Lib-Dems back Opik after book claims

Mar 19 2008 by Tomos Livingstone, Western Mail

SUPPORTERS of Lembit Opik threw a protective arm around the Lib-Dem MP yesterday after his ex-fiancee made a series of allegations about his private life.

Mr Opik, MP for Montgomeryshire, is considering legal action over the serialisation in a Sunday newspaper of A Funny Kind of Love, an autobiography by his former partner Siân Lloyd, both pictured below.

The pair met in 2002 and announced their engagement two years later, but separated in 2006. Mr Opik, 43, is now in a new relationship with Gabriela Irimia, 25, one half of Romanian pop duo The Cheeky Girls.

Miss Lloyd, an ITV weather presenter, married earlier this year.

The MP, who speaks for the Lib-Dems on housing, has declined to comment on the serialisation of Miss Lloyd’s book. The first extracts appeared in the Mail on Sunday at the weekend.

Mr Opik has retained the crucial backing of his local constituency party. Yesterday Pete Jones, vice-chairman of Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats, said the local party were baffled as to why Ms Lloyd was “pursuing” Mr Opik long after their relationship had ended.

Mr Jones said in a statement, “In reference to Siân Lloyd’s latest comments about Lembit Opik in the newspapers, he is not at this stage willing to make any specific comment about it until he has taken legal advice over the matter.

“However, it should be noted that it is over one year since Miss Lloyd decided to end her relationship with Mr Opik.

“Miss Lloyd has also married the millionaire Mr Jonathan Ashman in that time. It is therefore difficult to understand Miss Lloyd’s motives for pursuing Mr Opik in this way.

“Clearly, Mr Opik has not responded in like kind and this is very much to Lembit’s credit. One would hope the public will take a similar and sympathetic view given the extent and intensity of Siân Lloyd’s continuing interest in Mr Opik.”

Although he has declined to comment on the matter, Mr Opik has already said he believes parts of the serialisation article “may be illegal” and that he was taking legal advice.

Asked in a television interview about the allegations at the weekend, he said, “I can’t talk about that because we are taking legal advice about that at the moment, I’m afraid.”

Asked if he was considering suing, he replied, “I can’t say more about that at the moment, but there are some things that may be illegal about that article.”

Two months ago Miss Lloyd married motor racing entrepreneur Jonathan Ashman in the Gwynedd village of Portmeirion, and A Funny Kind of Love, will be published in April. The couple met at a reception in the Wales Office hosted by then-Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, a friend of Mr Ashman’s.

Mr Opik, and Miss Lloyd, 49, announced their engagement in 2004 and had been together for four years before their relationship ended.

Mr Opik has represented his Mid Wales seat since 1997, and he holds it with a 7,173 majority over the Conservatives. The Conservatives have selected former AM Glyn Davies to contest the seat at the next election.

Last year Mr Opik stood down as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and plans to run for party president when Simon Hughes steps down later this year.