A WELSH MP, whose police caution for a common assault on his then wife led to a fractious departure from Plaid Cymru, should be readmitted to the party, the former Plaid Cymru leader of Ceredigion council has said.

Jonathan Edwards found himself in the spotlight in May 2020 when he was arrested at his Carmarthenshire home and received a police caution for common assault.

He later said that he was deeply sorry and that it was "the biggest regret" of his life.

Mr Edwards won four general elections in Plaid colours from 2010.

Following the police caution Mr Edwards was suspended from Plaid by a party disciplinary panel and began sitting as an Independent MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr.

In July last year the panel agreed to allow him to rejoin the party, saying he had satisfied the conditions placed upon him when he was suspended.

However, the 46-year-old didn’t resume as a Plaid MP, as a majority of the party’s ruling national executive committee recommended that he didn’t. 

Former Plaid Cymru leader of Ceredigion council Ellen ap Gwynn told BBC Radio Cymru’s Bore Sul that the party should give Mr Edwards a ‘second chance’.

"In my opinion, Plaid Cymru has a policy of restorative justice and I think he should have had a second chance,” she said.

"I know the disciplinary process has been followed and followed correctly.

"He had the punishment, he got expelled for a year, then they re-considered and they decided that he could re-join.

"But, for some reason, there was a rather unpleasant feeling in this case that he shouldn't be allowed to be re-admitted into the party."

A statement issued by Mr Edwards’ office commended Ms ap Gwynn, saying "Ellen ap Gwynn has been extremely brave to speak out against the vendetta pursued against Jonathan by the Plaid Cymru leadership."

In a response to the BBC, Plaid Cymru said it was "entirely focused on the future, continuing to deliver radical policies that make a real difference to people's lives through the co-operation agreement [with Welsh government] and bringing forward progressive ideas that address the cost-of-living crisis".