WOMEN’S RIGHTS CHARITY BANNED FROM PLAID CYMRU CONFERENCE

Women’s rights charity FiLiA had booked a stand at Plaid Cymru Conference, hoping to use the opportunity to talk to delegates and Plaid Cymru politicians about a range of grass roots campaigns they support.

With less than 48 hours to go, the charity was told that they would not be welcome, and their stall booking was revoked.

FiLiA hosts the largest annual grassroots feminist conference in Europe. In 2022 FiLiA spent a year in Cardiff in the lead up to an event that saw over 1,500 women from Wales and beyond attend to discuss topics ranging from family courts to police perpetrated abuse, the environment, migration and motherhood.

Throughout 2022 FiLiA supported local women to learn to swim, campaign and make banners. We launched the international Hague Mothers project and held sessions in fundraising, art for women with mental health issues and more.

The reason given by Plaid Cymru for excluding FiLiA from their conference is as follows:

“While there are many issues and campaigns on which I expect we would agree, it has come to my attention that some of FiLiA’s positions are potentially contrary to the party’s values – for instance on trans rights. We welcome robust debate, but must balance this with the need for our delegates from all backgrounds to feel as though the party conference is a safe space for them to express their identity comfortably.

 I regret therefore that we will be unable to welcome you to Caernarfon this week. I’m sorry for the late notice.”

FiLiA volunteers are surprised and disappointed that they have been excluded in this way. Bags were packed, plans had been made.

A FiLiA volunteer and Plaid Cymru member, who has asked not to be named because she says the Party’s decision has made her feel unwelcome and unsafe said:

“This is hard to take in. Prosiect Pawb (the damning report on misogyny and bullying within Plaid) said ‘NEC must be confident that actions taken in the light of Prosiect Pawb's findings and recommendations will be effective in enabling permanent, non-reversible measures to detoxify a culture of harassment, bullying and misogyny and to make Plaid truly and visibly welcoming to women.’ How does this decision fit with that? I’ve never felt less welcome in my own Party. I feel bullied and excluded. What is it about FiLiA’s values clashes with Plaid’s?”

There was no attempt to seek clarity around the values of FiLiA at any time. FiLiA has asked Plaid Cymru for an explanation, putting the following questions to them:

· On what specific basis is this decision being made? 'potentially contrary to party values' is vague and we would like to understand exactly what is meant by this.

· Referring to 'trans rights' and the need to have a 'safe space' - if those with a protected belief in innate gender are welcome, why are those with the opposite but equally protected belief not? This appears on the face of it to be unlawful discrimination.

· What measures are Plaid Cymru putting in place to ensure that 'delegates from all backgrounds' (which includes women with gender-critical views) 'feel as though the party conference is a safe space for them'? 

A response from Plaid Cymru failed to answer FiLiA’s questions, simply restating that ‘We are unable to host organisations who have views that are contrary to the party’s values.’

This position seems strange, in the light of the fact that in recent years many organisations that do not share all of Plaid Cymru’s values have been able to have a presence at Conference – including a Conference Dinner hosted by Heathrow Airport, which doesn’t exactly sit well with Plaid’s green credentials. In the past the Party has been prepared to engage with those with whom they may not agree, in the spirit of open debate.

FiLiA CEO Lisa-Marie Taylor said:

“It is unclear how a women’s charity such as ours could possibly contravene the ‘values’ of the Party. This ban doesn’t seem to sit well with the Party leadership’s repeated public commitments to root out misogyny. We will be pressing for proper answers to the question’s we’ve raised. And we are consulting our lawyers, as we believe that this ban may be unlawful. It is certainly unfair and unjust.”

For further information please contact: pressoffice@filia.org.uk