Plaid to Royal Mail: Stop Distributing Illegal BNP Leaflets!

Plaid Cymru has today called on the Royal Mail to stop distributing BNP leaflets.

Research by Plaid Cymru has shown that the BNP “supporters” quoted on their election address are in fact stock photos from istockphoto.com.

The party believes the BNP's leaflets break electoral guidelines and are therefore illegal and this is why Adam Price, the party's Director of Election has called on the Royal Mail to put an end to the distribution of BNP flyers.

The leaflet is in the process of being delivered to millions of homes in the UK. It includes pictures of a doctor, a group of "British" workers and an elderly couple. All the individuals are quoted as giving their support to the BNP.

However, according to Plaid, the doctor - who claims he will be “voting BNP” - is a model. The elderly couple - quoted as saying they want to see pensioners put before asylum seekers - are the parents of photographer, Luca di Fillippo, and it is alleged the “British” workers actually posed for Boone Rodriguez: a photographer based in Portland, Oregon.

So, it appears that none of the photographed individuals are British or supporters of the BNP.

Here's Adam Price:

"On their leaflets they [the BNP] use a series of photos of supposed BNP supporters. However the truth is that the ‘British’ workers in front of the union jack are actually American builders on a site in the USA. The ‘doctor’ who says ‘he’s voting BNP’ is actually a stock photo of an American actor, who probably has never heard of the BNP and I would be very surprised if he was eligible to vote here. The pensioners featured in the leaflet were totally unaware that their photo has been used on this leaflet in such a way.

"It is a sick irony that the people photographed, and indeed the photographers are from other countries - the very people that the BNP seeks to demonize."

Mr Price insists circulation of the leaflet must end:

"These leaflets hideously misrepresent the views of the people photographed. I believe that they have breached the guidelines set out for electoral communications and I call on the Royal Mail to stop their distribution immediately."

We have contacted the BNP for a response to these comments and will post their reaction once we have it! In the meantime, what are your thoughts?

Dewi Dau

p.s. iStock's Content license agreement states that a client may not "use or display any Content that features a model or person in a manner that (i) would lead a reasonable person to think that such person uses or personally endorses any business, product, service, cause, association or other endeavour;"

Bottom Up or Top Down?

This whole expenses fiasco got me thinking about the selection process for prospective candidates and where the power really lies.

Let's get the obvious out the way first - people are pis*ed off (pardon the French). There is massive dissatisfaction and anger out there towards the political class be it MPs, AMs, MEPs or county councillors. These people now have the dubious honour of being the most reviled group in Britain, I bet that traffic wardens are feeling pretty smug now.

I’ve been wondering as to whether the local parties will listen to the collective cry from across the four nations of Britain calling almost in unison “get these cheating bast*rds out!” (again pardon the French - I think it was necessary to convey the right emotion.) Will local parties take the initiative and start de-selecting MPs who have been taking them for a ride over the past however many years?

The Labour party has prided itself historically on being a party of the people. Their policy-making process has a sizable input from grass-roots members: the national executive committee diluting the power of party leaders and often frustrating them with their left wing militancy. Traditionally Labour’s selection process for candidates (when not held to ransom by the trade unions) has been very bottom up in approach giving an important role to the local party - but what now?

What if the local members of Salford put their foot down and say “its time to deselect Hazel” or if the local Labour party in Dewsbury say “we’ve had enough of Shahid”? Where does the power lie? There is a lot of pressure to try and rekindle the public belief and respect for Parliament and many feel a new one would do the trick - so will we see the de-selection process used?
It’s not so tricky for the Tories, local members have only had a vote in their leadership elections for 12 years so the tradition of top-down decision making is not new to them, but in an attempt to be whiter than white (classic Cameron) they may de-select some MPs to teach them a lesson, which would be a nightmare for the upkeep of a certain moat.

I expect the top down approach will prevail and most members of the House of Commons will keep their nomination (if they still want it), otherwise it would be like the naughty kids in school running detention. But you never know, some plucky local parties may just cause a stir and give back to politics a little a bit of credibility (well, maybe).

Dewi Un

P.S I think de-selection would earn some respect and support from the public.

The Battle for Blaenau

Vaughan Roderick's post, Brwydr Blaenau, translated for you by Politics Cymru:

Do you remember Kramer v Kramer? Well it's Alun v Alun in Blaenau Gwent!

The former culture minister, Alun Pugh, has decided to try for the Labour nomination for the 2011 election. Alun Davies AM is already in the race of course. This is one to watch!

If Alun (P) succeeds will Alun (D) head back to the west with his tail between his legs? Will Joyce Watson be waiting for him with open arms, I wonder?

Alun (P) has promised not* to make personal attacks on the current member, Trish Law which, in a way, is a personal attack against Alun (D). There'll be blood on the walls before this one is over!

Translation by Dewi Dau

*corrected, 14:10, 16/05/2009

Podcast #21: Exam week...

On our way to the pub post-exams yesterday afternoon we had a chance to record this week's Podcast.

MP's expenses, why nobody's talking about the Euro elections and we're STILL celebrating 10 years of devolution.

All that and more in our 21st Podcast.



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Y Tri Dewi

Plaid Cymru - the party of "poodles"

So Plaid have done it. They've voted strongly in favour of Labour's plans to introduce top-up fees in Wales for Welsh students.

Today in the Senedd Peter Black called on the Assembly to reverse its decision to scrap the tuition fees grant.

Only two Plaid AMs voted in favour of Mr. Black's proposal. (No prizes for guessing who they were!)

This goes against what the party's membership had hoped for and asks more questions of Plaid's role in government.

"Compromise" and "pragmatism" - those are the two words Plaid's Chairman, John Dixon has consistently used in debates on this issue. "Propping up a Labour government" is the counter-argument.

Here's Kirsty Williams' response to today's vote:

"We proposed this motion today because we believe access to education is a principle worth fighting for. We know that many Plaid Cymru Assembly Members feel the same and that their supporters voted for them because they promised and end to top-up fees.

"Today was a chance for redemption, for Plaid to say sorry and back Welsh students. Instead they chose to play the poodle, to climb so far into bed with Labour that you wouldn't know there's two different parties playing under the sheets."

Here's what one of the Plaid rebels*, Bethan Jenkins, has to say on the matter:

"I recognise that being in government means making difficult decisions. Although I can see where the Government is coming from in this decision to an extent, I can’t support the ending of the tuition fee grant.

"While I understand that the majority of my fellow Plaid members will accept the constraints, and the need to compromise that comes with being a party in government, I am grateful that the group understands my position and have accepted that two of us will be voting differently on this occasion."

*Is it fair to call a politician who sticks to the party's manifesto and election commitments a rebel? Just a thought.

Dewi Dau

Picture used courtesy of Contadini @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/92305862@N00/422417777/

When tomorrow comes…

Translation of Pan ddaw yfory... by Vaughan Roderick

Tomorrow [Wednesday] the Welsh Assembly Government will be publishing its strategy for Welsh language education. In my humble opinion this plan will be more important than the Welsh Language LCO in terms of the language and it should go some way towards lessening the worries of language campaigners about the present coalition.

As you’d imagine it’s going to be the Education Minister, Jane Hutt, who launches the strategy. If they wanted to, Plaid Cymru could take some of the credit but it appears they will not attempt to do so.

But why? Well there are two reasons. Firstly, some councils will be spitting blood over the proposals. It’ll be more difficult for them to complain about “the language zealots” and “forcing Welsh down our throats” if Plaid Cymru keep their distance. Secondly, there are a series of appeals relating to Welsh education (notably in Carmarthenshire and Cardiff) likely to arrive in the Minister’s in-tray in the next few months. Will Jane be willing to undermine the strategy she herself has launched? Unlikely.

Translation by Dewi Tri

Lord Elis-Thomas on Devolution

Many apologies for PC's lack of posting in the last week or so - it's been a busy few days for us!

Yesterday though I found some time to head to the Senedd where they were (still) celebrating 10 years of devolution. As part of the celebrations pupils from schools across South Wales had come to the old chamber in Ty Hywel for a mock Assembly run by CEWC Cymru (with whom I was very impressed!).

They also got the chance to quiz the Presiding Officer, Lord Elis-Thomas, on devolution and the work of the Assembly.

After their chat I took the PO over to a quiet corner to talk about the enthusiasm for Welsh democracy, the successes of the Welsh Assembly and why, in the long term, independence is not the answer...

Hear the interview in full here.

Dewi Tri

Building bridges...

If you missed tonight's Dragon's eye then you should watch to see Cheryl Gillan making an effort to build positive relations with some AMs - AMs that she will undoubtedly be dealing with often if and when the Tories get into office.

There is nothing like handbags at dawn sometimes...

Dewi Un

Podcast #20: Out and about

We're celebrating 10 years of devolution (because let's face it - we wouldn't be here without it).

And Dewis Dau and Tri went along to Ask Rhodri last night so what did we ask and what did he say?

It's all here in this week's Politics Cymru Podcast which returns to its rightful place on a Thursday evening!

Comments and Tweets are always welcome!

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Y Tri Dewi