How do you solve a problem like McEvoy?

The 'problem' is traditional party politics where there seems to be an unspoken assumption that everyone must share the same views on everything and no acknowledgement that almost everyone just choose the closet fit and is BOUND to have wildly different views on some it it. If we could act like real humans having a conversation and parties could openly say things like "consensus is X so that's our policy but some members do think Y" and have that considered normal instead of an excuse for opponents and newspapers to shred them, it would be helpful!

In fact we have some information on exactly what McEvoy has done wrong: "Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Mr (Simon)Thomas (AM) said: "We feel Neil McEvoy's way of working has undermined fellow assembly members, has left us demoralised and talking in every group about his behaviour." "Undermining" - no details, so see below? "talking in every group about his behaviour." What! That's it? So lets picture it. The Plaid AM Group meet. Somebody raises McEvoy's latest whatever. Others respond. The Group chair - Leanne Wood? - allows the "talking" to an extent that Simon Thomas gets fed up. What to make of this? Who is raising Neil McEvoy stuff, instead of how to protect Wales? That she lets the "talking" go on suggests that there's something wrong with the way Leanne Wood chairs the meeting, that she shares this (vague) antipathy? If this is all that's happening no wonder Plaid have got in such a mess on their due process, hot, cold and nowhere on their handling of supposedly genuine complaints. And meanwhile Wales slides away from the path to sovereignty and on towards the Brexit cliff-edge.

Personally, I hope Neil leaves Plaid, and joins the "Plaid Newydd". At least it will give us something to vote for. Plaid are going nowhere. Their % share of the vote is lover now than it was 30 years ago. I would never vote for them under Leanne. I'm sure she's a very nice lady, but she is not a leader and will never convince people to vote for her.

Plaid Cymru is finished. How can anyone take Plaid or Leanne Wood seriously? So it's OK for Bethan Jenkins to drink and drive, claim expenses when she should not have* and not get disciplined let alone expelled but Neil has to go? This man has got the folk of Fairwater and Ely and Canton out of their houses to vote for someone who speaks the truth. Time for him to set up his own party as thousands of us would flock to it. [*I've reworded this in order to avoid potential libel - thanks, Ed]

**hope for I meant, not "vote for"

This is clearly a subject that people are passionate about but please refrain from posting anything potentially libellous. Even a claim of libel against a site like Nation.Cymru can close it down - win or lose, it costs a bomb. Please keep that in mind when posting. - Thanks, Ed

I'm sure if Neil McEvoy directed his energies into attacking the Tories like he does Labour he wouldn't be considered a 'problem by the parties hierarchy', he would no doubt be regarded as a hero. Plaid are more concerned with fighting a class war than National Liberation.

Let's not forget that even before he entered the Assembly Neil McEvoy had made powerful enemies with his stance on domestic abuse. By suggesting that men are also victims he had annoyed those pushing the simplistic message that all men are bastards and all women are victims. These people have influence through the third sector and lobbyists through to the very top of Labour and Plaid Cymru. When the truth eventually emerges, the similarities between the Sargeant and McEvoy cases might startle many people.

Two related events this week. On Monday LW "re-launches" her leadership. On Tuesday, Neil McEvoy is permanently banned from the PC group in Y Senedd. LW has now cynically ensured that there will not be any real challenge to her leadership this year. Plaid Cymru are stuck with her until 2021. This is surely the death knell for a party which is going absolutely nowhere, and which has now lost two key members from its group over the past few months. It's the sheer hypocrisy which rankles here. How many times did Dafydd Elis Thomas openly defy the party line on different occasions over the years- never to be seriously disciplined- let alone be flung out of the party. My suspicions are that it is the ill-tolerant feminism brigade within Plaid, and their influence within a certain lobbying firm which has engineered this witch hunt against Neil McEvoy. Let's not forget that he has been very vocal on behalf for Fathers For Justice, exposing the way that many fathers are being given a raw deal when it comes to child custody/care: this of course is complete anathema to the feminist brigade, who mindlessly parrot the line " the woman is always right". It's pathetic to see Wales's only nationalist party having been taken over by these blinkered feminists, aided and abetted by the likes of the wet Simon Thomas et al. Neil- you are better off without them. You really are the canary in the Assembly mine....... .

Its very disappointing Neil McEvoy has been dropped from the Plaid Cymru Senedd Group. He has said he will appeal and it is to be hoped common sense prevails and he is restored. I have worked closely with Neil on council elections and on Cardiff City Council.for eleven years. He is driven hard working and knows the Labour Party inside out. He fights for the underdog and is greatly liked and supported by people in Cardiff West and South Central Wales. I have never known him bully anyone and he is no misogynist This campaign against him has the Labour Party's hands all over it. Look at the petition against him signed by leading Labour Party Councillors were early signers.Cardiff West is occupied by a Labourite said to be a candidate for leadership of the so called Welsh Labour Party and First Minister. He has expressed no interest to me in joining the New Party. His politics are to the left. However if he is driven out of Plaid he may join that or some other new center-left party. He would take a lot of support and votes with him. Lets hope common sense prevails soon.

Leanne Woods, seems quite of late...

The headline should actually read "How do you solve a problem like Plaid Cymru?" Only those who have been members or who have actively campaigned and voted can realise how vacuous the Plaid Assembly group in the Senedd come across. Simon Thomas is being used by that group to try and ameliorate the strong feelings engendered by this episode by calling the disciplinary process within PC as appalling. This is actually all about control, PC cannot control Neil McEvoy and because they were formed on 5th August 1925 feel that they can pull rank despite now being an irrelevance to those in Wales apart from Y Fro Gymraeg and many of those I suspect vote out of loyalty. Y Bnr Thomas should have said that we all want a strong Plaid Cymru and no one more so than Neil McEvoy who has been fighting tooth and nail under their banner in Cardiff West. Neil McEvoy is now Independent which is a huge irony because that is what Wales should now be despite the best (or worst) efforts of PC.

The treasure of any political anthem if it's driven by the different forces, is the homogenaity of is message and its messengers. If there isn't then you need a war cabinet. If there is then use signposting and a diverse practice of healing wounds and a cold compress. It's whether the cause of Wales and its torrid history of mischief and disparity of views and feuding, is again about to strike. There is precedent, there is also a solution to any perceived mishandling by either party. I do suggest a calming off period and compromise. I think it's called conciliation and arbitration. The future of Wales deserves it, as it does a party of different views and talents. Plaid Cymru and the quality of its AMs is at an all time high. Read ditto for its Parrliamentary team. The fractious elements appear in all parties and probably far greater in others. I submit to often fierce views of politicians who are trail blazers, or change agents. Fire in the belly is not a curse, but unchecked it can be all consuming even tidal. And that is when you get your feet wet.

As a supplementary may I add how well judged and readable is Ifan Morgan Jones' article. Not easy for anyone but so necessary a contribution.

There are a lot of issues here. What on earth was Plaid doing on Tuesday having launched a new policy paper on Monday? I'm afraid that the Party is being manipulated by persons as yet unnamed but the truth will emerge. Compare Neil's treatment with that of Dafydd Elis Thomas. I don't believe Leanne is a willing participant in this debacle. Some personal ambitions are making things difficult for her.

Why can Plaid NOT make public the reason for expelling N.McEvoy from the party? If this is NOT a personal witch hunt by certain members of the party then there should be NO reason not to make these things public. (if only to make anyone wishing to stand for Plaid is aware of the requirements needed to hold any post in the party).

Sion I am not "dismissing the possibility that these complaints might be genuine causes of concern". I am simply saying, "Hold on, we weren't born yesterday!" If you have a genuine complaint you can go the police, or sue in an Employment Tribunal or do what Labour do in Wales and that is complain to an Ombudsman (appointed by them). If this happens the complainant will get every consideration and a fair deal. And so will the alleged bad guy, at least in theory. But we are not dealing with cut and dried official complaints impartially investigated. We are dealing with something else here. We have complainers who do not fancy the long march through the official institutions or the need to tell the truth. Too much like hard work. What they want is to get an instant result - as with #MeToo. As in - go to the press, maybe a media deal, get the social media humming, create a hurricane of reaction. And then hope that the guy is blown away. Sacked by a jittery employer or whatever. Has worked in the US - why not here? Are you happy with this, Sion? What is the difference between this and lynching blacks and witch-hunts? Nobody dies these days? So its OK to go like this? We don't need Courts and things? But someone has died. Men caught in the hurricane are only human and crack. And it could be you, your brother or your father, Sion. Are you sure Carl Sargeant will be the last? One day it might even be you. Just bear in mind Sion, that Plaid Cymru - Plaid AM Simon Thomas says - cannot deal with this stuff properly. It can't match competent people like the Police or others who run cases against bad guys. So, sadly, Plaid should not be allowed to run Wales until it has learned. Until it changes how it works. .

Considering that the Welsh Lib-Dems are down to a single Assembly Member, an intelligent Neil McEvoy would scoot over to that party and take any credit for building it up from scratch at national level. 'But, what would happen to his commitment to Welsh freedom?', you ask, with a puzzled chops. Neil should resurrect the Liberal tradition of Home Rule for Wales, and in so doing, give Welsh nationalists some choice come election time. Not to mention some much-needed challenge to a now barely credible Plaid Cymru. This idea sounds bizarre at first, but think about it for at least three full minutes. Neil McEvoy could conceivably develop a stronger Welsh patriotism within the Welsh Lib-Dems than is presently permitted by the ineffective Plaid. Any other option, he marginalises himself and Plaid wins.

I do not know Neil McAvoy apart from through his radio and television interviews. I do know that a political programme can only be taken forward by a publicly united party which does its arguing in private. In the current system maverick members , however charismatic, contribute nothing of any substance and for the most part burn brightly for a while then fade away

I have been requesting mediation with the Plaid Group since early November. All requests have been rebuffed. It is poor practise not to talk openly and honestly in private, with a view to attempting to settle differences. I am publishing the March 2017 complaints in full today. I have redacted some names as is fair and proper. The public and Plaid members can judge how Deryn has behaved in being connected to all March 2017 complaints.

An intelligent debate showing the responsibility and concern in this admirable movement. I think the article sums up the situation, Neil can be difficult to work with, he is a valuable fighter. raising issues that no-one else raises which are urgent and destructive. I am saddened that Plaid is not able to manage its strong characters with more appreciation. I have seen things that are not pretty going on. A breakaway party is not the answer.