The four day blow-in

The parachutist from leafy Surrey

WELL, HERE’S the reply from the short-suffering candidate to Cambria’s blog about the blow-in chosen by the Tories to fight the once-winnable – but now no longer – Ynys Mon seat at Westminster.

The new candidate tells us he has spent all of FOUR DAYS on Ynys Mon [see in point 2].

He’s also got a Welsh grandmother. She was from Pontycymmer. Which means she voted Labour. Or did she own the pit ? Or at least enough shares to be able to go on a foreign holiday every year ?

I’m glad to note the candidate used to spend holidays in south Wales. But clearly Wales hasn’t been top of his mind. Because he admits he’s applied for loads of seats in Wales and England. But why not Scotland, as well ?

Perhaps because Englanwales is just one uniform country, but Scotland’s something different …

The candidate doesn’t answer my question about the immoral right of MPs to overrule decisions by the democratically-elected Assembly. Perhaps because he had never heard of that wee problem before.

The candidate boasts of his Worcestershire roots and talks of the link to Wales.  Well, some of them may be able to see the Welsh hills, but the people of Worcs know nor care no more about Wales than the people of Wales know or care about Worcs.

Few Welsh towns know or care about Wales; the exceptions could be Chester (they get hit on the head in their own suburbs by bilingual signposts), possibly Shrewbury and Hereford, and more likely the Forest of Dean.

Anyway, now follows the candidate’s statement.

“I’d like to take the opportunity to clarify some of the inaccuracies that are being banded about the blogosphere and in the press.

1) I was not parachuted in to the Ynys Mon seat.  I was shortlisted and elected by over 35 Association members on the first ballot with 50 + 1 of the vote.  I worked extremely hard before my selection.  I spent 4 days in the Constituency and had a team of researchers.  At the selection meeting even the sceptics, as per my previous email, said that I was “head and shoulders above all other candidates”, even the potential local one – he himself said that to me.

2) I am not one of CCHQ’s favoured sons -  I only wish I were!  If fact, during the process of submitting my CVs I felt bottom of the pile.  I applied for numerous Welsh and English seats and was declined for all of them, except Anglesey.

3) From “leafy Surrey”!?!? – I have been in Surrey on and off all my life due to education and work, but I have lived all over the UK and US. I have only been back in Surrey for two years.  Before that I was in Worcestershire caring for my dying mother, before that Devon and before that Florida at the US Geological Survey. I have a lot of national and international experience in the environment and business that is directly applicable to Anglesey.  I grew up in Worcestershire – which is close to the Welsh border – not Surrey!

4) I might not have it bucket loads of it, but I really am proud of my Welsh heritage.  I have spent most of my free time all over Wales.  And I am truly excited to be finally moving there full time – as I have tried to on many other opportunities.

I have been clear that I did not grow up in Wales, but my family home is not far away in Worcester and I spent much of my leisure time in Wales, in the Brecon Beacons and on the Gower mostly.

For many personal reasons, my family roots in Pontycymmer are very special to me and my late mother.  If I had been a girl (no jokes please!) my mother would have named me after my Grandma Rachel Williams who was born and grew up on Cuckoo Street, Pontycymmer.  My cousin (the first girl of my generation) got the honour instead. The last time I was there, was not long before my mother died. She wanted me to take her there for obvious reasons. Every time we go there, it becomes more like a ghost town.  This has saddened me and is what has inspired me to get involved in the future of Wales.   Politics aside, I would be grateful if you would update your blog to give a fairer description of my heritage and links to Wales – they are important to me and I would like to be fairly represented.

I really am passionate about making a difference in Wales. I am in the process of moving to Anglesey – full time.  I am learning Welsh and intend to work tirelessly for the people of Anglesey. Please give me at least a chance to show you what I have to offer first – that is all I ask.  I believe it is about getting the right candidate to sort out the island’s economy.  It shouldn’t be about where the candidate grew up – the people of Anglesey cannot afford it to be at this time.

I agree that Trefor Jones is a great guy, as is the other local chap who wanted to stand, but was not on the Party list.  They are both supporting me and are great assets to my team.  And those members of the Association, who wanted the local chap to stand, told me they are glad things turned out this way, because they believe they have found the right candidate in me.  This is of course a great feeling.

Trefor was simply worried about losing his job – so he decided to stand down.  Just like many others on the island who are worried, or are actually losing their job right now. This is the main reason I want to win this election – I want to help rebuild a stable economy on the island and regenerate the key towns.  If we have a Conservative administration (which we know is most likely) – Anglesey will need a strong voice within the Conservative Party to draw attention to its urgent needs.  I am going to work tirelessly to be that voice.  Not for me, but for the people of Ynys Mon.”