Plaid Cymru readmits assault caution MP Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards was first elected in 2010

An MP who was suspended from Plaid Cymru after he accepted a caution for assault has been allowed back into the party.

But while a disciplinary panel gave the go-ahead for Jonathan Edwards to have his membership returned, a separate ruling body said he should not represent the party in Westminster.

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Mr Edwards accepted the caution in 2020.

The panel said it recognised Mr Edwards' "sincere remorse".

Meanwhile, the ruling body's recommendation that Mr Edwards should not get the whip back has prompted Plaid chairman Alun Ffred Jones to quit.

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In May former party leader Leanne Wood called for Mr Edwards to be banned from Plaid if it "is serious about stamping out misogyny and domestic abuse".

The MP was suspended from the party for 12 months in July 2020 after he accepted the police caution.

The suspension lapsed last year, but Mr Edwards could not rejoin until he reapplied and the party's disciplinary panel considered his case.

At the time of his caution, Mr Edwards said he was "deeply sorry", adding that "it is by far the biggest regret of my life".

A statement issued after the incident on behalf of his wife, Emma Edwards, said she had accepted her husband's apology.

'Sincere remorse'

The panel said its members "unanimously agreed that the suspension of Mr Edwards' party membership should be lifted with immediate effect".

It said their decision "recognises Mr Edwards' sincere remorse and extended period of self-reflection and learning".

However, BBC Wales has also learned that Plaid's National Executive Committee of senior officials recommended the MP should not be readmitted into the party's parliamentary group.

This means that he will continue to be an independent MP.

BBC Wales was told that former assembly member Alun Ffred Jones disagreed with the decision and quit his post as party chairman.

Mr Edwards said he will organise a meeting with the local membership of the party over the next few weeks "before making any decision on my political future or any further comment".

New acting chair

A Plaid spokesperson said: "The internal process of determining Mr Edwards' membership of the Westminster group is yet to be concluded.

"Plaid Cymru wishes to thank Alun Ffred Jones for his many years of unstinting loyalty and service to the party.

"Alun Ffred has chaired the party's National Executive Committee with dedication and professionalism at all times."

Gwynedd councillor Beca Brown is now acting chair of the party until its annual conference, when the position will be up for election.