Plaid Cymru assembly members are opposed to Neil McEvoy's
application to re-join the party, BBC Wales understands.
New details have emerged of allegations that led the party's
AMs to expel him from their Senedd group last year.
A document seen by Newyddion 9 alleged Mr McEvoy had accused
a colleague of racism based on an untrue allegation and made staff feel
uncomfortable.
Mr McEvoy said he could not reply to the claims because of
confidentiality.
The South Wales Central AM was expelled from the party's assembly
group in January 2018. He was later expelled from Plaid for 12 months following
an investigation into his conduct.
It is understood that his former colleagues in the party
group oppose his bid to be reinstated as a Plaid member, although leader Adam
Price has not been involved in any discussions between the assembly members.
One AM said it would be "impracticable" for Mr
McEvoy to rejoin the party and not the Welsh Assembly group.
Evidence submitted to Plaid Cymru's general council, shown
to Newyddion 9, has revealed the extent of the apparent breakdown in the
relationship between Mr McEvoy and Plaid AMs between 2016 and 2018.
In the document, which explains the decision to expel him
from the group, the AMs claimed Mr McEvoy had:
- threatened
to resign in the first group meeting after the 2016 election
- made
an unfounded claim that ex-leader Leanne Wood told the group that
non-whites were deliberately excluded from air time in the Westminster
election
- accused
a colleague of racism based on an untrue allegation
- undermined
a member of staff in an email with a journalist
- adopted
an aggressive tone
- submitted
a Subject Access Request to Leanne Wood, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Dai Lloyd and
Bethan Sayed asking for "all personal data about me"
- made
staff feel uncomfortable
Mr McEvoy
said: "I'm unable to comment as I
respect the confidentiality of the (application) process".
Heledd Gwyndaf, a member of Plaid Cymru, defended his right
to rejoin the party.
She said:
"Neil McEvoy is a hard-working,
principled and very effective AM; and if Plaid Cymru want to win the next
assembly elections in 2021 and if Adam Price is to become the first minister of
Wales, then I think they have to get Neil McEvoy back".
"But the real story here is why has this story been
released to the press... and for what purpose," she added.
Mr McEvoy launched a bid to rejoin Plaid Cymru earlier this
year.
The decision fell to a disciplinary committee, which failed
to reach a decision when it met to consider Mr McEvoy's request to return to
Plaid Cymru.
It was set to hold another meeting, but following leaks to
the press the committee asked party bosses to wind it up and find new members.
BBC Wales understands the committee has been disbanded - delaying
Mr McEvoy's bid to rejoin the party.
