One of the problems with the Welsh political blogosphere being so heavily influenced by just one party, is that when matters that might cause embarrassment to that party arise they are not aired in much detail.
As far as I can see only one Welsh blogger has raised the issue of Siân Caiach being withdrawn as parliamentary candidate for Ogmore and being baned from standing in the party's name for two years. I wonder if Plaid has issued an edict to its blogging supporters not to mention this story.
Apparently Ms Caiach has been sacked for leaking information to the press. A serious enough breach of trust to warrant disciplinary action perhaps. What is interesting is that in 2000 she was suspended from working as an orthopaedic surgeon at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli for leaking information about the use being made of NHS beds for private patients. At the time Plaid Cymru gave her their full support and claimed that her leaking was actually whistle-blowing and was an act very much in the public interest.
The information that Siân is accused of leaking to the press is apparently about discrepancies in the voting procedure to select Plaid candidates for the Welsh Assembly election. This could also be said to be in the public interest, the defence of whistle-blowing rather than leaking could be made again. Abuses of democratic process are just as much a cause for public concern as abuse of NHS facilities.
Amongst the reasons for the candidates sacking are that she failed to co-operate with an investigation by the party chair into a leak of private correspondence and encouraging one or more persons to write and publish misleading stories which would damage the party.
The one or more persons was apparently one of her children, and the failure to co-operate was a refusal to supply John Dixon with copies of e-mails sent by her daughter. I find this quite shocking. If any other party had sacked somebody for refusing to hand over their offspring’s e-mails Plaid supporters would be up in arms. Her daughter's e-mails are not Siân’s to share. If John wanted to see copies he should have asked the daughter not the mother. If the daughter told him to sling his hook then he can't blame, discipline or punish the mother for that.
As to Siân Caiach's behaviour leading to "damaging coverage" for the party. Her shoddy treatment at the hands of a party that she has served faithfully over many years is much more damaging.
Ahem,http://www.freedomcentral.org.uk/2009/07/plaid-demonstrate-their-intolerance-of-dissent-again.html
ReplyDeleteit does say a lot about Plaid Cymru as you said when someone who looks like they have worked hard for the party for a long time finds themselves in difficulty that its the local Labour MP for Ogmore Huw Iranca Davies offering support to her by saying that he wouldn't have handed his son's e-mails over to Labour if he was in the same position.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Plaid Cymru are starting to learn from Labour about how to keep their dirty laundry from being aired.
thanks for airing this Alwyn, I admired Sian Caiach when she stood up for things she saw as wrong when she was a consultant.
ReplyDeleteWhat has Plaid got to hide, I remember the story was it that its was directed at Ieuan Wyn Jones, who personally I feel does Plaid no favours any way.
Why did the usually level headed John Dixon act in this way, who was pulling his strings .
My sympathy to Sian
Where is t