Plaid Cymru has complained to Caerphilly Council’s chief executive after the Labour Party included the authority’s logo in a party leaflet on social media.
Councillor Charlotte Bishop, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, said the Labour posting was blatantly party political and should not have referred in any way to the local authority
In an email to council chief executive Ed Edmunds, Councillor Charlotte Bishop wrote:
“I would be grateful if you could clarify whether the use of the Caerphilly County Borough Council logo on the attached Labour Party leaflet was authorised by the Council.
“The leaflet contains clear political messaging directed at Plaid Cymru, yet prominently displays the Council’s corporate logo and branding. As this appears to be party-political material rather than an official Council publication, I am concerned that the Council’s identity may have been used in a way that could imply institutional endorsement or compromise the Council’s duty of political impartiality.
“Could you please confirm:
- Whether permission was sought or granted to use the Council’s logo on this leaflet.
- Whether this use complies with the Council’s branding policy and any relevant guidance.
- If the use was unauthorised, whether the Council intends to take any action.”
Councillor Charlotte Bishop said that the Labour council leader Jamie Pritchard should ensure the leaflet is removed from social media and apologise for the serious error.
“We can’t have a situation where the Labour Party is trying to legitimise its argument by using the council’s logo and that is not acceptable.”
Councillor Charlotte Bishop also pointed out that the Labour campaigning material claiming Plaid Cymru was at war on education smacked of total hypocrisy.
She said: “We will take no lessons from Councillor Carol Andrews, Labour’s Education Cabinet member in Caerphilly.
“Carol Andrews is the councillor that has spearheaded the removal of home to school transport for hundreds of pupils and ignored the safety fears of parents who are naturally worried about their children having to walk along and cross very busy roads. Labour is being totally hypocritical.”
The Labour leaflet criticises the Plaid Cymru Welsh Government over Additional Learning Needs (ALN) funding and teachers’ pay but ignores the party’s published commitments on education and public services.
“This is desperate stuff from the Labour group in Caerphilly who are clearly scared stiff at their prospects in next year’s council elections. They are right to be, given that people will see through their attempts to mislead the public."
“People deserve politics based on facts, not scare stories. Claiming Plaid Cymru is ‘at war on education’ simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.”
Plaid Cymru committed to investing an additional £120m in Additional Learning Needs (ALN) support over three years, describing it as a priority to ensure children with additional needs receive the support they require.
“How can investing an extra £120 million in children with Additional Learning Needs be described as attacking education? That is investment in some of the most vulnerable children in Wales.”
Plaid Cymru has also committed to increasing investment in the NHS to reduce waiting lists.
“Reducing NHS waiting lists and supporting children with additional needs isn’t wasting money. It’s investing in people, improving outcomes and helping public services deliver what families expect.”
The Labour leaflet also refers to teachers’ pay. Earlier this year, education unions criticised the Labour Welsh Government’s decision not to implement in full the recommendations of the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body, arguing it fell short of what teachers deserved.
Councillor Bishop said teachers and pupils should not be used as political footballs.
“Teachers deserve fair pay, and children deserve the support they need. We should be delivering both, not pretending they’re competing priorities.”
She also criticised Labour’s position during the Senedd vote.
“On this vote, Labour and Reform voted the same way. That is a matter of public record. They may have had different reasons, but the outcome was the same—they opposed Plaid Cymru’s proposal. People can make up their own minds about what that says.”
Councillor Bishop said political debate should focus on evidence.
“It’s entirely legitimate to debate how public money should be spent. What isn’t legitimate is suggesting that investing in children with Additional Learning Needs or investing in our NHS amounts to being ‘at war on education’. Those claims simply don’t match the facts.”