Wife 'not contacted' after Plaid Cymru MP assault

A woman who was assaulted by her MP husband was not contacted by his party during a disciplinary process, a senior member has said.

Jonathan Edwards was suspended by Plaid Cymru after assaulting Emma Edwards in May 2020, but has been readmitted.

He was due to re-join the party group at Westminster until Ms Edwards said she was "appalled" by the move.

Plaid's Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts apologised for the party's handling of the issue.

Her comments follow Plaid leader Adam Price's call for Mr Edwards to stand down as an MP and leave the party.

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Mr Edwards, who received a police caution for the assault, had his membership of Plaid Cymru restored last month by a disciplinary panel.

But the party's ruling executive recommended he should not be allowed to rejoin the Plaid MPs group at Westminster.

The decision has split the party.

Last week, Plaid Cymru backtracked, after receiving legal advice, and restored the whip.

That approach has drawn extensive criticism, with former leader Leanne Wood saying a desire to show people can be remorseful and be rehabilitated led to the party "making big mistakes".

In a statement on Monday, Ms Saville Roberts said: "If the victim does not accept and affirm the perpetrator's contrition, all other standpoints become irrelevant."

She said when she became aware no-one in the party had contacted Ms Edwards since the incident, she wrote to her in April this year, but did not receive a reply.

"I regret that we did not make further attempts to ensure that Ms Edwards' voice was heard during the [disciplinary] process," she added.

"I would therefore like to join our leader Adam Price in apologising to Ms Edwards. I also agree that fundamental changes must now be made to our disciplinary processes."

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

He said at the weekend that he will not rejoin the Plaid Westminster group, meaning he remains an independent MP.

He cannot be expelled from the party because Plaid's internal rules mean the party leader does not have the power to do so.

Mr Edwards previously said he will regret his actions on the day of the assault "to the end of my life".

Details of the incident are unknown.

The couple are getting divorced.