Can Clean Parties Come Clean?

PRESS RELEASE. DATGANIAD I’R WASG. Think Different. Think Plaid. Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales .  www.plaidcymru.org Date 15/12/09 Embargo – for immediate release Plaid Call on Cameron to come Clean on Defection Plaid Cymru have today called for Tory Leader David Cameron and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan to explain their roles in the fiasco surrounding the defection of Mohammad Asghar after the new Tory recruit stated on local radio that the primary motive for his switch was assurances by his new party that he would be allowed to recruit his own daughter as his press officer.   Plaid had previously informed Mr Asghgar that following the Sir Roger Jones report for the National Assembly and the Sir Christopher Kelly report into the Westminster expenses scandal - both of whom recommended the prohibition of any future staff appointments of family members - that it would be improper of him to employ his daughter Natasha. Jonathan Edwards Plaid Cymru Parliamentary Candidate for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr said: “Public scrutiny of this shoddy affair has so far concentrated on the unprincipled and un-honourable actions of Mr Asghar himself and the opportunism of the National Assembly Tory Leader Nick Bourne.   However, the more revelations that appear in the media it seems that the Tory UK high guard also have some serious questions to answer.” “Ever since the expenses scandal we have had David Cameron playing the morality card saying that his party would fully comply with the Kelly recommendations.    However, at the defection press launch the Shadow Secretary of State Cheryl Gillan was present.   Cameron can not therefore merely brush his hands and deflect blame onto the Tory Leader in the National Assembly, as a member of his front bench was clearly intrinsically involved in the whole affair.” “Following subsequent interviews by Mr Asghar himself in which he clearly states that his primary motive for joining the Tory party was that he had been given assurances that he would be allowed to employ his daughter, the people of Wales and the UK deserve answers from Mr Cameron and  Ms Gillan.   There’s a lot of mud flying around as a result of this dishonourable act and at least some of it is going to land on Mr Cameron or Ms Gilan or both.” “Firstly was David Cameron informed of the reason for the defection by the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales?   Secondly, who in the Shadow Cabinet sanctioned the defection on the basis that Mr Asghar would be allowed to employ his daughter?   Does David Cameron believe that the clear moral guidance provided by both Sir Roger Jones and Sir Christopher Kelly in relation to the employment of staff members should be treated with contempt?” “At the end of the day either David Cameron is guilty of hypocrisy and his public statements on the expenses scandal are empty promises, or a senior member of his Shadow Team has gone out of her way to undermine him.   The question is which of these two scenarios are true.” DIWEDD / ENDS Nodiadau / Notes: Jonathan Edwards is the former Head of Policy in Wales at Citizens Advice Cymru and a former Plaid Cymru Head of Strategy For further details contact Jonathan Edwards on 01269 597677 Comment: If, as is likely, the Conservative Party wins control of government at the coming general Election it is essential that it comes across to the general public as fair, clean and transparent. Anything less than whiter than white would be regarded as a betrayal of its promises to the electorate. In a true democracy political parties need to be monitored and scrutinised to ensure than they stick to their assurances and promote radical policies which will auger real and lasting change and bring freedom and prosperity to all the nations of Britain. See Betsan Powys' Blog: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/ Catalunya Update: the results of the referendums in more than 160 municipalities were the following: 94,71% voted for independence; 3,53% voted against independence; and there was also 1,76% blank vote. http://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/3666868/index.html What is more important than survival? We have been warned! http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/2012.aspx http://www.polereversal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=1 According to some geologists and scientists, we are in the middle of a deadly 11,500 year cycle when the ice age comes back. The start of the cycle is marked with a Polar reversal, super volcanic activities, massive earthquakes, Tsunamis and nasty hurricanes. 11, 500 years back, the last ice age happened and what we have started experiencing – all happened. In the last one year the earth experienced the largest three earthquakes in the last two hundred years. The under water volcanoes and earthquakes have gone up 88% over the last three years. The continental earthquakes have gone up by 62% during the same time frame.  Breaking news: Mayon volcano erupts in the Philippines - 50,000 evacuated First Minister's Questions - Scottish Parliament: http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/scotland/newsid_8398000/8398960.stm