Ron Davies, Plaid’s Caerphilly Assembly candidate, today demanded a thorough investigation by Gwent Police after Caerphilly Labour MP Wayne David was seen removing Plaid election posters from residents’ homes.
The former Welsh Secretary said that the party had details of residents who will say they were pressurised to take down Plaid placards, and the MP was seen by party members with some stakes in his Audi car.
Ron Davies said: “There needs to be a thorough police investigation. I cannot believe that a Member of Parliament can behave like this, particularly after the MPs’ expenses scandal.
“We have three separate witnesses who will say they saw him with Plaid posters and we have lost around 50 in the Caerphilly area since the election campaign started. Indeed one voter in Ystrad Mynach told Wayne David she had given consent and wanted the Plaid poster to remain but he walked off with it anyway.
“I know Labour is getting desperate but to revert to dirty tricks like this is totally unacceptable, particularly from an MP.”
Ron Davies said: “I have been told that Wayne David is suggesting that Labour voters ‘allowed’ Plaid posters in their gardens without their consent. That is ludicrous. Under no circumstances did the MP have the right to take possession of any material not belonging to him? If the MP was concerned, he should have contacted the Election Returning Officer or the Plaid election agent.
“Wayne David’s claim that voters asked him to take down the stakes needs to be thoroughly tested by the police, and he should provide them with a list of properties where they were taken from so they can speak to residents.
“All Plaid agents are under strict instructions to gain prior consent before erecting stakes in people’s homes.”
In a message to residents of Caerphilly, Ron Davies said: “I have to take the unprecedented action of alerting you because there have been attempts over the last day or two to intimidate and bully people who have been displaying Plaid posters.
“We have the details of an individual who has been approaching people and, unlawfully, pressurising them to take down Plaid posters.
“If you are contacted in a bullying or threatening manner for voicing for your own political preference you may be the victim of a criminal offence and you should not have to put up with this.
“Please note the details of the individual and vehicle concerned should you be contacted in this way. We would encourage you to contact the police directly but realise you may wish to report it to us, in which case we would be pleased to hear from you.”
