Chris Twells, the ex-LibDem councillor suspended by the party after winning two council seats (both in England), has accused the party’s Leader in Wales, lockdown-dodging Jane Dodds, of covering up homophobia allegations. Chris, who claims to have resigned from the party despite having already been suspended, launched a homophobia complaint against a former policy chair, Gwyn Williams, in 2019 and 2020. Gwyn was expelled three years later, in 2022…
Chris says that four gay men accused Gwyn of a “pattern of homophobic bullying” which was “covered up by Jane Dodds and two former national party chairs”. He claims Gwyn would withhold party funds from gay men and points to Facebook screenshots in which Gwyn claims the party was run by a “cabal of young gay men”, he joked to join this clique “would require a major lifestyle change which my wife would not be too happy about”. On a separate occasion, commenting on Layla Moran’s sexuality, he jibed “a pansexual is a lover of kitchen implements”.
Before co-conspirators rush to adjudicate on Chris’s allegations, it’s worth considering his own motivations. Chris was suspended by the Liberal Democrats within 24 hours of his second election victory, whilst Gwyn’s suspension clearly took longer. He defended his own behaviour to Guido, saying “obviously people move around a lot” adding “you win one election and you’re a hero, you win two and you’re a villain”. He says he had given his “whole life” to the party, and that after 13 years of service to the party, he feels “hard done by”. Guido isn’t quite sure Chris has noble intentions at heart…
The Welsh Liberal Democrat leader, whom Guido revealed skipped the tough Welsh lockdown by slumming it in leafy London borough of Richmond, has failed to win the selection contest to defend the Welsh LibDems’ only seat in the Assembly. It was AM Kirsty Williams’s decision not to contest the only LibDem Assembly seat again that caught Dodds out, as she paid tribute to the retiring politician on the news from her London home. Despite her top position in the party, and having narrowly won the Westminster seat there in the 2019 by-election, she somehow managed to lose the selection…
Things only get better for Welsh LibDem party’s reputation, however, as the victor in the internal contest William Powell has previously been given a formal written warning over allegations he tried to kiss a LibDem activist when she was 17. The state of the parties, national assembly leadership and Covid rates: it’s hardly a ringing endorsement of devolution…
Guido readers loved yesterday’s investigation into the true whereabouts of Welsh LibDem leader Jane Dodds, who despite telling BBC viewers she was in Wales has, in fact, been living in her leafy terraced Richmond home. Surprisingly little pick up by the Welsh press…
Locals in Wales having to put up with Drakeford’s draconian lockdown and cack-handed ‘non-essential items’ ban in shops have privately vented their anger over the Welsh LibDem leader’s ‘one rule for you’ attitude, pointing out that – despite Jane having travelled to South London on 12th October – one day later she was calling for a travel ban from England to Wales.
Showing even more brass neck on the 19th, Dodds lamented Wales’ draconian lockdown, pining “I know it’s tough and I know we’re all getting tired of the situation… please follow the rules”
If Jane is truly tired with Wales’ lockdown she can always go for a nice refreshing walk in Richmond Park…
Leader of the Welsh LibDems Jane Dodds went on TV last night to pay tribute to the only Assembly Member her party has – Kirsty Williams – who is standing down from the assembly after 22 years. Dodds described Williams, who has served in the Welsh Government as Education Minister, as an “icon here in Brecon and Radnorshire.” Only to Guido it didn’t look like she is in Brecon and Radnorshire…
The background behind Dodds appeared suspiciously similar to her house in Richmond, London. She’s sat in front of an identical mantelpiece to the one advertised on Rightmove when the property was rented out in the run up to the Brecon and Radnorshire by election, which she won and served as an MP for three months. So Guido asked the Welsh Lib Dems why their Leader was in London, not Wales, avoiding the lockdown imposed by the Government her party is in coalition with…
A spokesman for the Welsh LibDems – under pressure from Guido – sheepishly admitted “Jane has been in London since October 12th with her husband who works in London.” Probably shouldn’t be falsely claiming to BBC viewers that she’s in Wales when she’s in leafy Richmond…
