Welsh Conservatives ditch party chairman after year

The Welsh Conservatives have elected a new chairman, Lord Davies of Gower

The Welsh Conservatives have ditched their most senior voluntary official, party chairman Bernard Gentry.

Former MP Lord Davies of Gower has been elected in his place unopposed, after Gentry failed to get the support of the party's four Welsh area executives. He had been chairman for a year.

It comes months after a row in north west Wales where grassroots members were forced out of the running of the local party federation, and questions over the sale of a Tory office on Anglesey.

Senedd leader Darren Millar thanked Gentry and congratulated Davies on his election.

The Welsh Conservative chairman oversees the grassroots party's activities.

When asked by BBC Wales if he believed he had been forced out of the role, Gentry did not rule it out.

"You'd have to ask others that," he said.

Lord Davies was chairman of the Welsh Conservatives from 2017 to 2020. Abigail Manon was elected deputy chairman of membership and Lyndon Jones deputy chairman political.

Gentry said: "I've learned over time you don't whinge about the results of elections and whatever else and you get on with it and wish the successful people well, which is what I do with Byron, Abigail and Lyndon, all of whom are friends of mine."

Pressed on whether he thought senior Welsh Tory figures, including Darren Millar, had forced him out, he added: "Some people might say that. You won't hear me saying that."

BBC Wales put Gentry's comment to the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd and asked them if they could shed any light on it.

In response, they did not answer the question, but sent a quote from Millar which congratulated Davies "on his election as chairman of the Welsh Conservatives".

"We have a busy year ahead with the Senedd elections and I have every confidence that Byron will do an excellent job," said Millar.

"I also want to thank our outgoing chairman Bernard Gentry for all the work he has put in over the past 12 months. His dedication and hard work have been greatly appreciated."

Under Gentry the party has begun its selection process for the next election, using an incumbency rule that has helped protect existing Senedd members but upset some grassroots members.

A letter written by party returning officer Kate Vaughan said Gentry's nomination was ruled invalid because "the nomination was not endorsed by an area management executive".

The Conservatives organise themselves into four areas across Wales, over the top of the smaller associations and federations.

'Delighted'

Lord Davies said: "I am absolutely delighted to be, once again, playing a critical role in the Welsh Conservative party - and my number one focus is ensuring its firing from all cylinders ahead of next year's vital Senedd election."

He added: "Unlike the other parties, the Welsh Conservatives are the only party with a credible plan: we will abolish Welsh stamp duty and business rates for high street shops and pubs, scrap default 20mph zones, and stand up for our Welsh farmers."