text:
Jac o' the North
Plaid Cymru and the defenestration of Neil McEvoy
On 24/01/2018 26/01/2018 By JacIn Common Purpose, Corruption, Greens, Hippies, Plaid Cymru, Public Funding, Social Housing, Third Sector, Welsh Assembly, Welsh Government, Welsh Labour, Welsh Media
Most of you will be aware that after a protracted and amateurish 'process' Plaid Cymru has now expelled Neil McEvoy from its Assembly group. This will have surprised absolutely no one. But what is it all about, what's the real story?
From speaking with Neil McEvoy and others, and from my own research, this is my interpretation of an affair that reflects badly on devolution, also on Plaid Cymru, the Labour Party, and the third sector, while telling us much about the anti-democratic manoeuvrings and poisonous environment of Cardiff Bay.
The biggest problem I found in researching this piece – something I've been doing, off and on, for months – was not the scarcity of evidence but the overwhelming amount of it. Which meant that I had to stick to the straight and narrow without being detoured by personal animosities and other distractions.
I don't think we need to go back any further than November 2011 to find the time when Neil McEvoy made himself a host of powerful enemies, people who have pursued him ever since, and would now appear to have him down . . . though I wouldn't bet on it.
What he did with a Facebook post and tweet about men being denied access to their children, and his criticism of Welsh Women's Aid – run then by Labour's Paula Hardy and today still packed with party members including the former MP for Swansea East, Siân James – was to threaten a system that relied on unquestioning acceptance of certain dicta, in this case – 'All men are bastards, and all women are victims'.
This particular dictum wrings an unquestioning acceptance out of politicians and others which is then used to cultivate an ever-growing number of third sector bodies – as new 'niches' are found to exploit – with hundreds of crony jobs and all paid for from the public purse. And who would dare argue – for aren't they 'helping vulnerable women'.
Though it's worth remembering that McEvoy was not without support from the very same quarter where most wanted him lynched, as this piece reminds us. It's about Erin Pizzey, who had founded the UK's first women's refuge in London, in 1971.
This woman has been a doyenne of the women's rights movement since the term 'battered wives' was coined and has expressed strong views on the narrow interpretation that only women can be victims of domestic violence. She has also been very critical of what she terms 'aggressive feminism'.
Predictably, this has made Pizzey unpopular with those who use their gender as a weapon in securing personal advancement, often in the absence of ability or qualifications. And especially with those who view someone else's domestic abuse as a good career move for them.
Following the self-interested attacks from various third sector bodies back in 2011 the Labour Party predictably came down on a Plaid Cymru politician. But it didn't end there, because McEvoy was suspended by his own party.
Here we see the first inkling of something beneath the surface suggesting that the political differences we are asked to believe in, the Punch and Judy shows of electioneering and political debate, may be just a sham.
THE POLITICS OF IT 1
Neil McEvoy was first elected as a Labour councillor for the Riverside ward on Cardiff city council in 1999, becoming vice-chair of the Labour group. In 2003 he left to join Plaid Cymru and lost his seat in the 2004 elections.
In 2008 he was back on the council, representing the Fairwater ward. With Plaid now running the council in coalition with the Lib Dems he served as deputy council leader from 2008 – 2012. Although Labour returned to power in 2012 McEvoy retained his Fairwater seat, coming top out of 13 candidates with 16% of the total vote.
Neil McEvoy entered the Assembly in 2016 by the regional route, becoming an AM for South Wales Central. Although the regional vote is difficult to interpret, few doubt that Plaid's good showing was due to McEvoy being on the regional list.
(In the first round of voting for the South Wales Central list he actually beat party leader Leanne Wood.)
At the same election he also stood for the Cardiff West constituency, where he increased the Plaid vote by 11.9% and slashed the Labour majority.
Roll on to 2017 and in defending his Fairwater seat Neil McEvoy took Plaid Cymru to previously unscaled heights and a humiliating defeat for Labour. He upped his percentage of the vote to 20%, with the leading Labour candidate trailing way behind on 9%.
What makes this result so impressive is that just before the council elections – in March, in fact – a Cardiff Council (i.e. Labour) tribunal found that a throwaway remark McEvoy had made to a council official amounted to 'bullying'.
Plaid Cymru joined in by suspending him from the Plaid Cymru Assembly group. Plaid chairman Alun Ffred Jones, thought that the ludicrous charge was "serious because it involves bullying". (Alun Ffred is one of those men so devoid of animation that watching him I think back to the old Soviet Union and the undead politburo members atop Lenin's tomb. A fur hat and a few snowflakes would complete that rather unsettling image.)
The timing and co-ordination of these attacks was of course coincidental.
Were he or she reading this then I'm sure that the foreign correspondent of Maritza Plovdiv would be thinking (in Bulgarian) 'Wow! at last Plaid Cymru has a politician who can stick it to the Labour Party, take them on and beat them on their own turf. Let the good times roll!'
In truth, since Neil McEvoy arrived in the Assembly, Plaid Cymru's faint-hearts have behaved as if they'd been handed a bomb. For a number of reasons.
To begin with, I don't think they understand McEvoy. For while Plaid may have many members in Cardiff nowadays, and there may be a thriving Welsh language scene in the city, this is largely due to the population movement that has enfeebled our rural areas.
But Neil McEvoy didn't move down from Pwllheli or up from Crymych, he's Kerdiff through and through, with his Irish/Yemeni/English/Welsh background. And this is his strength, for he appeals to Cardiff voters who might not engage with Carys or Rhodri.
Nor did he come to Plaid by any of the usual routes. By which I mean, he certainly hasn't come from the language movement, he isn't an environmentalist or a hard leftie infiltrator, nor is he a professional politician who started out as a party worker or spad, and he certainly didn't emerge from the third sector.
So in many ways, Neil McEvoy is a one-off, an enigma; and for all their talk of 'the people', when presented with a genuine man of the people Plaid Cymru's upper echelons are horrified.
That's because Neil McEvoy – like most of us reading this – realises that the real enemy in Wales is the Labour Party, not the Conservatives. And so he attacks the Labour Party and its corrupt system again and again. This is why Plaid Cymru is on the verge of expelling him from the party.
It is no exaggeration to make a comparison with the palace coup against Dafydd Wigley in 2000, for once again Plaid Cymru is thinking of getting rid of its most popular politician and its greatest electoral asset.
And once again, the move may be prompted by influences external to the party.
ALL PROGRESSIVES TOGETHER
In the collective mindset of the Plaid Cymru leadership and hierarchy being 'progressive' – and/or being viewed by others as 'progressive' – is more important than doing what's best for Wales. Posturing.
Giving the finger to the US president, saving the planet, arguing that only fascists and racists want us to leave the EU, supporting every -ism that rolls off the left-liberal production line, and getting good coverage in the Guardian, are much more important than serving Wales.
Despite professing love for, and faith in, 'the people', progressives don't really trust hoi polloi to do what's best (especially since Brexit, Trump, and a host of other recent disappointments). Far better that a progressive elite should run things in the best interests of the untutored mob.
This has given Wales the kind of paternalistic statism we have always known from Labour, with Plaid Cymru latching on to Labour's coat-tails in recent decades. Industry and commerce are inimical to this model because companies and even individual entrepreneurs cannot be easily controlled, and so both Labour and Plaid Cymru – despite regular protestations to the contrary – are anti-business.
There was a time when Labour could exercise this control through the workforces of major industries and trade unions, but with the passing of the traditional working class it has tried to maintain its hold by breaking society down into ethnic, sexual and other 'deprived' or 'oppressed' groups – all of which must be defended!
This helps explain the rise of the third sector which, especially in Wales, now fills the role vacated by the trade unions as Labour support troops. Plaid Cymru dutifully goes along with this . . . on condition that enough of its people get a slice of the third sector pie.
It's no surprise then that one of the complainants against Neil McEvoy is Frances Beecher of homelessness company Llamau (of which I have writ many times). Her complaints are laughable, and tell us how contrived this witch-hunt is, and who's behind it.
FRANCES BEECHER, Courtesy of WalesOnline, click to enlarge
For example, "he was 'bullish, difficult and aggressive' at the charity's public election hustings in May 20", we are told. Er, so a politician spoke up at a public meeting! God Almighty – let's get the bastard!
This 'social worker politics' ensures that Wales remains poor, for which Labour and Plaid Cymru blame the Tories (even when they aren't in power), and the poverty allows the Tories to point to Wales and use it as a warning of what happens if you vote Labour.
So everybody wins – except Wales.
Let's also remember that relying on more money from the UK government proves that Plaid Cymru doesn't want independence. Dependent devolution with few responsibilities and plenty of perks is far more amenable.
'STRONG WOMEN'
Of all the -isms Plaid Cymru has adopted over recent decades none is currently more pernicious and self-harming than the aggressive and intolerant form of feminism now stalking Cardiff Bay.
It manifests itself in a number of ways, and it transcends party boundaries to the advantage of Labour.
In November 2015 I wrote this mixed-bag post, and you should scroll down to the section 'Sophie Howe, more Labour cronyism'. Howe, a Labour time-server, had been deputy PCC for South Wales to Alun Michael, the former Labour MP, then a new post was created for her, that of Future Generations Commissioner.
This new post linked with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, legislation tied in with the OnePlanet nonsense that opened rural Wales up to hippy lebensraum. Because it involved hippies, and offered no benefits whatsoever to Welsh people, it was supported enthusiastically by Plaid Cymru.
Neil McEvoy (who I referred to in the piece as "a rising star within Plaid Cymru"), criticised the appointment for what it was – Labour cronyism. Others in Plaid Cymru saw it differently, like then AM Jocelyn Davies.
It was the Jocelyn Davies view that prevailed in Plaid Cymru and provided me with an insight into certain attitudes that allowed gender and perceptions of solidarity to over-ride the political differences most of us imagined existed. The political differences we were asked to vote for at election times.
With the death of Carl Sargeant and other recent developments we now know that things are even worse than justifying political cronyism for no better reason than that the appointee is "a strong woman".
The agenda takes many forms. For example, there is currently a petition calling for Neil McEvoy not to be reinstated to the Plaid Cymru Assembly group. It is addressed to party leader Leanne Wood, but is it her decision alone?
Even though it claims to be the work of 'Concerned Welsh Women' it's pulling in signatures from around the world, so obviously the petition has been widely publicised in feminist circles and the Labour Party.
The word on the street is that this petition was started by another 'strong woman', in the form of Helen Mary Jones, sometime AM for Llanelli. She of course denies it. Though I find it interesting how many times her rebuttal reduces the whole business to a men versus women issue.
At one point she refers to Neil McEvoy as "Neil McAvoy". Being unable to even get his name right might suggest he's almost incidental to something bigger.
Whether Helen Mary Jones did start the petition or not she told a friend of mine once, "I have more friends in the Labour Party than in Plaid Cymru". Make of that what you will.
Helen Mary Jones was AM for Llanelli. The seat where the great rugby coach Carwyn James once stood, and where Plaid Cymru had one of its strongest branches . . . until the general election of 2017, when the candidate selected by the local party was turfed out to make way for a woman candidate imposed by Cardiff HQ.
The imposed candidate lost, the local branch imploded, and Plaid Cymru is withering away in Llanelli.
UPDATE 25.01.2018: It seems that the petition has been taken down.
The late Carl Sargeant complained about being bullied from within the office of Labour leader and First Minister Carwyn Jones in 2014. The finger points at former television journalist Jo Kiernan, who left at the end of 2015. This report of her departure makes it clear she was loathed by many people even in her own party.
When she left the office of the First Minister Jo Kiernan went to lobbying firm Deryn, from where the bullying and undermining of Carl Sargeant continued. The 'Welsh' media is reluctant to say this, so let us be thankful for Guido Fawkes. Jo Kiernan also served as a consultant to Llamau.
Though whether the continued bullying came from Kiernan alone will perhaps be established in coming months. It may be significant that Jo Kiernan's Twitter account went silent around the time of Carl Sargeant's death, but the tweets preserved suggest she too is 'a strong woman'.
If we look to the six leading players at Deryn we see four with Labour backgrounds, Cathy Owens, Huw Roberts, Jo Kiernan and Vicki Evans, and two from Plaid Cymru, Nerys Evans and Elin Llŷr.
Courtesy of WalesOnline, click to enlarge
In July 2016 Neil McEvoy drew attention to what he, and many others, considered to be a conflict of interest involving Nerys Evans. He also called for a register of lobbyists. Which would have seen his card marked, yet again.
Early in 2017 Neil McEvoy further endeared himself to Deryn by revealing that Ofcom's Welsh operation had awarded a contract to Deryn without any tendering process, and this looked bad seeing as two Deryn directors – Nerys Evans and Huw Roberts – sat on the Ofcom Wales board.
The Ofcom contract with Deryn was terminated in August.
These third world shenanigans feed into the continuum, Labour/Plaid Cymru-lobbyists-third sector. With people, overwhelmingly women, floating between the different parts as if they were one. Though of course the continuum is restricted to Labour and Plaid Cymru personnel.
Which inevitably results in political differences blurring, or disappearing altogether. The priorities are influencing political decisions (often for personal gain) and milking the public purse. And God help anybody, like Neil McEvoy, who becomes aware of this corruption and starts blowing the whistle.
This explains why Plaid Cymru is so anaemic, so reluctant to confront Labour. It could even be that through channels like Deryn Labour is to some extent controlling Plaid Cymru. Certainly Nerys Evans is a very close friend of Leanne Wood.
One thing's for sure, when it comes to election times, and we are asked to choose between Labour and Plaid Cymru, there is no choice, they're one and the same; combining to keep Wales poor so they get votes by blaming the Tories while their friends in the third sector feather their nests from exploiting our deprivation. (And, where necessary, importing more!)
Neil McEvoy knows this. Neil McEvoy wants to expose this. And it's the reason Neil McEvoy is now being targeted: Discredit the messenger and hope that the message dies with his political career. But it won't work. Too many people are waking up to the incestuous relationships and the wider corruption down Cardiff Bay.
Neil McEvoy will emerge from this stronger and more popular, but the careers of many of his detractors will suffer, and I'll enjoy writing about it. Because you've brought it on yourselves!
♦ end ♦
Alun Ffred JonesCarl SargeantCarwyn JonesCathy OwensDafydd WigleyDeryn ConsultingElin LlyrErin PizzeyFrances BeecherHelen Mary JonesHuw RobertsJo KiernanJocelyn DaviesLeanne WoodLlamauNeil McEvoyNerys EvansOfcomPaula HardyPlaid CymruSian JamesSophie HoweVicki EvansWelsh Labour
Lammas revisited (but not in the flesh, obviously)
Sheroes, Herstory and LeadHerShip*: The Weird World of Helen Mary Jones
92 thoughts on "Plaid Cymru and the defenestration of Neil McEvoy"
There must be loads to comment on this, however, to show or amplify what you are looking into, these links may be of interest.
Deryn now informing contractors etc how to get into the pubic sector infrastructure and construction – [contracts?]?
NMcE quite rigt to demand openness and transparency – it's why he is being kicked around or out. Too many cosy contracts and spin offs. Is it perhaps also intended that you won't be able to access your AM/political represenative without going through these kind of operators?.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/g4c-wales-understanding-welsh-politics-cardiff-tickets-41943088908
https://revl.world/event/g4c-wales-understanding-welsh-politics-swansea/
""G4C Wales are hosting an event with Cathy Owens from Deryn who will provide an overview of government and politics in Wales, with a focus on infrastructure and construction, outlining the responsibilities of the UK Government and Welsh Government and how G4C members can engage with elected representatives at the National Assembly.""
Dafis
Another segment of the general Welsh malaise is highlighted here – private sector business leaders too fuckin' lazy or lacking in real competitive juice to make a commercial proposition of merit instead seeking "backdoors" and "soft leads" to "enable transactions". I've written on several occasions that much of our private sector has been poisoned by the grant/handout mentality to the extent that very little of worth gets off the ground without some Ministry doling out some cash, up front with some very slack or no strings attached.
Over the years I was as vocal as most in damning benefit scroungers and other lazy types who should have been doing a proper job but these business leaders of ours have outdone the underclass when it comes to dependency. It stinks, and surprise, surprise, the Deryn mob are in on it !
is this the beginning of the end ? the end of what ? well not necessarily Plaid Cymru because there is a growing wave of dissent and discontent among rank & file members, people who have historically been followers with little or no inclination to criticise their leadership teams. If that wave grows it could do some terminal damage to Leanne's leadership credibility despite her sad attempts at looking all statesmanlike ( sorry, stateswoman like ! ) on the TV last week. All it needs is one or two senior players to make a move to have her replaced at EGM. They would need to be men with balls, or women not tainted by the femme-supremacist cliquesters known to all. Dai, Rhun, Adam ? Shame that young man Steffan Lewis is distracted by health problems right now as he could be a good long shot and possibly make it to No.2.
So it's back to that same question that we probably asked when all this crap started – Does Plaid have it within itself to sort itself out ? It certainly won't remain the same because failing to harness the energy, focus and general ability of Neil McEvoy will perpetuate weakness as well as rifts, and if you ain't moving forward you is going backwards boys & girls.
Now opportunists on our page may think "good, with a bit of luck and a following wind McEvoy and a crew of disaffected P.C members will jump ship and join Y Blaid Newydd". Ideally I'd like to see a revived and reshaped Plaid regain its focus and start addressing issues central to our recovery – both our economy and our social and cultural identity. Tall order ? Pretty much impossible if the rank and file dissenters don't make progress, in which case it will be over to Plaid Newydd to take a moral and practical lead in addressing those same issues.
Jac – regarding the unprincipled unscrupulous ones, please don't call them feminists, they are not. Very few of them have any understanding of gender theory or feminist scholarship, it is quite clear that they are complete ignoramuses every time that they open their mouths or send out a tweet. As I explained in one of my comments to your last post, these are selfish self serving women who have simply seized upon a network and a system that they can exploit in order to advance themselves. It also enables them to invalidate other people's opinions.
Their gross insensitivity is displayed in their constant descriptions of themselves as 'strong women'. What does this say about women who are ill, who are vulnerable, who are living in an abusive situation or haven't reached the dizzy heights of being a rather dim female AM? That they are worthless because they are not 'strong' like these silly pampered princesses most of whom don't.know their arses from.their elbows and have a hissy fit when they receive a rude tweet? I think we need to replace the word strong with 'sharp elbowed'.
Regarding Lamau – I have a young friend who being idealistic went to work with Lamau because she wanted to help women having a hard time. She found the same old Third sector story – neglect of clients and the promotion to management.level of the.most inappropriate people who could be relied upon not to blow the whistle. All other staff grossly exploited and disrespected.
Sadly Women's Aid has a long history of dysfunction and in-fighting. You are right that Erin Pizzey made the point that women could be violent as well but sadly Erin Pizzey went really mad and started saying that women and even children who were the victims of violence had characters that just attracted this sort of thing. It was very dangerous stuff and she then backed it up with laughable 'research' which she carried out with a psychiatrist from Warlingham Park Hospital in Surrey where staff went to prison after it was revealed that patients had been raped and beaten. There was someone working at Warlingham Park who had connections with the paedophile ring that.operated in north Wales in the 80s. I knew of two profoundly vulnerable people, a brother and a sister, who's mother died a suspicious death whilst in Warlingham Park. When the two teenagers asked questions they were sectioned, kept there for a year, abused and then relocated to north Wales after being fleeced of their inheritance by a crooked lawyer working with a crooked psychiatrist at Warlingham Park.
Unfortunately the women who opposed Erin Pizzey were as mad as she was but in a different way. The poor women going to Women's Aid for help were just forgotten in the midst of all this. I knew people who tried working with Women's Aid, like me and my friends with politics they just gave up and walked away, they was just no dealing with them.
Dear old Jane Hutt established Women's Aid in Wales – Hutt is a social worker from London and I bet she relied upon her contacts there to set up Welsh Women's Aid. I always wondered whether she was a mate of the mad Erin Pizzey or the nutters who did battle with her?
Well done on piecing all that together, Jac. A lot of history and characters to take in there.
You single out Jo Kiernan as a Deryn director whose Twitter account fell silent about the time of Sargeant's death. But Cathy Owens' Twitter timeline over this period is an interesting one as well. In keeping with the mass hysteria prevalent through October 2017 she went on and on about harassment, specifically of the sexual kind. But on 2 November, Neil McEvoy got her attention with her complaining the inquiry into the allegations of bullying against him had not proceeded. On 3 November, the day Sargeant was sacked, she was tweeting "Our prediction: expect 2 Cabinet Members to leave, a promotion or two and 3 of the 2015 intake in. And possibly a little extra surprise". Prediction, my arse. If she can predict that accurately get her signed up to buy your lottery tickets now, because this gal is THE BEST! We all know what that "little extra surprise" turned out to be. We also know Carwyn now has to answer questions that the reshuffle was leaked. Clearly Cathy Owens had received the reshuffle details from someone close to Carwyn. Or was it from the mouth of the Head Donkey himself?
But Sargeant's sacking did nothing to quell the rage within her. Over that weekend she was interviewed on Sunday Politics (Wales) and declared that a male politician had once tried to get into bed with her. Fucking 'ell, it wasn't Blunkett was it? I thought he was off the scene long ago. She seemingly revelled in the spotlight of being the standard bearer for all these wimmin that had been treated so appallingly. Then Sargeant buggered things up, hanging himself on 7 November. We'll probably never know how much the vicarious castration of any male politicians who weren't gay in the Assembly, played out on social media and in interviews like hers, led to it all being too much for the poor man. Her Twitter thankfully fell silent from 6 November right through until 11 December – totally unheard of, but other directors of Deryn were still tweeting. Guilty conscience? Respect for Sargeant's family? Who knows?
Neil McEvoy, thus far, has stood up amazingly well to trial by media and innuendo, but every man and woman has a breaking point. The toll on him psychologically must be massive. Plaid's handling of the affair, the delays in dealing with the complaints, the leaking of details they shouldn't have to McEvoy himself – it's shocking. But it's actually confirmed thoughts I've had for a some time, that they are just not up to the mark. The very time Welsh Liebour are at their weakest, with internal wars raging and Carwyn looking as useless as he has ever been, Plaid Cymru decide to look a gift horse in the mouth and play their own game of Russian Roulette, with five bullets in the chamber. Unbelievable!
Your article is spot on Jac, keep up the good work. Anyone who stands up to the system always gets targeted its a known fact.
Christopher John Williams
You're dead right again Jac as usual, I also believe Neil's star is still rising and the more people who read your posts and do a bit of research themselves will come to the same conclusion. Labour has for so long been all about cronyism and inventing well-paid non-jobs for the boys, [and girls]. Too many lazy Plaid top brass just want the same…for themselves. Of course this is ideal for a Westminster Tory Government.
The rest of us in Wales continue to battle on as though we're walking through quicksand. Education of the masses who blindly vote for the Party of their Father and his father and the father before him is perhaps part of the answer. I campaigned and stood for Plaid in Cardiff for Westminster and Cardiff Bay along with Neil and have always admired his passion for the truth and determination to speak out against injustice.
Wales needs people like Jac and Neil. Pob lwc boys!
Brychan
'Speaking out against injustice' rarely gets respect from those with a vested interest, but always wins votes in the ballot box.
Christ almighty Jac have just clicked on BBC Wales online to.read that the Deputy Leader of the Welsh Labour Party has to be a woman if the leader is a man. So who is going to be flying the flag for the women of Wales? The three candidates are Julie Morgan, Carolyn Harris and someone Wilcox who has led Newport City Council. This exemplifies everything that I have maintained is wrong about Labour's daft cackhanded attempts to achieve gender equality. Three talentless old bats – one of who only got where she is because she was married to the First Minister who was a bit of an oaf himself and who along with her hubby kept schtum about a paedophile ring which murdered some of its victims – are the best that can be dredged up. Probably because they elbowed others out of the way, knowing that this was their only chance. Under what other circumstances would any of these three be looking at becoming deputy leader of a national political party?
Wilcox's star seems in the ascendancy. She got the leadership of the Welsh Local Government Association last year, its first female leader, plus she is now Leader of Newport Council. I'd be tempted to put a quid on her. But if you really want to speculate, sell all your gold and buy shares in Clarks Pies, just in case the appointment heads all the way west to Swansea.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-42789478
I knew there was something wrong with our government in Wales. Now I know what the problem was all along; no gender quotas.
Ardderchog Jac! Excellent research article. You are spot on.
The Welsh public are waking up to the systematic bullying, targeting and gaslighting tactics towards Neil McEvoy.
Since Neil McEvoy is a genuine person of integrity, who has a heart for truth and justice, which is demonstrated through his consistent long standing history of up for Welsh people rights (including Welsh women's rights) on ground level- his true leadership quality is obviously a threat to many.
Those who are secure in their own abilities and positioning would have no reason to use underhanded 'anonymous' insidious tactics to attack an innocent person, eg. setting up a petition as a cowardly faceless namesless author with references which include unknown authors and broken hyperlinks.
Anyone with any sense, can see right through this malicious underhand scheme to attempt to remove Neil McEvoy from his successful position, as he is on the verge of spearheading much needed change throughout Wales.
As a well known and much quoted phrase about bullying explains:
"Those who can - do
Those who can't - bully"
Neil McEvoy is an excellent politician. He is good at what he does. He is the people's politician.
Therefore, he has no reason to bully anyone, A 'throw-away' comment does not constitute 'bullying'.
However, a relentless coordinated insidious scheme which involves the deliberately targeting and poisoning of others' minds against one person (Neil McEvoy), falls directly into many characteristics of the definition of bullying.
Since it appears that the sole intention of this malicious targeting is to cause Neil McEvoy mass public humiliation, damage to his reputation and career, whilst the author/s cowardly hide/s behind faceless/nameless anonymous persona/s the insidious nature of the targeting makes Neil McEvoy a victim of systematic organised bullying and mobbing.
Therefore, I wholeheartedly agree and echo the words of Jacothenorth that:
'Neil McEvoy will emerge out of this stronger and more popular' with a greater following than ever before, while the careers of his oppressors will crash and burn, as they themselves fall into the very pits that they have dug out for Neil McEvoy.
Paragraph three should read:
Since Neil McEvoy is a genuine person of integrity, who has a heart for truth and justice, which is demonstrated through his consistent long standing history of sticking up for Welsh people rights (including Welsh women's rights) on ground level- his true leadership quality is obviously a threat to many.
vicky moller
Jac I love your writing for punch, quality, wit and significant truth. Sadly you are lazy about truth and the area I know most about, One Planet Development is utterly distorted, and you should apologise for this. The young people coming into Wales to pursue it are not gyppos but contribute. And the local Welsh young people doing it could not otherwise afford a home. Plaid has supported the principle rightly, why would you be against people building their home, gaining sustenance from the land without harm environmental or otherwise. Those who are incomers are more keen on the Welsh language than any other sector of incomers. When Charlie (father a local farmer) and Megan (mother a Welsh language teacher and caterer) built their home only Plaid stood up for them. Same when Dai Seymour (head boy of Preseli school in his day and outstanding carpenter) built their own home. All the young people of Wales, well thousands literally passionately supported Charlie and Megan, the councillors were so ashamed of refusing the most beautiful home invisible on his parents land, they could not sleep at night. Since then they have supported one planet applications. The whole community similarly supported Dai and his family. But that is history. Today I have yet to meet a young Welsh working class rural person who would not like to build their home and live on renewable energy. How dare you call them gyppos as if this was an insult.
"Gyppos"! Where did that come from? I've never used that word in relation to Lammas or anything else.
The person who used the 'Gyppos' term to comment is depicted on the left of this picture.
http://www.countyecho.co.uk/images/news/2015/rf261115leanne%20and%20vicky.jpg
Whilst it's common for posh white OnePlanet devotees from England to refer derogatively to others who also have planning issues with temporary structures in Pembrokeshire. "We're not like the Gyppos" approach. Such terms should never be used by Plaid Cymru candidates. I suggest an apology is in order.
Vicky. Should you not be offering your observations on the previous post by Jac relating to Lammas not this post relating to Neil McEnvoy. As you have decided to join the debate, tell us more about the various fires in these "eco dwellings" and the failure to comply with Building Regulations 2010 and other legislation / regulations that apply to the rest of us.
Wrexhamian
Ms Moller: If you are saying that Lammas provides affordable, environmentally-friendly rural homes for young Welsh people, then that is greatly to your credit. If, however, you are facilitating the development of cheap rural colonies for English settlers, then you can expect to be challenged in sites such as this one.
Which of the two is the true state of affairs, please?
I believe there are one or two Welsh people involved and it suits Vicky Moller and others to play this up in the hope we'll forget that all the rest are English.
having a token native or two has always been fashionable with colonists since Elizabethan ( the 1st) times.
Sorry, I meant One Planet Development.
Vicky Moller, no Jac certainly didn't say "Gyppo", but you did, in a very disparaging way, "The young people coming into Wales to pursue it are not gyppos but contribute" whoops, are you sure you are a Plaid Cymru candidate? Firstly, there would be no housing crisis effecting young people living in Pembrokeshire, if the issue of second homes had been dealt with, as they have begun to do in Cornwall, but there are obviously too many politicians etc, with vested interests who want to keep house prices high. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/may/31/cornwall-fightback-second-homes-house-prices-ban Secondly, if the OPDs were aimed exclusively at local young people, it might well be a positive policy to support the local community, but will these local people be able to afford the land, when land prices inevitably start to rise, as more and more people from England head to Pembrokeshire and compete to build their OPDs? How many OPD's can Pembrokeshire support and who will buy all the produce from these multiple smallholdings?
There is a pent up demand for housing in England because of over inflated house prices, the "Grand Design" programme will have attracted the attention of many of these people in England, who will see OPDs as the only solution to this crisis, many of whom are already in Wales. What will be the impact of this influx of people on Welsh communities, how many people are predicted to migrate to Wales and wouldn't it have been a better idea to first lobby for a change in planning laws in England, to support communities there, who would like to develop OPDS ?
I noticed that you had left a comment of support under this blog entry, for an OPD development called Rhiw Las, who have fallen out with their Welsh neighbours over their OPD development. https://www.lowimpact.org/one-planet-development-arrested-my-attempts-to-build-a-home-on-a-smallholding-in-wales/ I notice that you didn't say anything about their completely offensive comment that the blogger made about his Welsh neighbours, that he " wouldn't piss on these people if they were on fire. I'll leave others to do the forgiving." Deeply unpleasant thing to say about anyone, whatever the context, but to arrogantly assume that this was an ok thing to post on the internet, well none of the "One Planet" crowd commenting, took him to task and you, a Plaid Cymru candidate, disgraceful!!
Also, many of these people from England are not "poor", " working class" people are they? Looking again at the Rhiw Las OPDs, they can afford an architect designed eco house here, https://www.mwd.wales/rhiw-las. Now the architect's name sounds very familiar, Mark Waghorn, isn't he the architect for "Calon Cymru" http://www.caloncymru.org/who-we-are.html, who moved to Wales because of the OPDs, a small, incestuous and nepotistic world is the "One Planet Developments", the same names keep popping up everywhere, together, but where is all the local Welsh talent that these jobs should be offered to, or is it the old boys/girls network operating?
Here is another OPD in your neck of the wood, at Trefdraeth, these people also wound up their neighbours big time, but possibly because the area has become so anglicised, they managed to manipulate the "right people" over a two year period, before telling their neighbours what they were actually planning. Hundreds of Tractor tires on Carn Ingli doesn't look great, does it and can't be that environmentally friendly or sustainable? http://beeview.weebly.com/one-planet-development.html The majority of these OPDs in general are not as you mention supporting "poor" people from local "working class" backgrounds, but are in general being taken up by people from privileged backgrounds, from places like Berkshire, Hampshire and Sussex and many of them will have financial support, so is this policy really helping Welsh communities?
Excellent research and analysis which get right to the heart of where this OPD policy fails local communities in rural Wales, with an ominous prediction of where it will end – badly, I am afraid, for those same communities. It's worth bearing in mind that of the £48K income declared "off the land" for all the nine holdings at Lammas in 2015, well over £21K came from the mumbo-jumbo, touchy-feely courses they hold there. Clearly, strip that out, because not all OPDs are going to be able to do such things, and you get an even more parlous existence. Hardly a sustainable model in my opinion. Myfanwy is dead right about how the plot prices will inflate as demand rises and those best able to compete in this market will hardly be the struggling young local families many of us would prefer to see. The policy is a bloody shambles.
Jonathan Swan
Deryn need to be cut out of the assembly because it's got more power than the AM's, Neil is a fantastic member of the assembly because he is doing his job by asking those questions that need to be answered and in doing so got him suspended.
I believe Neil is not done yet, I believe that he will still rise further and grow because his support all over Wales is also increasing every day getting stronger and passionate.
It's time Plaid apologise to Neil and start removing the deluded influences that are ripping the party open.
It's time people realise that yes there is bullying going on and it's on a large scale but I can assure you it's most definitely not Neil doing.
Jordan Evs Exile
Helen Mary Jones' Twitter feed is a strange, arcane place.
sorry re comment above, not gyppos but hippies, must be a word association thing. I agree about the failure of Plaid to appreciate NMEv's heroic contributions to challenging wrong, galvanising the people of Cardiff, transforming Plaid's fortunes and combining environment and humanitarian issues, also standing up for things that no-one else is, like children's and fathers need for each other, exposing corruption and financial waste in Welsh govt. I also note he is hard to work with, bless, maybe making the Assembly group too conflicted? I don't know.
As for your grand binning of Plaid, I hear the bitterness of disappointment not the voice of honesty. You do not do justice to the passion and commitment alive and vibrant in the party. But very glad of the criticisms, much to answer.
Yes, hippies. Which is what they are. Though I'm intrigued by why you might confuse the two words.
substance abuse ??
CambroUiDunlainge
Nuclear mudding.
Big Gee
Vicky, your attempt at defending Plaid is admirable, and I respect you for it. It's nice to see someone who is genuinely loyal.
However, have you ever come across the allegory of "Painting the funnels on the Titanic whilst the ship is sinking"?
Randol
Did you mean rearranging the deck chairs as she sinks..? Oh! Don't start a sentence with a conjunction; it reveals the 'state' in and of your education old bean.
Plaid's filled with people who may identify with being Welsh, many may speak it… but most have very British views and ideas towards our country and the world. They maybe passionate to their commitments and their ideologies but it doesn't change that those commitments and ideologies are in the best interests of Wales.
"They maybe passionate about their commitments and their ideologies but it doesn't mean that those commitments and ideologies are in the best interests of Wales." – Sorry its late.
Tailorboy
Perhaps Vicky has inadvertantly hit on something – we have always had a group of people in Wales, that are a part of our rural fabric, a group of people with a strong and long history and culture of making money from recycling materials and knowledge of how to generate income locally. There is a group of people who would be able to re-develop the whole Lammas site over a weekend, without grants or subsidies and be certain of getting paid for it; generating an admirable income from it, that could be spent in local hostelries, helping to keep our rural pubs open, a group of people who could recycle much of the junk that may have accumulated on modern day eco-warrior sites.
I suggest more support for our historic eco-warriors to collaborate and assist the modern age pretenders – there are Welsh gypsies who have won prizes at Eisteddfodau and have always been a large part of our cultural fabric, these are people who could maybe enlighten the new-age prophets – make them aware of the riches and wealth at Lammas and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help and share their knowledge – and wealth.
Penddu
Neil Mc Evoy is wasted in Plaid – it used to be a party of radical protest – now it has been taken over by politically correct Wimmin who are looking for a nice third sector consultancy position. Neil, Jon Edwards and Adam Price need to move on to a new party……if only there was somewhere for them to go…!
Dyfrig Jones
A few factual points, and then a political one:
"Although the regional vote is difficult to interpret, the fact remains that Plaid gained more regional votes than any other party. Few doubt that this was due to McEvoy being top of the Plaid list."
Leanne Wood was at the top of the Plaid Cymru list for South Wales Central, but because she won a constituency seat in the Rhondda, the list seat went to Neil McEvoy, who was in second place. So, following your original logic, you could argue that Neil McEvoy was elected because Leanne Wood was on top of the Plaid list. 😉
"Just before the council elections – in March, in fact – a Cardiff Council (i.e. Labour) tribunal found that a throwaway remark McEvoy had made to a council official amounted to 'bullying'."
While Cardiff Council initially dealt with the complaint against Neil McEvoy, it was referred to the Adjudication Panel for Wales. Make what you will of the complaint against McEvoy, or the outcome of the hearing – but it was the decision of an independent body, not Cardiff Council or Labour.
This is just nit-picking, perhaps. But to engage with your broader argument, I think that some of the points you make about the relationship between the Third Sector and the Labour Party are really important, and need to be taken seriously. Likewise, I agree with Neil McEvoy that there should be greater regulation and oversight of lobbying. The problem is that the substance of these issues get lost when they're submerged in paranoia and conspiracy theories. It seems that you don't see any way out of the current situation, other than the complete destruction of Plaid Cymru in its current form.
On the broader point, regarding Plaid Cymru's left-wing politics, I think that you're flogging a dead horse here. Plaid Cymru isn't left-wing because of some sinister elite conspiracy to usurp the will of the people. Plaid Cymru is a left-wing party because the vast majority of the party membership is on the left. Some – like me – are pretty close to the center, others a bit further left. But it is a tiny minority of our members (or supporters) who share your anti-feminist, anti-immigrant, anti-environmental world view. If your wishes were suddenly granted, and Plaid Cymru decided to adopt the kind of platform that you advocate, then there would be a mass exodus of the membership.
Were Plaid seriously left wing instead of embracing the fashionable faux pseudo left at every opportunity I don't think I would take issue with your political point. The fact that they fail to mount a sustained attack on a seriously defective Labour government, another pseudo left cluster more interested in perpetuating conditions that allow them to engage in minimal effort, is the major symptom of their misdirected focus.
You're right of course about the regional vote, but I still maintain that McEvoy's name of the list drew many who wouldn't otherwise have voted for Plaid.
That complaint against McEvoy, which you are so keen to establish had nothing to do with Labour (you are Plaid Cymru, are you?), was trivial, and should never have been proceeded with by anyone. That Plaid Cymru fell into line and did Labour's bidding was very revealing.
I agree with you that "the vast majority of the party membership is on the left", and that's the problem, it means Plaid cannot engage with the greater part of the electorate. Maybe the fundamental mistake Plaid made was in believing that people who vote Labour are socialist. They're not, most of those in Wales who vote Labour do so out of self-interest.
It's a very 'soft' vote, as the Ukip vote in the Valleys and the north east has shown in recent elections.
You conclude by referring to what you allege are my, "anti-feminist, anti-immigrant, anti-environmental world view". You're wrong on all counts. I'm against gender politics and women who are as good, or bad, at bullying as any man. My opposition is to colonisation, not immigration. Finally, I have always had a love of nature that disposes me to take better care of our world, but I oppose shysters who use 'environmentalism' for self-advancement, or as a political weapon.
If Plaid Cymru adopted that platform then it might indeed see "a mass exodus of the membership" . . . to be replaced by a membership more representative of the people of Wales, who'd give Plaid Cymru more chance of electoral success.
It's not that I'm "so keen to establish that [the complaint] had nothing to do with Labour". It's more that there exists an independent adjudication panel, and if it is to have any meaning we need to accept its rulings whether we wholeheartedly agree with them or not. Otherwise we undermine the system, making it more difficult to hold politicians of all stripe to account.
You may well be right, that if Plaid Cymru adopted a new, right-wing populist platform, then it would suddenly see itself swept to power. But that's not how political parties work – you'd don't set up a party, and then hitch yourself to the latest bandwagon to try and get yourself elected. While policies may change, parties stand for fundamental principles – and like it or not, Plaid Cymru has always been a party of the left.
Who's advocating a "right-wing populist platform"? I'm saying that Plaid Cymru should stop dictating to people from the moral high ground. They should come down and engage, talk with people, and most important of all, listen to what really concerns them.
Do not confuse 'right-wing' and 'nationalist', Dyfrig.
Also, take note of Jac's reply to your comment. You will be aware by now of the gulf between what many Welsh people expect of Paid and what the party currently has on offer.
As for the main topic under discussion here, Plaid's top brass may indeed have shot themselves in the foot over the McEvoy affair, but sadly political intrigue will probably triumph over popular support for a committed politician.
There is nothing wrong with being populist – whether left or right. Democracy is about the will of the people – not the will of the political class. Politicians and political parties that do not do the bidding of the people are actually working against them.
When you stand on a platform, deliver – or get in the bin. You don't serve the people on your terms – that's pure deluded arrogance. you serve the people on their terms – all the time, everytime or you serve no purpose.
Matthew Ford
The complaint against Neil McEvoy was referred to the Adjudication Panel after the Ombudsman personally asked for the complaint, which had been closed, to be reopened. The panel aren't a jury, they're politically appointed. Everyone is found guilty who goes to that panel. It's worth remembering that the same people who took issue with Neil questioning the independence of the Ombudsman's process had nothing to say when Adam Price questioned his independence. That was after the Ombudsman got involved in the Welsh Language Commissioner row. In fact, every party member got an email on 11 October 2017 encouraging 'Adam Price AM's criticism of the Ombudsman (who is supposed to be impartial) interfering in the debate about the Welsh Language Commissioner's Future'. Adam even questioned whether the Ombudsman should be sacked. That says so much about Plaid's priorities. You sit on the NEC Dyfrig, so we'll see how impartial you can be when you receive Neil's appeal. Undermining the system that oppresses is exactly what Plaid AM's should be doing.
Adjudication Panel, Ombudsman, Commissioners etc ….. one thing in common, all political appointments in the gift of the Labour Party in Government. Any of you still not able to smell it ? Either your noses are fucked up, brains not functioning, or you have sold your souls to the machine.
Just to correct Dyfrig on the 'throwaway remark, which was overheard by a council official'. Please note that the complaint came not from the council official concerned, but from a Labour councillor.
If I remember correctly, arms were twisted.
Michaela Beddows
I have read what you have written in absolute horror, we all know that the Assembly is a corrupt nest of vipers – not all AMs obviously but the majority are in it for themselves career politicians, I agree that Plaid and Labour are one and the same party now. My question is, do we actually need the Welsh Assembly? It is a drain on our funding in Wales, they now want to increase the amount of AMs we have and will have to build a new bullding costing us millions to house them all in. We have MPs who represent us so why do we need AMs?
Neil McEvoy is probably the best thing to happen to Welsh politics for a long long time, you know you are hitting a nerve when they all start attacking together, I only hope he keeps speaking out and doesn't get bullied into leaving politics or even worse something happening like with Carl Sargeant. Politics is no longer about representing people that vote for you it is about enhancing your own career and money.
:Keep writing and investigating, some of this surely has to stick xx
Yes we should have a Welsh Assembly – but it should be cost-neutral. It should exist at the expense of large reductions of MPs on one side and Local Authorty councillors on the other. Likewise Welsh Government departments should exist at the expense of local government above and below.
As it stands we have far far more elected representatives per head in Wales than they do in England and far far more people working in government departments than England. Which is patently absurd.
that actually makes a lot of sense xx
Ms Beddows we do need more AMs in Cardiff … with balls … (not a sexist wish, honest) and a night of the long knives on MPS, especially Brit Nat Labour ones who don't fight for Wales, like those horrendous Labour councillors in llanelli, and other decimated areas of Wales- they are all complicit in the castration of Wales as a viable nation.. This venal lot are more corrupt than whatever happens in Cardiff – wake up and smell the coffee
Jac IMJ's tweet re Plaid's roots is historically accurate but that timidity due to liberal non conformist roots and the related "quest" for moral high ground has been replaced by relentless drive to be seen in tune with fashionable pseudo left groupthink with attendant virtue signalling ( nouveau moral high ground ? ) while fighting tooth and nail for personal pole position so that the next step in lucrative career is accessible.
Chopper Harley
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. I have always been pro devolution, seeing it as a necessary stepping stone to full independence. However there is little purpose to a democratically elected debating and legislative institution if it evolves into a vipers nest of corrupt, self interest and vindictive personal vendettas. Which in this particualr instance, centres around the orchestrated character assassination of someone fullfilling the role that he was elected to undertake. We really need to ask the question, what kind of value are we getting fron the Senedd when it spends far too much time on internal investigations rather than conducting the business it was created to address.
Now is the time for people with indepth knowledge of the true situation within the Senedd, which the key players are attempting to suppress, to have the guts to stand up and cooperate withl James Hamilton and tell him what they know. Reading between the lines, this likely involves a link between the unsubstantiated allegations of sexual harassment against Carl Sergeant and the similar smear campaign against Neil McEvoy.
It's not looking good for the James Hamilton investigation with potential witnesses afraid of Labour reprisals.
"I have always been pro devolution, seeing it as a necessary stepping stone to full independence."
Devolution exists in Scotland, Wales and NI. In which of these nations has it successfully led to Independence? Blair said himself it was done to keep the UK together. Scotland failed to gain Independence. Yes… it was close… and had they won it still would have been close. Either way hardly a nation crying out for freedom against oppression – devolution is a valve to let the steam out of such a cause. Pro-Devolution is pro-Britannia and anti-Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Yes I think you have a better idea with regard to the ultimate aims of devolution than I have. Carwyn Jones and the parasitic culture his administration have created, with more than a little help from Plaid, I am sorry to say, have brought the idea of self governance into disrepute. While a return to central government is likely is no better, at least there would be a cost saving and we would be rid of one group of " b " movie actors.
I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a common link in the Sargeant accusations and those involving Neil McEvoy but I think it's highly unlikely we'll establish it for certain now that the allegations against Sargeant have been dropped by the Labour Party. Someone recently asked the Welsh Government via a FoI for copies of any correspondence between its SpAds and Deryn between 30 October and 6 November 2017. If you recall, the Sargeant accusations allegedly came in very close to the time he was sacked i.e. 3 November. The WAG delayed replying but when reminded came up with the classic line "We hold no such information". Hmmm – but someone might.
Correction, sorry. The exact wording of the FoI reply was "No such information is held".
Babu Mzungu
Swansea news. Plaid is totally dead here. The Corbynites have taken over many Labour Branches, most have no connection to Swansea and are simply drifters like the Student Councillors we had a few years ago. The Lib Dems are like dead ducks in the water with "Blackie" desperately looking for a new lodge.Swansea Tories are led by an oaf Councillor. Where does this leave Swansea? The answer is "adrift" in a flimsy raft commanded by a Captain Pugwash like character called "Bosun Rob". Never mind, the Welsh Corbynites might elect a supreme orator Welsh Labour Leader from Morriston. I advise you to Hedge your bets now.,
Spoiler Alert! Neil McEvoy will be the next leader of Plaid Cymru.
Excellent information, to my knowledge McEvoy has never shied from speaking up for ordinary people. This seemingly unstoppable UK corruption is covered daily at 1pm Monday to Friday with UK Column News at http://www.ukcolumn.org
ukcolumn does a good job of covering aspects of Anglo Brit supremacy interests, but interests of Wales will be a coincidental aside. Indeed it is the Bay cliques' excessive urge to please their London masters that lies at the core of our present shitstorm.
DavApWil
Odd that this lengthy and well researched analysis doesn't make reference to the former relationship between Neil McEvoy and Bethan Jenkins and the alleged events leading up to her being arrested on 14 October 2012 or how this influenced negative attitudes towards the Cardiff boy by the Plaid establishment and the lobbying fraternity. Also no mention of the bitterness when Leanne Wood opted to contest both Rhondda and South Wales Central at McEvoy's potential expense.
As I say in the piece, "I had to stick to the straight and narrow without being detoured by personal animosities and other distractions", because there are just so many of them. I wanted to keep with the political ramifications of a party with its head stuck up another party's arse while also being influenced by lobbyists and third sector parasites.
I understand your approach but clearly there is as much personal animosity involved as political disagreement in all this. The game plan among the top tier has been to expel McEvoy whatever the cost to the party. Plaid is visibly disintegrating.
Granted there is a heap of evidence that personal relationships which ended and morphed into animosities may lie behind/under some of the nonsense going on within Plaid and the wider bubble, but Jac is right to focus on main threads. If we started gathering anecdotal evidence about who "spent time" with others we would find yet another seriously tangled can of worms of more interest to a mucky tabloid than to this campaign aimed at straightening a few kinks out of Welsh politics.
We know that the 'Bethan Jenkins drink driving arrest' was not a random stop. South Wales Police were acting on information received. If this information was supplied by McEvoy or someone known to him, then the behaviour of Bethan Jenkins in relation to the Plaid Cymru campaign agaist McEvoy is..
(a) indicative that she is not truly remorseful in her crime, and
(b) hounding a man who puts the lives of people before party politics.
We know that Bethan was at the TUC demonstration in Newport the previous day (Saturday 13th October 2012) and she was sober. South Wales Police are not at liberty to disclose the identity of the informant, however, they, and the informant, acted in the best interests, safety, and well-being of the people of Cardiff.
she also claimed for a hotel bill when watching a pop concert – no or little action ever taken as far as I am aware – but then she is perhaps 1. a wimman and 2. not known for standing up against vested interests.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/plaid-cymrus-turmoil-over-am-5069976
Do you remember this Jac?
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/plaid-hunts-source-embarrassing-leak-9601201
I do believe that article needs to make the rounds again…
Dailywales
David Taylor and Neil McEvoy. Both friends of Dafydd Elis Thomas. What a motley crew. The plot thickens……
You'll have to explain that allusion.
Well that's something to look forward to. Dailywales on the inside track, or just taking the piss ?
Coch-y-bonddu
Great to see the petition taken down. Petitions are fast getting a bad name which is a shame as they do have their place in a democracy. Perhaps there are just too many of them these days and there are many who will sign, no doubt for the right reason, but without reading the background or understanding how they are potentially being manipulated (as per the NM petition). Some good may come out of this if it makes people think a bit harder before jumping to conclusions. It seems anyone can chuck any old false accusations around now and permanently damage the reputations of good people such as Neil.
Increasing volume of silly petitions now turning up on Change.org and some other platforms. If I sign one I don't respond to the churn of other petitions that get fed through, nor do I respond to any begging for "contributions" to the fuckin' cause as that is often a sure sign that some slimy little twat is in it for the dough. Sweeping generalisation but it serves me well !
Off topic, sorry, but I have just read that Jack "("The Lad") Sargeant has refused to appear in a local hustings that will be attended by all other candidates. He defends the decision by saying he is entirely focused on speaking to local people directly and basically is not prepared to lower himself to attending an event that will evolve into political mudslinging. There you are then. Nothing to do with the fact he's a complete fucking novice who is only the Labour candidate because he's his father's son and would undoubtedly be shown up as a complete numpty in front of an audience comprising something other than Labour members. Wise move in the circumstances, I guess.
I suspect that wiser heads have realised the boy's not up to it, and limited the occasions on which he'll have to open him mouth without very close supervision.
My next post, towards the end of next week, will probably be on the Alyn and Deeside by-election.
Bad game management. He should be cut loose warts and all, just to wind up the Labour H.Q types who are doing their best to keep a lid on the whole fiasco. Local Labour guys could have a good old laugh at expense of CJ and the coven of witches down the Bay. Who has the courage to go to these hustings and denounce Carl Sargeant's track record ? The opposition candidates can denounce the remoteness of the Bay and its shitty policies and that would cue nicely for Jack the lad to play the "expose the corrupt" card. So it's more likely that those "wiser heads" have realised that they've got a bit of a fragmentation bomb on their hands and just delaying the day of reckoning. Brown trousers all round.
Plaid good enough and sufficient streetfighters to exploit this ?, not on your nelly.
The idiocy of the whole bloody thing is that he's going to the voters asking for a sympathy vote for what happened to his father, which might be fair enough if his old man had been trampled by a runaway rhino from Chester Zoo, or shot by a husband coming home early, but no, he was shafted by the party his son is standing for!
If elected, Jack Sargeant either goes down to Cardiff and screws things up further for Labour by seeking to avenge the way his father was treated, or else he falls into line, betraying both his father and those who voted for him.
Obvious way out of this for the voters of Alyn and Deeside is to elect somebody else.
Given the circus that exists down the Bay I will be quite happy to see Jack the lad get in and cause a bit of mayhem. CJ will probably survive but it will be good to see him made to distance himself from those unelected "thought leaders" and "influencers"that are a bit too thick on the ground in those parts. Getting one or more of those practitioners cited as the cause of the entire debacle would put the cherry on the cake. Once done Jack can then go on into the sleepy blundering zone where he'll be no different to most of the others !
Not an ounce of vindictive sentiment in this, you understand.
We had a similar situation here in Blaenau Gwent around a decade ago, after the untimely death of Peter Law. This then resulted in his widow being elected to the Senedd on a sympathy vote. Nice gesture but totally usless in the practical, political sense.She supported the Labour group even though she claimed to be representing Blaenau Gwent Peoples Voice.
Her greatest contribution to those that put her itno office, the setting up of a number of women's refuges and a centre for those suffeering from low esteem. And if that was enough of a low point she then attempted to censor the poet Peter Black amid claims of blasphemy even though the law had previously been repealed. And for those sterling endeavours she received the BBC Wales award of, Campaigning Politicain of the Year., While in the background unemployment continued to rise in the county along with educational attainment continuing to fall awayl in Blaenau Gwent schools.
In cases such as these nothing rings more true than the saying, " we get the governments and politicians that we deserve ".
Look forward to it. Plaid has a really good candidate, I gather, but all those non-Labour candidates should now twist the knife into The Lad at every opportunity, pointing out he's running scared and isn't up to it. That's where I've really been miffed with Plaid's opposition at other times. When you have to deal with a grumpy, nasty old dog called "Labour" you don't ask if you can share its bone. You go at the critter with a bloody big stick in your hand so when it turns on you, you give it what for. Even if he gets the better of you, the old bastard will remember you next time.
According to his Linkedin profile he's working for some US outfit on the Deeside Industrial Park, but he's also signed up to a course at Sheffield Hallam University.
The hustings are meant to be held at 10.30 pm . LOL
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155141039585911&id=639650910
Kevin hayde
Simple truth is that Neil is a man with integrity and a high level of honesty that most politicians cannot cope with or know how to deal with.
Donkey Ostler
This is an amateur viewpoint based on my simple prejudiced opinion. New stereotype Welsh politicians have emerged in the past decade where I live. Most of the men politicians are still middle aged Councillors, and all are white, slowly being replaced by the new breed of Researchers and Assistants to the AMs and MPs (generally young arts graduates with no life experience) getting their first heave up the slippery poles. There are so few old women politicians in Wales that they don't really count to much (apologies to the able few like Ann Clwyd). Nearly all the new emerging young women are coming from jobs that were created in the "Third Sector" with teenager like crushes on Jeremy Corbyn and Momentum. I dare not mention specific gender issues with both sexes, you'll have to work that out for yourselves. The main complaint is that all of them now seem to serve just two groups – themselves and their Political Party and are willingly whipped by their Leaders.. Nobody seems to care about the people and their communities. We need a New Party in Wales with a good sprinkling of people like Neil McEvoy.
What's happening Jac? Ex-Labour MP Gwynoro Jones tweeting this piece on McEvoy to his followers.
I have no control over such things, but Gwynoro's not such a bad old stick in many ways. I believe he's involved with YesCymru.
Aidam Quim
McEvoy always seemed tailor made for UKIP. maybe with the party in disarray, am irrelevant throebsck to apartheud sitting in the welsh assembley in Neil Hamilton he will find his spiritual home as welsh party leader and lead us onto new heights if he is the charismatic "man of the people" your posts seem to propel him to.
Owen Innock
Well if rumours are to be believed Neils so in debt from his failed libel proceedings hell take any elevated position hint hint
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Nabila Tizi-Sadki (født 20. marts 1984 i Algeriet) er en arabisk håndboldspiller som spiller for Brest Bretagne Handball i Frankrig og Algeriets håndboldlandshold.

Referencer

Eksterne henvisninger

Håndboldspillere fra Algeriet

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When it comes to family; nothing is more important than, time, love and affection for your children New Jersey's children are asking you today to use your VOICE and give them the right to equal access to both parents, FAN-PAC in New Jersey is dedicated to meaningful solutions!
Advocating for reforms in the family court system.
FAN-PAC is seeking motivated people to run for New Jersey Assembly.
Ask yourself … In regards to protecting this most basic right of our children, if not now, when?
Are you climbing a mountain, running a race, giving up a birthday, or wanting to send your wedding guest list an alternative to yet another toaster? You can make tremendous impact in a child's life today!


Shearman & Sterling represented the Goelet family, the fee owner of the Mobil Building located at 150 E 42nd Street, New York, in connection with the sale by Japanese investor Hiro Real Estate, L.L.C., of its ground leasehold interest in the property to an entity controlled by New York investors David Werner and Mark Karasick, as well as the contemporaneous extension and restatement of the ground lease resulting in the ground lease having a new scheduled expiration date of December 31, 2113. Hiro Real Estate, L.L.C. had owned the ground leasehold interest in the property since 1987. In connection with the acquisition of the ground leasehold interest, the new ground tenant secured approximately $700 million in financing from Morgan Stanley.
The 42-story, 1.8 million square feet Mobil Building is one of New York City's most iconic buildings. It was built in the 1950s and known for its distinctive stainless steel cladding.
The Shearman & Sterling team included partners Lisa Brill (New York-Real Estate), counsel Paul Balaam (London-Real Estate) and associate Hee Jae Park (New York-Real Estate).


text:
The Newport–Inglewood Fault is a right-lateral strike-slip fault in Southern California. The fault extends for  from Culver City southeast through Inglewood and other coastal communities to Newport Beach at which point the fault extends east-southeast into the Pacific Ocean where it is known as the Rose Canyon Fault.  The fault can be inferred on the Earth's surface as passing along and through a line of hills extending from Signal Hill to Culver City. The fault has a slip rate of approximately /year and is predicted to be capable of a 6.0–7.4 magnitude earthquake on the moment magnitude scale. A 2017 study concluded that, together, the Newport–Inglewood Fault and Rose Canyon Fault could produce an earthquake of 7.3 or 7.4 magnitude.

The fault was first identified after a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck near Inglewood, California on June 21, 1920. Due to the lack of earthquake-resistant construction in southern California at this time, this quake caused considerable damage in the Inglewood area and was a preview of what was to come almost 13 years later. The Long Beach earthquake occurred on March 10, 1933, centered along the southern segment of this fault, and registering a magnitude 6.4; this quake killed 115 people and was the second most deadly earthquake in California history, after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.  Seventy schools in the Long Beach and Compton area were destroyed and an additional 120 were heavily damaged by the quake; had this tremor struck during school hours, the death toll would have been much higher, some estimates as high as 1000. In response to the poor performance of school structures, the California legislature passed the Field Act in April, mandating earthquake-resistant construction for all new school buildings.

The Newport–Inglewood Fault is part of the larger system of right-lateral strike-slip faults, most prominently the San Andreas Fault, which comprise the transform zone which separates the North American tectonic plate from the Pacific Plate. The irregular hills which occur along the fault trace are a result of deformation of the sedimentary rocks by the faulting; some of the earliest petroleum production in California tap reservoirs formed by the deformation.

In July 2015, Jim Boles, a University of California at Santa Barbara professor, reported that helium-3 was leaking naturally from oil wells up to  deep, along a  stretch from Los Angeles's Westside to Newport Beach, suggesting that the fault runs deep, though not necessarily changing the earthquake outlook.

References

Further reading

External links
 M6.8 Earthquake on the Newport Inglewood Fault (Huntington Beach) – Southern California Earthquake Center
 Newport–Inglewood Fault Zone – Southern California Earthquake Data Center
 Earthquake faults in the South Bay – Palos Verdes Fault
 Late Cenozoic Tectonics of Southern California
 Helium rising through the Newport–Inglewood fault zone

 Wilcox: Basic wrench tectonics

Seismic faults of California
Natural history of Los Angeles County, California
Natural history of Orange County, California


text:
Cultural values no excuse for the violation of human rights »
The head of the United Nations women's body has used a public lecture at ANU to say cultural differences are no excuse for the violation of...
Critics pour cold water on the Ice Bucket Challenge: are they right? »
By Christian Barry, Australian National University and Holly Lawford-Smith, University of Sheffield The Ice Bucket Challenge has been...
Ugly Mugs: 'an unacceptable breach of sex workers' privacy' »
By Leslie Barnes, Australian National University Peta Brady's Ugly Mugs, which I saw in Sydney last week, opens with a gurney being...
International digital artist arrives for opera »
Milan-based Australian digital artist Andrew Quinn has arrived in Canberra just days away from opening night of The Australian National...
ANU builds social research, finds decline in satisfaction with democracy »
A new poll, released to mark a major boost to social research capacity at The Australian National University, has found Australians are...
History book sheds new light on Canberra »
A new book has shown a different side of Canberra than the image portrayed during last year's centenary celebrations. A History of Canberra...
Social media data used to predict depression in users »
A new study has found people who suffer from depression have a higher activity on social media between 11pm and 3am compared to other...
Shining a cosmic light on opera at the School of Music »
The ANU School of Music is putting a modern twist on a traditional genre, when Opera meets technology during a performance coming to...
ANU academics express support for scholar detained in Tajikistan »
Australian National University academics have expressed their support for a PhD student from Canada who has been detained in Tajikistan....
Writer off to Sci-Fi convention »
ANU academic, writer, and Sci-Fi/speculative fiction fan Gillian Polack has a busy few months ahead of her. The 53-year-old has been chosen...
Three ANU students win scholarships in New Colombo Plan »
Three ANU students have been awarded prestigious scholarships to study in Asia as part of the government's New Colombo Plan. Emma Roberts,...
ANU Council approves new capital works »
The Australian National University Council has approved a new model for capital works investment to enable the construction of two...
Minister opens State of the Pacific Conference »
Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop, has outlined the government's policy approach to the South Pacific, calling...
Bringing health awareness to life on campus »
Around 50 students from the School of Archaeology and Anthropology recently showcased their skills in communicating some of the world's...
ANU Archives launches new database »
The Australian National University has launched a new archive database which makes national treasures of business, unions and the...
ANU Interhall Musical: Spamalot 2014 »
A cast of more than 50 students will be performing the Monty Python musical Spamalot at the ANU Arts Centre over the next 7 days. The...
ANU expert heading review of ACT Discrimination Act »
The chair of the ACT Law Reform Advisory Council says the age of the current ACT Discrimination Act means some members of the Canberra...
ANU music alumnus relives playing for the Royals »
An ANU School of Music alumnus says playing for the young Royals, Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, at a Government House...
Helen Ennis appointed Dobell Chair »
Professor Helen Ennis from the School of Art has been appointed to the Sir William Dobell Chair of Art History in recognition of her work...
Sex lives of Australians a winner »
The Sex Lives of Australians: A History has been awarded the 2013 ACT Book of the Year. Written by Associate Professor Frank Bongiorno from...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you think that your small business's promotion strategies need an update, look to the reasons that people have for supporting small businesses over their larger counterparts. Individuals looking for companies with genuine interests in their customers and the communities they serve will often choose to support small businesses.
Your promotion strategies should work to confirm customers' inclinations that small businesses care more about their supporters. They want a business that provides superior customer service, interacts with its customers outside of business transactions, invests itself in the community, and rewards regular customers.
Whether your small business already exemplifies those qualities or is working to incorporate them, you need brand promotion techniques that show your customers that you're there for them. Luckily, you have the Internet on your side to make communicating with vast numbers of current and potential customers faster and easier than ever.
Even in the age of Internet-based promotions, however, you shouldn't abandon perennially successful strategies built on face-to-face interactions with your consumers and the community that you share. We'll explore promotion strategies online and off so that you can reach your customers effectively wherever they are.
Let's begin with a way to promote the small business that you can put into practice whenever and wherever you have the opportunity to speak or write about your history and your mission. As you form your next promotion strategy, your first step should be finding a way to tell your business's story.
1. Tell the story of your business.
One of the primary reasons that people choose to patronize small businesses is that they want to support the goals or missions of individuals like themselves. From this perspective, supporting a large business benefits a corporation headquartered far away. Supporting a small business, however, benefits people from the customers' community.
Small businesses have a promotional advantage in that their images are often closely associated with real people: their founders, their owners, and their employees. As you work to tell your business's story, make individuals the face of your business.
People want to support a business that has their best interests at heart in terms of quality, value, customer service, and personal engagement. Show them that you care with a captivating story, which may also reveal that your business and your customers share certain experiences or are committed to similar causes.
Searching for a story that will work? Go back to your origins. If your business started as a much smaller operation and has experienced growth and expansion over the years, focus on this progress. You can also adapt this narrative to place an individual, like your business's founder or owner, at the center. Your customers will love learning how your business's hard work and dedication brought you success.
For an alternate approach that emphasizes your business's commitment to teamwork, tell a story that highlights your employees and the unique roles they play in keeping your business going. If your customers get to know your business through its employees, they're likely to feel more personally connected to it and consider it trustworthy.
If you've connected your business to a charity, community organization, or another good cause, you'll want to emphasize this in the story you tell. Let your customers know why the cause you've chosen is important to your business. If your business has long been involved with that cause, including the origins of your partnership.
Connecting your business to a cause can attract new customers with shared concerns as well as secure the loyalty of returning customers who admire your business's commitment.
Next, apply your story to your promotional activities and materials. Aspects of your story may translate well to visuals that could become part of your logo, branding, or incorporated into promotional products that you can customize yourself using an online platform.
Looking for other ways to put your storytelling to promotional use? Include it on your website and social media efforts. Your customers will feel more connected to your business if they're given the opportunity to learn more about your background and your values.
2. Harness the power of social media.
It's fairly safe to say that your customers are on social media. We're not just talking about millennials, though they use these platforms frequently. Almost everyone has a social media account or two set up! Whether you're new to social media for businesses or looking to expand, you can benefit from increased engagement on social media sites.
Start by meeting your target audience wherever they are. Since each platform has unique features that make it suitable for a particular form of sharing, there's an advantage to diversifying your social media outreach. While having a presence on all of the popular platforms may sound like the best option, it's not necessarily the best option for your small business.
If your business is just starting out on social media or you don't have the time to devote to learning the ins and outs of every site, start by identifying the most important ones for your business. Which platforms do your customers use? What about the customers you'd like to have? Get to know how these sites work and start promoting your brand on them.
Use your chosen platforms effectively. Try a multimedia approach! Pictures can show products in their best light, while videos are great for introducing your team members or sharing new developments in your business. No matter the type of post you're sharing, keep your storytelling strategies in mind as you develop your social media presence.
Your first goal should be finding your customers on their favorite platforms, but you should also consider which ones work best for your business. Use Facebook for more writing space and the widest audience and Twitter for short, fast interactions with customers and an opportunity for humor that's worked well for many brands.
Once your social media presence is established, make sure your customers know it! Links to your account should be prominent on your website. If you sell products online, consider adding an option where customers can share that they made a purchase from you on their own social media profiles.
Looking to get more involved on social media? Run a contest for your followers and offer branded promotional products as prizes. They'll have fun competing over who can share the silliest photo or provide the best caption for your post, and you'll promote your brand when they wear or use their prizes around their communities!
Your business doesn't have to limit its use of promotional products to social media contests. Whether your business is just getting to know a new community or has been established for years, you can build loyalty with promotional products that your customers will enjoy receiving.
Once you've become a brand that your community loves and trusts, especially if you're an integral part of your hometown, they'll want to show off their loyalty with quality promotional products that they can wear, carry, display, or use.
Wearable promotional products like t-shirts are tried-and-true favorites, and for good reason: they're highly customizable, people love to get them, and supporters who wear them in public bring new attention to your business. A custom t-shirt platform like Bonfire can help you design, print, and order a custom shirt that your customers will be happy to receive.
High-quality promotional products show your customers that you care about them and, if you're distributing them at special occasions, remind them of fun events that your business facilitated. It's like giving your supporters a gift!
You already know that t-shirts or other promotional products would make good prizes for a social media contest that shows off your business's fun side and encourages customer interaction. But there are so many more possibilities!
If your business is partnering with a charity or community organization for a local event, consider offering promotional t-shirts to guests. The shirts will remind them of the fun they had any of the good work your business does for the community.
If your small business has loyal customers, they'd likely enjoy receiving a product thanking them for their continued support and strengthening their relationship to your business. They'll appreciate that you acknowledge their value to your business and will likely continue or increase their support.
Promotional products really shine when loyal supporters wear or display them and others learn about your business when they encounter them. Both of these can happen when you incorporate promotional products into your community involvement.
4. Get involved in your community.
Community involvement brings everything together. Your business can add to its story, develop personal connections with customers, and create an opportunity to distribute promotional products that will get people talking.
There are several ways that your business can support your surrounding community and gain recognition for your brand in the process. Partnering with a charitable cause or a community organization to host an event is a great choice that can attract new customers and form the basis of a recurring collaboration.
Sponsorship is another strategy for building brand recognition that can be easier to plan and recur more regularly than an event. Whether you support a charity, a local organization, or provide individual awards or scholarships, sponsorship makes your business more central to your community.
For small businesses, community engagement is key. Whether community members encounter you at a charity event, a local gathering, or through a supporter displaying your promotional product, you want them to know that your business is committed to their needs.
As you're refreshing your small business's promotion strategy, focus on the attributes that make it unique and that tie it to your community. From this start, you can form a memorable story that will make its way through social media, products, and events to new and loyal customers alike.
Kevin Penney is the CMO and co-founder of Bonfire.com, a company that's reinventing how people create, sell and purchase custom apparel. He loves solving difficult problems, working with the Bonfire Product team, and hockey. He has over 10 years experience in digital media, design, and technology.


Precise humidification of the Stadler Form humidifier Eva thanks to the external humidity sensor Remote Sensor™ which also serves as remote control. Only usable for Eva ultrasonic humidifier by Stadler Form. Stand and 2 AAA Batteries included.
How is your Air Quality?


text:
Events from the year 1811 in Scotland.

Incumbents

Law officers
 Lord Advocate – Archibald Colquhoun
 Solicitor General for Scotland – David Boyle; then David Monypenny

Judiciary
 Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Avontoun until 20 May; then Lord Granton
 Lord Justice General – The Duke of Montrose
 Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Granton, then Lord Boyle

Events
 9 January – the first women's golf tournament in Scotland takes place at the links of the Musselburgh Golf Club.
 1 February – Bell Rock Lighthouse begins operation.
 March – Prisoner-of-war camp established at Penicuik.
 27 May – second national Census. In Scotland the count is carried out by schoolmasters.
 June – Walter Scott buys the farm at Abbotsford near Galashiels and commences building his future residence, Abbotsford House.
 August – passengers are being carried on the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway, in horse-drawn vehicles.
 November – Thomas Telford's bridge at Bridge of Alford is completed.
 31 December – Tron riot breaks out in Edinburgh.
 Highland Clearances – the Marquess and Marchioness of Stafford begin mass expulsion of crofting tenants from their Highland estates to make way for sheep farming.
 Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal completed throughout.
 Helmsdale and Torgoyle Bridges completed to the design of Thomas Telford.
 Inner harbour at Wick completed to the design of Thomas Telford.
 Harbour at Kirkwall (Orkney) first built.
 Harbour at Dunure built at the expense of Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassilis. Dunrobin pier is also built about this date.
 Remodelling of the House of the Binns in Scottish Baronial style by William Burn for the Dalyell family.
 Rebuilding of Stobo Castle completed.
 The Edinburgh Society for the Support of Gaelic Schools is established.
 Edinburgh Astronomical Institution established.
 Sinking of a new colliery on the Brora Coalfield is begun.
 Approximate date – John Paton begins his own yarn spinning business in Alloa.

Births
 January – Robert Dick, natural historian (died 1866)
 c. May – Thomas Larkins Walker, architect practicing in England (died 1860 in Hong Kong)
 7 June – James Simpson, obstetrician and pioneer of anaesthesia (died 1870)
 13 July – James "paraffin" Young, chemist (died 1883)
 14 August – Adam Clark, civil engineer (died 1866 in Budapest)
 12 September – William Bell Scott, artist and poet (died 1890)
 19 December – Marjorie Fleming, child writer (born 1803)
 21 December – Archibald Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury (died 1882)
 Christian Maclagan, antiquary (died 1901)

Deaths
 20 May – Robert Blair, Lord Avontoun, lawyer (born 1741)
 28 May – Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, politician (born 1742)
 14 September – James Grahame, poet, lawyer and clergyman (born 1765)
 15 October – George Hay, Roman Catholic bishop (born 1729)
 27 November – Andrew Meikle, mechanical engineer and inventor (born 1719)

See also
 1811 in the United Kingdom

References

Scotland
Years of the 19th century in Scotland
1810s in Scotland