Plaid Cymru toxic culture claims put to Adam Price

Adam Price says "the party takes all allegations seriously, as do I"

The wellbeing of Plaid Cymru staff is of "the highest importance", the party's leader Adam Price has stressed.

It follows claims of a toxic culture in Plaid, and an allegation of sexual assault against a senior staff member.

A separate misconduct complaint has also been made against one of its Senedd members, who has been suspended from the Plaid group.

Mr Price said the party "acted quickly" in response to media reports with all staff offered "appropriate support".

Speaking at a joint news conference with the first minister on Thursday, he said staff were also offered "various fora in which they can share their experiences confidentially".

"We're committed to the party embodying the best values, and if this exercise demonstrates things we need to improve or to address then we will not hesitate in doing so," he added.

"As I previously said - and for reasons that you understand - I can't comment on any ongoing process at this stage, and I'm quite rightly not privy to them.

"But the party takes all allegations seriously, as do I.

"As a party we operate on the basis that if and when there is evidence of wrongdoing following the outcome of any process, the party will deal appropriately with the issues and do so in line with its disciplinary procedures."

Plaid Cymru has appointed an external company to conduct an investigation into misconduct in the party.

At the heart of its inquiries is an allegation of sexual assault by a senior member of staff.

A former member of staff said the incident happened to them around four years ago when they worked for the party.

Meanwhile, another person has said the same senior member of staff made them feel uncomfortable on several occasions.

Speaking to the BBC's Wales Live programme on Wednesday night, Plaid Cymru South Wales Central Senedd member Heledd Fychan said she had used the opportunity of the inquiry to "come forward" and speak about issues she believed needed to be addressed, and hoped other members of staff and the party would do so too.

There was a "toxic nature of politics," she said.

"We've seen the toxicity of Westminster, the Senedd isn't immune from that."

Ms Fychan said she had "confidence" that there was a process in place in her party now to address concerns and she was "hopeful" it would "lead to changes - not just for Plaid Cymru, but politics needs to change if we are serious about being more representative and getting people into politics".

A separate complaint against Senedd member Rhys ab Owen is pending an investigation by the Welsh Parliament's Standards Commissioner.