Wednesday, July 06, 2016
UKIP put 'race row candidate' onto Assembly's Equality Committee
As if it were not bad enough that climate deniers UKIP were given the chair of the Welsh Assembly committee that oversees and scrutinises Welsh Government action on climate change, yesterday their AMs cocked another snook to Wales.
UKIP nominated Gareth Bennett, the AM who during the Assembly elections suggested that the litter problem in Cardiff was caused by Eastern European immigrants, to be a member of the committee which promotes equal opportunities.
As one of my erstwhile colleagues said, they are doing it on purpose. But nevertheless Mr. Bennett's membership of that committee undermines its function and purpose and impacts on the Assembly's reputation amongst those it is meant to champion.
The other interesting aspect of the list of members nominated to serve on committees was the total absence of Nathan Gill's name. He has said he will continue serving as both an MEP and an AM, and either he has requested not to be on a committee so as to facilitate that dual role or his group have taken umbrage and punished him for his decision.
It is known that there is no love lost between Nathan Gill and the UKIP group leader, so my bet is that it is the latter explanation. Either way it looks like the UKIP group remains inextricably split and they don't care who knows it.
UKIP nominated Gareth Bennett, the AM who during the Assembly elections suggested that the litter problem in Cardiff was caused by Eastern European immigrants, to be a member of the committee which promotes equal opportunities.
As one of my erstwhile colleagues said, they are doing it on purpose. But nevertheless Mr. Bennett's membership of that committee undermines its function and purpose and impacts on the Assembly's reputation amongst those it is meant to champion.
The other interesting aspect of the list of members nominated to serve on committees was the total absence of Nathan Gill's name. He has said he will continue serving as both an MEP and an AM, and either he has requested not to be on a committee so as to facilitate that dual role or his group have taken umbrage and punished him for his decision.
It is known that there is no love lost between Nathan Gill and the UKIP group leader, so my bet is that it is the latter explanation. Either way it looks like the UKIP group remains inextricably split and they don't care who knows it.
