supporting Labour BUT using their democratic right to vote which way they like in this referandum, and that will include Thousands and Thousands of Labour people voting OUT.
Why this issue causes so much `Toxic feeling` on the streets of our town is worrying, this confrontational politics by public representatives is unbecoming, and seriously off putting to those involved, people will support the underdog in such confrontational situations, and the winner in this spat is, By a Mile, UKIP`s Sam Gould who appears to be the `target` of a campaign in which civic resources were `used` in some way by his opposition Remain Camp, it is also suggested Gwent Police were `used` against Sam Gould and his legitimate campaign on behalf of the people of Caerphilly in this incident.
Someone, I predict, will have to get to the bottom of who `used` who, and IF civic resources were diverted last Saturday for political purposes heads must roll.
Haha, Wayne David Stated on his website he wasn’t even in the vicinity yet there is this photo to prove he was. Wayne David is lying. Wayne David was photographed talking to a police officer.
It’s impossible to say he had a role in moving on Leave campaigners but Wayne David talking to a police officer holding, what looks like, a Remain leaflet is a huge coincidence.
Did the council move on Labour for making a campaign launch in a spot mere metres away?
look at that, photos dont lie, little quisling.
Wayne David MP has been presented with this picture on his facebook account, his twitter account and here. Why won’t he explain this picture? His silence is deafening!
Respect the law, move on if they tell you to and stop crying ..
Actually the Police officer did not ask the Leave team to move, his exact words were “I’m not asking you to move.” He had merely been asked to attend by the council. The Leave campaigners moved after discussing the site of their table with a officer of the council. Talks with both police and and council were amicable.
There seems to be confusion over the law regarding street trading and political activity. The Leave campaign and the Remain campaign have every right under the Representation of the People Act 1983 to be out in public, traders are treated differently and must have permission to trade.
Sam Gould is perfectly correct when he states “Thousands of people in Caerphilly have seen me campaigning in the same location every week.” In elections, over the years, I have seen political camaigning at the same spot by many other groups, including the Labour Party and Plaid Cymru.
I don’t know who complained to the council, but I do know these facts,
1) Sam Gould has campaigned in the same places since early March without problem and furthermore was also there during the General Election campaign.
2) The ‘Remain’ team started their public campaign on Saturday 4th June, in a spot nearby.
3) Both our MP and the Police Commissioner were in attendance camapaigning with the Remain team.
4) One week later a council official, who told me he does not work Saturdays usually, was instructed by his superiors to come to our town and ask Sam and his team to move.
I leave readers to make their own minds up regarding what happened.
That does not sound like a routine highway inspection then. I thought it was odd that they had one on a Saturday.
No, this was not routine it had been especially set up by person(s) unknown who had the influence to do so.
That’s very interesting Cllr Williams. The Council keep insisting it was a routine inspection (on their facebook page).
As far as I am aware routine inspections do not occur on weekends. I certainly have not ever seen a council worker inspecting and marking roads and pavements on Saturdays and Sundays. I have often, however, seen them do this Monday to Friday.
I sometimes make a point of speaking with these workers if I know of a defect, just to make sure it is recorded. I suppose an FOI request would reveal how often council workers do these inspections on weekends and why they were carrying one out on Saturday 12Th June.
I asked the Council on their facebook page if it’s usual to have these inspections on a Saturday. No reply, which speaks volumes.
Typical labour “it’s not wrong when we do it” attitude. Shouldn’t be long now and Wayne will take to the stage for some premium grand standing until his opponents are droned into submission.
Wayne said, “In my 40 years of active politics I have never come across such bare-faced, downright lying.
Come on Mr David, be realistic would you?
I like that! If Wayne pauses to think for a moment he would see how ridiculous that sounds to people who hear what is spouted in the House of Commons and the European Parliament.
The expenses scandal (amongst others) sent a shockwave through parliament, jolting MPs into recognising that the people will not continue to put up with being taken advantage of. This caused many MPs to amend their behaviour and nearly all to tone down their derision of the electorate. On the surface and to varying degrees at any rate. Not so Mr David who knows his seat is as red as spilt blood.
Business as usual for Welsh labour I’m afraid.
He clearly has never come across a mirror then.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/labour-mp-wayne-owns-up-1830739
4 legs good 2 legs bad, subject to change without notification.
Ukip and the quitters have set out to deceive, lie scarmonger and play on peoples fears by causing confusion and clouding issues. Their politics are gutter politics, they are flooding message boards with quitter trolls posting their Krap. Wales deserves better.. keep the scum off our streets ….
Nothing like free speech then in the eyes of The Welsh Nationalists or in the Wales you want, who wants to live in a Wales you aspire to? you and Night I suspect.
Nights – there is ‘something of the night’ about you for sure. We actually live in a mature democracy that has been chained up into the EU which is demonstably anti democratic.
A couple of questions for you – do you seriously believe that you help your cause which is presumably for Wales and the rest of Britain to stay in the EU by describing anyone who does not agree with you as “scum?” Do you not realise that it is fellow Welsh people who, just because they disagree with you, that you urge are kept off the streets?
I have no problems at all with people who disagree with me or Sam Gould. I talk with them, drink beer with them and share banter with them. This is what being part of a democracy is all about. Cannot you find in your heart that perhaps your political opponents do have a right to a voice?
If you don’t then say so loud and clear. If you want to live in a dictatorship where you are the Leader or the bag carrier for Leader please shout it from the rooftops. I know that the Welsh people will always reject you and go for freedom rather than the alternative, which is do as your told. It’s in our DNA.
Your friends are nowhere to be seen on our streets, they lost the Assembly Election and are probably crawling around the Aber Valley somewhere licking their wounds, they do right of course, they are leaving grown up politics to grown up politicians, so I suggest you save your bile for a time when somthing comes up you may understand.
Just to make sure on your local police’s comments, put in a Freedom of Information request to see the Police notebooks .
That would be sensible. I assume Mr Gould will be doing that. It would be weird to make an accusation knowing that it could be proved or disproved but not check it.