Bethan Jenkins AC/AM South Wales West

Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for South Wales West, Bethan Jenkins AM this afternoon welcomed the resignation of Peter Hain from the British Cabinet.

Following the announcement, Neath-based Ms Jenkins said.

“Peter Hain has done the honourable thing in resigning. His position has become untenable, especially following the referral of the investigation to the police. Looking to the future, the Labour party as an institution has to reflect and ask itself whether its obsession with big business is healthy.”

Plaid Cymru Parliamentary candidate for Neath Alun Llywelyn added:

“The involvement of the police is distressing on a personal basis. An opportunity has now arisen for a number of outstanding questions to be answered.”

Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for South Wales West, Bethan Jenkins AM has tabled a statement of opinion at the National Assembly, urging the backdating of the police pay rise to September.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s march by police officers in London, Ms Jenkins said:

“I fully support calls by the Police Federation for Labour Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to backdate the police pay rise to September – giving police officers a 2.5 per cent increase in real terms. I condemn Labour at Westminster for undermining our public servants in such a way.”

Ms Jenkins’ support follows calls made by Welsh Police chiefs last week for the devolution of policing and criminal justice to the National Assembly. Commenting, Ms Jenkins added:

“The SNP Government in Scotland has respected the recommendations Police Arbitration Board and will award Scots bobbies a full pay rise. Officers in Wales are at the mercy of the Home Office in London and consequently will lose out. I support calls for us in Wales to have the powers over criminal justice and policing, so that we shape a society that rewards public servants and protects the public.”

Notes to editors

The Statement of Opinion in full:

Police Pay

The National Assembly calls upon the UK Government to honour the pay award recommended by the Police Arbitration Board in full.

The National Assembly notes that the Police Arbitration Board was established to recommend a fair pay deal for Police officers and should therefore not be ignored by the UK Government.

The National Assembly further notes its concern at the UK Government’s approach to public sector pay in general, and calls for fair pay deals for all our public sector workers.

One Wales Agreement (under ‘Ensuring an Effective Youth and Criminal Justice Systems):

We will consider the evidence for the devolution of the criminal justice system within the contexts of (a) devolution of funding and (b) moves towards the establishment of a single administration of justice in Wales.

Plaid Cymru’s Bethan Jenkins AM has exposed Conservative hypocrisy on ID cards.

Speaking during a debate on ID cards in the Senedd on Wednesday, during which Tory AMs declared their opposition to plans for compulsory ID cards, Ms Jenkins reminded them of a previous Tory party manifesto which claimed ID cards would create safer communities.

Speaking after the debate Ms Jenkins said:

“Is this yet another Cameronian u-turn? Can we ever believe anything the Tories say? After all this is just one u-turn among many. The Tories are clearly an opportunistic party, backtracking on ill thought policies as they scramble together a hotchpotch programme that the electorate could swallow.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The 1997 Conservative Party manifesto can be viewed here

David Cameron’s latest views can be read here

Plaid Cymru’s Bethan Jenkins AM has today written to the Home Office in London urging the repeal of sections of the Serious Organised Crimes and Police Act, that ban peaceful protest outside the Houses of Parliament.

Ms Jenkins’ letter comes before the Government’s deadline for comments on its consultation on sections 132 – 138 of the Act.

In her letter to the Home Office, Ms Jenkins said:

“My support for the repeal of certain sections of the Act stems from my deep concern at a continuing trend on a UK level to restrict peoples’ right to peaceful protest at the heart of UK parliamentary democracy.”

Submissions to the consultation must be forwarded to the Home Office no later than the 17th of January.

In her letter, Ms Jenkins added:

“Such fundamental human rights as the freedom of peaceful protest, are guaranteed in international law, and indeed, form the corner stone of basic democratic principles.

“The Government in London is already seeking to restrict our rights in their intention to introduce ID cards. To stop people from protesting, from exercising their democratic right, is wholly unacceptable. Gordon Brown came to power as Prime Minister promising change and a restoration of faith in democracy. These measures do not reflect this stance at all.”

Plaid Cymru’s Bethan Jenkins AM has hailed the inaugural meeting of the cross party committee on Eating Disorders a success following the first meeting held on Tuesday night.

Ms Jenkins, who was elected as the committee’s chair, was delighted with the outcome of the well attended meeting and was optimistic about future prospects.

Speaking from the National Assembly today, Ms Jenkins said:

“It was wonderful to see Assembly members from all parties attending and working together constructively with the aim of improving the capacity to care for people with eating disorders in Wales.”

The meeting was attended by Health Minister, Edwina Hart and decided that draft proposals would be published during National Eating Disorders Awareness week in February.

Ms Jenkins added:

“I am grateful for the involvement of Health Minister Edwina Hart and also to Rowenna Menzies of the Menzies Foundation for her input and support. I am hopeful that Eating Disorders Awareness Week will mark a turning point in eating disorder policy in Wales.”

Plaid Cymru’s Bethan Jenkins AM has today questioned the political judgement of Peter Hain on learning that the Welsh Secretary accepted £14,600 in donations from pro-apartheid business tycoon, Isaac Kaye.

Isaac Kaye, 78, gave two separate donations to Mr Hain including one made as late as 19 November – five months after Peter Hain’s defeat in Labour’s deputy leadership bid.

Speaking today, Ms Jenkins said:

“Peter Hain’s family left South Africa in the late 60s because of their opposition to apartheid. Peter Hain was chair of an anti-apartheid group in the UK in the 70s. Election rules aside, we must question Mr Hain’s political judgement. How could he take thousands of pounds from a supporter of South Africa’s pro-apartheid National Party?”

Neath-based Ms Jenkins also highlighted Mr Hain’s hypocrisy. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper in 2001, Mr Hain is quoted as saying:

“The weakness of the newer generation of MPs and ministers, not all of them, is that they do not have those political and ideological roots.”

Ms Jenkins added:

“To use Peter Hain’s own terms: how can his political and ideological roots be reconciled with accepting donations from pro-apartheid donors such as Isaac Kaye?”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Hain’s 2001 interview with the Guardian can be found here:

Guardian Newspaper

Further information relating to Hain’s donations from Isaac Kaye can be found here:

Independent Newspaper

For Further information please contact Steffan Lewis on 029 20 898 713 / 07961 732405