Plaid trio in the dark over House of Lords admission

Apr 11 2008 by Martin Shipton, Western Mail

SERIOUS doubts have been raised about when – and even whether – Dafydd Wigley and two other Plaid Cymru nominees for seats in the House of Lords will be admitted to the upper chamber.

Since an internal party election in January resulted in the former Plaid president being nominated together with Eurfyl ap Gwilym, the party’s economics adviser, and former AM Janet Davies, no progress has been made over getting them into the Lords.

The decision to reverse Plaid’s longstanding policy of refusing to nominate peers was taken in response to changes in the constitutional settlement affecting Wales. Under the new arrangements, both the Lords and the Commons can veto proposals from the National Assembly, allowing it to make its own laws in defined policy areas.

Most Plaid members, who traditionally have opposed sending people to an unelected chamber, were persuaded that in these new circumstances, it made sense to have representatives in the Lords who could argue in favour of proposals coming from Cardiff Bay. But they insisted on holding an internal election to decide who the party’s three nominees would be.

After the election, Plaid’s parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd told Geoff Hoon, the Government Chief Whip, of the result. But despite three subsequent meetings between Mr Hoon and Mr Llwyd, there has been no word about whether the trio will be accepted.

Within Plaid there are now a number of theories circulating about why the nominations have apparently been blocked:

The party is being punished because of its involvement in referring the “cash for honours” allegations to the police;

Labour is unhappy that Plaid organised an internal party election for its nominees because it shows up Labour’s own process for nominating new peers as undemocratic;

Labour does not want high profile Plaid peers “interfering” in controversial debates on Welsh legislation and other matters;

Gordon Brown is unenthusiastic about appointing new peers at present because of possible further fallout from the “cash for honours” scandal;

Gordon Brown is planning to reform the House of Lords and at this stage does not intend to nominate any new peers at all.

Mr Llwyd said: “I don’t know what more can be done about this – it’s very frustrating. I put in the CVs of our nominees many weeks ago, but after three meetings with the Government Chief Whip we are still no further forward.

“What has become clear is that the block is coming directly from the Prime Minister’s office.”

Mr Wigley said: “It is quite frustrating. There is a lot of Welsh business due to come before the Lords and I would like to make a contribution. I would also very much like to get involved in the debate about embryo research. When I was in the Commons I argued strongly against Enoch Powell’s attempt to block earlier aspects of such research.”

Mr Wigley has been a leading campaigner on disability issues for many years, and suffered the tragic loss of two young sons from a genetic disease.

Dr ap Gwilym said: “Obviously, I would like matters to progress, but it’s entirely beyond my control. It does get a little embarrassing when people congratulate you and ask when you are being admitted to the House of Lords. I have to tell them I have no idea.”

A spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office in London said: “Plaid Cymru decided to put forward nominations on their own initiative. Normally, the Prime Minister invites party leaders to put forward names.

“No new working peers have been created since 2005. There is no question of anyone being blocked, but in due course the Prime Minister will consider possible appointments from all parties.”