Ron Davies, Plaid’s Caerphilly Assembly candidate, has demanded a police investigation after Caerphilly Labour MP Wayne David removed Plaid election placards from residents’ gardens.
Mr David took the placards down with the Labour MP seen by Plaid party members with some in his Audi car. The MP has stressed that the placards were removed with the explicit permission of residents.
Former Welsh Secretary Mr Davies, who share’s an intense rivalry with Labour candidate Jeff Cuthbert, said: “There needs to be a thorough police investigation. I cannot believe that a Member of Parliament can behave like this, particularly after the MPs’ expenses scandal.
“We have three separate witnesses who will say they saw him with Plaid posters and we have lost around 50 in the Caerphilly area since the election campaign started. Indeed one voter in Ystrad Mynach told Wayne David she had given consent and wanted the Plaid poster to remain but he walked off with it anyway.
“I know Labour is getting desperate but to revert to dirty tricks like this is totally unacceptable, particularly from an MP.”
Mr David in Tuesday’s Western Mail said: “There has been a disproportionately large number of Plaid stakes put up in the Rhymney Valley and we have had reports that Plaid have been putting them up in gardens without permission from residents.
“We have also been knocking at the doors of people with Plaid placards who our records tell us are Labour supporters, asking whether they have any political issues. In some cases people are happy for us to take the placards away. We have only taken them away with their consent.”
Speaking to Caerphilly Observer, Mr David, the Shadow Minister for Europe, said the whole issue was “Plaid fabrication and lies”.
He said: “The stakes that have been removed, have been removed at the explicit request by the residents concerned and they agreed to the removal.
“There is no question of illegality whatsoever.” Mr David added that he had been in touch with Gwent Police about the incident but that it was a conversation initiated by him.
He continued: “This is typical of Ron Davies with dirty tricks and him not prepared to fight politically. It’s as we expected – a dirty election campaign by someone who plays dirty.”
Mr David also revealed that he had made a complaint to the Electoral Commission after a Plaid activist took a photograph of him in his car with a Plaid placard.
He said: “On Sunday he attempted to take photographs of me in my car after having flagged me down. He leaned across me and kept the car door open taking photographs of me with a Plaid stake, which a resident had approved for me to take away from their property.”
Ron Davies said: “I have been told that Wayne David is suggesting that Labour voters ‘allowed’ Plaid posters in their gardens without their consent.
“That is ludicrous. Under no circumstances did the MP have the right to take possession of any material not belonging to him? If the MP was concerned, he should have contacted the Election Returning Officer or the Plaid election agent.
“Wayne David’s claim that voters asked him to take down the stakes needs to be thoroughly tested by the police, and he should provide them with a list of properties where they were taken from so they can speak to residents.
“All Plaid agents are under strict instructions to gain prior consent before erecting stakes in people’s homes.”
Wow. I have definitely noticed that Ron Davies has managed to get a lot of placards up, but for Labour to assume that that means plaid are putting them up without consent is just plain arrogant.
They seem to think they have a divine right to rule the valleys! I have been a supporter all my life because of my family's links with them (or what they used to be). I have to say, I think I've had enough.
They are not the same party anymore. They used to represent us working people, but they've just become like the rest of them.
I guess Ron Davies figured this out in 2003 when he left the labour party. He can have my vote from now on.
there is no way wayne whould have taken them down uless he was asked in fact he said as much him self "We have only taken them away with their consent"
i think the biger scandl is plyd puting up placards were no one asked for them. then having some one whating to ambush wayne when he is asked to tack them down. is plyed so sceard of lossing to laber in carphilly yet agen?
and as for polce as long as wayne reterns the placards to plyed undamiged then there is no crime.
here is one for investergatin thow dus puting up placards without consent count as trespasing?
Removing election placards from private gardens!! You have to concede that Caerphilly Labour's take on repression has a certain comic, Monty Pythonesque quality to it (particularly when an MP and former minister is involved). But whether it leads to admiration, mirth or derision, it's a sure sign that Labour's 90 year hegemony in parliamentary and assembly elections in the Rhymney Valley is coming to an end.
I can't say I'm surprised by any of this. Labour have long held a death grip over the valleys and it appears they will use any means necessary to ensure this continues. Especially in seats such as Caerphilly which have been 'safe' for far too long.
If Wayne and Jeff listened to their constituents Labour would not find themselves in this mess. Instead nanny state politics have turned many supporters such as myself away from the party. These two should heed this wake up call.
I will be voting Plaid on May 5th as Labour both within Wales and the UK no longer holds any relevance for me. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way hence the increase in visibility for Plaid.
I agree with John Davies (above).
A Labour supporter all my life, but I've had enough. They think they have some right to govern the working areas, but after 13yrs they gave us nothing. They DID used to represent us, but no more.
It is for this reason that I will not be voting for Labour; just because I ask myself- when they had the chance what did they do? Nothing. So let's give another party a chance- I'm backing Ron Davies.
As for an MP removing stakes, surely the correct thing to do was contact Ron (or his people) or contact the electoral commission. Even IF Ron had put them in without permission- two wrongs don't make a right- you'd think an MP would know this!. What is awful is whichever party is wrong, it'll be too late for us, to know who was as an investigation will surely not end before Thursday.
Anyway, even before this charade I'd decided I wasn't voting Labour- and this just confirms it. Labour is no longer the working peoples party, and because of this there is no welcome for them up here. Give someone else a chance- vote Ron and Plaid!
There are many Plaid boards up in illegal places [we have the photos] such as lamp posts etc so if Ron seriously wants to involve the Police, bring it on. His big friend in the Western Mail, Martin Shipton will make a 'Ron' story out of nothing, so that's no surprise. I'll bet he won't make a story out of a non-Plaid Voter's photo being used to promote his hero.
it dont matter what labour do i know who in voting for labour got us in to a mess and ron davies will get us out
The arrogance may rest with Mr Smith.
It is wise to allow those who feel aggrieved at Wayne David's alledged actions to speak for themselves, otherwise some might assume that a deliberate campaign of misinformation is cloaking what actually took place-dont you think?
This event is the stuff of the 1968, Plaid Cymru, Phil Williams,by-election, and, this is a mild event compared to the antics of parties in that carnival, at least it has got the attention of all you lot, I also notice that most contributors to this item of news, and I use that word advisedly, have not made a meaningful contribution to other election news items on this site during the election.
If anyone thinks this issue will turn the election, think again, people will have made their minds up who to vote for long before this diversion came about. This will NOT influence who the returned assembly candidate will be.
Having seen the BBC Wales news reports on this matter, its interesting to note that the gentleman David Warnock interviewed said the Plaid stake that had been erected in his garden had been put their without his permission, and he was a Plaid voter. He then went on to say he would no longer vote Plaid as a result of this episode. Unless Plaid wish to attribute this, and similar illegal erecting of stakes to Labour agent provocteurs sneaking round in the dead of night, doubtless wearing our sinister black raincoats, trilby hats and putting up these stakes without permission, it seems clear to me who the guilty political party is.
Having followed the campaigns of all the parties with some interest, It has been interesting to note that Graig y Rhacca seems to have been forgotten, apart from leaflet drops. The only candidate that I have seen here ever, has been Mr. Ron Davies. This was not to solicit a vote, but attending a meeting, and taking an active part, to help benefit the area.
Many other people in local and Welsh Government would do well to remember that some of the residents of Graig y Rhacca do actually care about their community and are not prepared to be dismissed as no-goods like the rumours suggest.
I know where my vote will be going, to the candidate who cares about the core values of the Valleys.
Trevor,
Do infrequent or first time posts make these opinions any less valid? I agree that it is doubtful that this story will influence the result in anyway but if it creates a talking point around local politics then that can only be a good thing.
Nick- I agree, I was simply noticing how such an `event` brought Labour opposition contributors out of the woodwork, the the highlighting and the tears shed by Plaid Supporters on this issues did not turn the election, -as I predicted.
I must say, I respect Wayne David in all things he does in politics, and for highlighting this issue I salute him, but I did`tn think he had it him, it realy is the stuff of the 1968 Phill Williams by-election. Well done Wayne.