Plaid leader tells MP who assaulted wife to quit

An MP who assaulted his wife should resign and leave Plaid Cymru, according to party leader Adam Price.

Jonathan Edwards, the MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, was suspended from the party in the wake of the assault in May 2020, but was recently readmitted.

Mr Edwards has said he will not rejoin the Plaid group of MPs at Westminster.

His wife, Emma Edwards, had said she was "appalled" after Plaid announced he would be allowed to return to being a Plaid MP.

Mr Edwards has criticised senior party figures for "vindictive and vengeful" attacks.

The MP, who accepted a police caution, said he will regret his actions on the day of the assault "to the end of my life".

Mr Price said: "I would like to thank Emma Edwards for speaking out yesterday and for her to know that her voice has been heard.

"I would also like to offer my apology to her and all domestic abuse survivors for the pain this has caused."

He called on Mr Edwards to "leave the party".

Mr Edwards was first elected Plaid MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in 2010. At the last election in 2019 he had a majority of 1,809 over the Conservatives.

"His actions do not represent our values and his position as an MP sends the wrong message out to domestic abuse survivors in Wales and beyond."

Mr Price also said work would begin immediately on changing the party's disciplinary processes to "give victims of gender-based violence a central role in any inquiries".

Mr Edwards has also issued a statement in which he criticised "a very dangerous environment when there is no space for anyone in the public sphere to speak honestly about mistakes they make, to be allowed to show genuine remorse and to try and build a better life".

He said: "I am concerned that there has been no distinction in any of the discussions about the difference between an incident and a pattern of behaviour."

Mr Edwards accused "senior figures within the party" of misusing "their positions of power by subjecting me to vindictive and vengeful coordinated political attacks".

His membership of Plaid Cymru was restored last month by a disciplinary panel but the party's ruling executive also recommended that he should not be allowed to rejoin their group of Plaid MPs at Westminster.

The decision split the party.

On Wednesday they backtracked, after receiving legal advice, and restored the whip.

His wife said she was "disappointed" at the decision.

The couple are getting divorced.