Conservatives lose their President to Plaid - Y Ceidwadwyr yn colli’u Llywydd i’r Blaid

A senior councillor in Aberconwy has resigned from the Conservative Party and joined Plaid Cymru.

Deganwy Councillor Dennis Tew has stood down from the Conservative Party, the Conservative Group of councillors on Conwy County Borough Council and from his position as President of Aberconwy Conservative Association.

Councillor Tew, who had been a member for 46 years, has written to all constituents in the Deganwy electoral division to explain his decision. In his letter he explained that he had wrestled with his conscience for months before finally acting:

“During my year as Mayor of Conwy I worked very closely with Cllr Phil Edwards who was Mayor of Colwyn Bay at the time. I knew and respected Phil as a very effective colleague on the county council but in my year as mayor I got to see more of the real quality of the man on both a personal and political level.

“When I discovered that Phil Edwards was to be Plaid Cymru’s choice to be our new MP I realised that I could never vote for, or support, another candidate in preference to Phil. His experience in the police and in business, as well as his utter integrity and decency, mark him out as someone who would be an exceptional Member of Parliament. I feel Phil is the best person for the job”

Councillor Tew said that this had left him in an impossible position as President of Aberconwy Conservative Association, and as a member of the Conservative Party, and he had therefore resigned.

Plaid’s Westminster candidate for Aberconwy Phil Edwards said that he was naturally delighted that Cllr Tew had made the move:

“There has always been a mutual respect between us as fellow councillors, and I am delighted that Dennis has now felt able to make this move from the Conservatives to Plaid. Last week, I had the opportunity to introduce Dennis and his wife Mavis to Plaid Leader and Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM and my County Council colleagues and I will very soon be giving him a warm welcome to the Plaid Group on Conwy.

"This has been a difficult time for Dennis and Mavis Tew and I believe that they have conducted themselves with great dignity in committing to Plaid.

"The fact that we have also garnered support from people who were previously Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters confirms that people are thinking differently and turning to Plaid."

Councillor Tew said:

“During my time representing Deganwy, I have enjoyed a good working relationship with Plaid Cymru Councillors as well as with our Aberconwy Assembly Member Gareth Jones, and this will now be enhanced.

“I am also now free to explain in greater detail why I believe Cllr Phil Edwards is the best choice to be our new MP - Phil is definitely the man for Aberconwy.”

Here's the whole text of the letter Dennis sent out to his constituents in Deganwy:

I wanted you to be amongst the first to know about a very important decision I have made regarding my role as your local Councillor here in Deganwy.

I resigned recently from the Conservative Group of councillors on Conwy County Borough Council, from my position as President of Aberconwy Conservative Association and from the Conservative Party, which I had been a member of for 46 years.

This was not an easy decision and I had been wrestling with my conscience for months before finally acting.

During my year as Mayor of Conwy I worked very closely with Cllr Phil Edwards who was Mayor of Colwyn Bay at the time. I knew and respected Phil as a very effective colleague on the County Council but in my year as Mayor I got to see the real quality of the man on both a personal and political level.

When I discovered that Phil Edwards was to be Plaid Cymru’s choice to be our new MP I realised I could never vote for, or support, another candidate in preference to Phil. His experience in the police and in business, as well as his utter integrity and decency, mark him out as someone who would be an exceptional member of Parliament - he stands head and shoulders above all the other candidates.

This left me in an impossible position as President of Aberconwy Conservative Association, and as a member of the Conservative Party, and therefore I felt it only right that I resign.

During my time as a Councillor I have enjoyed a good working relationship with Plaid Cymru Councillors and with our Assembly Member Gareth Jones. After resigning from the Conservatives I took a few days to consider the next steps and I have decided to join Plaid Cymru and their Council Group.

On a day to day basis this will make no difference to my work on the Council so please feel free to contact me about any issues you feel should be raised with either the County or Town Councils.

I am also more than willing to explain in more detail why I believe Cllr Phil Edwards is the best choice to be our new MP.

Y Ceidwadwyr yn colli’u Llywydd i’r Blaid

Mae uwch gynghorydd yn Aberconwy wedi ymddiswyddo o’r Blaid Geidwadol ac ymuno â Phlaid Cymru.

Fe ymddiswyddodd y Cynghorydd dros Ddeganwy Cyng. Dennis Tew o’r Blaid Geidwadol, Grŵp Cynghorwyr y Ceidwadwyr ar Gyngor Sir Conwy ac fel Llywydd Cymdeithas Geidwadol Aberconwy.

Fe ysgrifennodd y Cynghorydd Tew, a fu’n aelod ers 46 o flynyddoedd, i holl etholwyr ardal etholiadol Deganwy i egluro’i benderfyniad. Yn ei lythyr, fe eglurodd ei fod wedi ymrafael â’i gydwybod ers misoedd cyn cymryd unrhyw gamau:

“Yn ystod fy mlwyddyn fel Maer Conwy fe weithiais yn agos gyda’r Cyng. Phil Edwards oedd yn Faer Bae Colwyn ar y pryd. Roeddwn yn nabod ac yn parchu Phil fel cynghorydd effeithiol iawn ar y cyngor sir ond yn ystod fy mlwyddyn fel maer fe sylweddolais cymaint o ŵr bonheddig yw Phil - a hyn ar lefel bersonol a gwleidyddol.

“Pan glywais mai Phil Edwards oedd dewis Plaid Cymru fel ein AS newydd sylweddolais na allwn byth bleidleisio dros, neu gefnogi, unrhyw ymgeisydd arall heblaw Phil. Mae ei brofiad yn yr heddlu ac ym myd busnes, ynghyd â’i gywirdeb a’i onestrwydd, yn golygu fod ganddo’r rhinweddau i fod yn Aelod Seneddol rhagorol. Rwy’n teimlo mai Phil yw’r person gorau am y swydd”

Dywedodd y Cynghorydd Tew fod hyn wedi’i adael mewn sefyllfa amhosibl fel Llywydd Cymdeithas Geidwadol Aberconwy, ac fel aelod o’r Blaid Geidwadol, ac felly penderfynodd ymddiswyddo.

Dywedodd ymgeisydd seneddol y Blaid dros Aberconwy Phil Edwards ei fod wrth ei fodd fod y Cyng. Tew wedi symud i’r Blaid:

“Rydym ni’n dau o hyd wedi parchu’n gilydd fel cynghorwyr, a rwy’n falch iawn fod Dennis yn teimlo ei fod yn gallu symud o’r Ceidwadwyr i’r Blaid. Yr wythnos ddiwethaf, fe gefais y cyfle i gyflwyno Dennis a’i wraig Mavis i Arweinydd y Blaid a’r Dirprwy Brif Weinidog, Ieuan Wyn Jones AC a fy nghydweithwyr ar y Cyngor Sir ac fe fyddaf yn ei groesawu’n gynnes iawn i Grŵp y Blaid yng Nghonwy yn fuan iawn.

"Mae hwn wedi bod yn gyfnod anodd i Dennis a Mavis Tew a credaf eu bod wedi ymddwyn yn barchus iawn wrth ymrwymo i’r Blaid.

"Mae’r ffaith ein bod hefyd wedi denu cefnogaeth gan bobl oedd yn arfer bod yn gefnogwyr i Lafur a’r Rhyddfrydwyr Democrataidd yn cadarnhau fod pobl yn meddwl yn wahanol ac yn troi i’r Blaid."

Dywedodd y Cyng. Tew:

“Yn ystod fy amser yn cynrychioli Deganwy, rwyf wedi mwynhau perthynas weithio dda gyda Cynghorwyr Plaid Cymru a gyda’n Aelod Cynulliad dros Aberconwy Gareth Jones, ac fe fydd y berthynas yma’n siwr o wella o hyn ymlaen.

“Rwyf hefyd yn gallu egluro’n fanwl pam rwy’n credu mai’r Cyng. Phil Edwards yw’r dewis gorau i fod ein AS newydd - Phil yn bendant yw’r dyn i Aberconwy.”