Sunday 14 August 2022 09:04 AM Plaid Cymru MP who was cautioned by police after assaulting his wife should ... trends now
The leader of Plaid Cymru has called on an MP who assaulted his wife to quit the party.
Adam Price said Jonathan Edwards, the MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, should 'resign immediately' despite being readmitted to the party last week.
The 46-year-old had been suspended in 2020 after accepting a police caution for assaulting his wife, Emma Edwards, in May 2020.
Details of the incident are unknown, with Mr Edwards saying he will regret his actions 'to the end of my life'. The couple are in the process of getting divorced.
News that he would be allowed to rejoin the Plaid Cymru group at Westminster on Thursday was met with outrage, with Mrs Edwards stating she was 'appalled' at the decision.
Mr Edwards later released a statement hitting out at 'vindictive and vengeful coordinated political attacks' against him, and said he had chosen not to rejoin the Plaid group.
Now Mr Price has called on him to resign from the party, saying Mr Edwards being an MP 'sends the wrong message'.
Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards (pictured) as readmitted to the party on Thursday after serving a suspension for assaulting his wife
Adam Price (pictured), the leader of Plaid Cymru, has called on Mr Edwards to resign from the party
In a statement, Mr Price said: 'As stated, it is my firm belief that Jonathan Edwards cannot continue to represent Plaid Cymru in Westminster and should resign immediately.
'I also call on Jonathan Edwards to leave the party. 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.
'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.
'Our disciplinary processes must change to give victims of gender-based violence a central role in any enquiries. This work will begin immediately and will be given the urgency and gravity it clearly deserves.'
Mr Edwards as first elected in 2010, replacing Mr Price as the Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, in South Wales.
In 2019 he was elected with a majority of nearly 2,000 over the second place Conservative candidate.
In a statement released on his Facebook page, Mr Edwards said he took 'full responsibility' for his actions.
