A deputy leader of a Welsh council has stepped down after saying that "all Tories should be shot". Councillor on Ynys Mon Ieuan Williams who represents Lligwy as an independent made the comment during an internal council meeting on the morning of Monday, June 12.
Conservative MP for the Isle of Anglesey Virginia Crosbie, who wears a stab vest to constituency surgeries because of concerns for her safety said that it was an "appalling comment". The comments came almost exactly seven years since Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered.
Speaking to WalesOnline Mr Williams said he had referred himself to the Standards Committee. He said: "I apologise profusely for any offence caused by my inappropriate comment. The remark was made at the end of an emotionally charged statement, following a presentation on poverty on Anglesey. I am obviously not advocating shooting anyone and have apologised to all members present at the meeting. I have also referred myself to the Standards Committee and have stood down as deputy leader and member of the executive whilst any potential investigation takes place."
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He added that he made the comment out of "anger" because of an increase in food bank use. "This is not about any one individual". He said. "The real issue at hand here is what made me so angry and emotional in the first instance. We have a 99% increase in food bank usage on Anglesey in the three months since November 2022. Almost a third of our children on Anglesey are living in poverty despite the UK being one of the richest countries in the world."
"Over the past 13 years we have seen a Conservative Party drive through a programme of austerity leading to cuts to vital services whilst at the same time we have seen the gap between the richest in our society and those most in need of our help grow even larger.
"It is being able to help the most vulnerable in our society which motivates me as a county councillor and whilst I apologise for, and withdraw, my crass remark I hope the people of Anglesey will see that the real issue here is my passion in fighting the corner of the most vulnerable in our society against a Party which seems happy to forget about them. It is not appropriate for me to make any further comment as I have referred myself to the standards committee."
Speaking to WalesOnline Ms Crosbie, who was elected in 2019, said "it was the least" Mr Williams could do to resign. She said: "I am disgusted that an Ynys Môn councillor feels able to say such a thing in a meeting. It is the least Ieuan Williams could have done to stand down from his role as deputy leader of the council following his appalling comment. The leader of the council now needs to get her house in order and stop this behaviour.
"This sort of nastiness has been going on since I was elected and it comes almost exclusively from Plaid Cymru councillors and those who, like councillor Williams, pretend they are independent but are Plaid to their bones.
"This is not the rough and tumble of political life, this is out and out hate. Councillor Williams knows I wear a stab vest at surgeries but still he causally remarks I and others who are Conservative should be shot. Two MPs have lost their lives in the last seven years and still he thinks saying such things is ok.
"I have come to believe much of it is personal against me too because I am a woman, I have an English accent, even though I am half Welsh, and I am a Tory. The fact I do a good job probably just makes it worse."
It is understood that the chief executive of Ynys Mon Council was at the meeting and reportedly asked for the comments not to be minuted. Virginia Crosbie told WalesOnline: "I understand the council's chief executive Dylan Williams said the remark should not be minuted. I spoke to him today and he said it was ‘an internal meeting’ and he was dealing with it. If that is the case why the need for it to have minutes?
"If he has tried to cover up this remark - a call to commit violence against members of the party democratically elected to lead the UK Government - then he needs to consider his position too."
WalesOnline approached Anglesey chief executive Dylan J Williams about the incident. Mr Williams said, “The comment made was inappropriate and unacceptable. As Chief Executive, I am not responsible for individual comments made by elected members.”
“Following dialogue with Cllr Williams earlier today, he has referred himself to the Chair of the Standards Committee. In the meantime, he has also stood down as Deputy Leader and Education and Welsh Language portfolio holder. Cllr Williams has accepted that his remarks were unacceptable and has apologised.”
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