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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Plaid MEP queries military centre | Plaid MEP queries military centre |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Plaid Cymru's vice-president has questioned whether the party should support a new military training academy at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan. | Plaid Cymru's vice-president has questioned whether the party should support a new military training academy at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan. |
| MEP Jill Evans said the proposed 5,000-job centre was inconsistent with the spirit of the party's defence policy. | MEP Jill Evans said the proposed 5,000-job centre was inconsistent with the spirit of the party's defence policy. |
| Her views are in a paper for the party's ruling national council in Aberystwyth on Saturday. | Her views are in a paper for the party's ruling national council in Aberystwyth on Saturday. |
| But Vale Labour MP John Smith said her comments were "dangerous nonsense". | But Vale Labour MP John Smith said her comments were "dangerous nonsense". |
| The very idea that a senior responsible mainstream politician could be questioning [St Athan] at this stage is quite frankly madness John Smith MP, Vale of Glamorgan | The very idea that a senior responsible mainstream politician could be questioning [St Athan] at this stage is quite frankly madness John Smith MP, Vale of Glamorgan |
| Ms Evans also said that if Wales were to become independent, it should slash spending on defence and pull out of Nato. | Ms Evans also said that if Wales were to become independent, it should slash spending on defence and pull out of Nato. |
| She said Plaid should condemn what she said was the increasing militarisation of Wales. | She said Plaid should condemn what she said was the increasing militarisation of Wales. |
| Her paper suggested that Plaid should be committed to purely defensive armaments with existing military infrastructure under Welsh control with a chain of command answerable to the Welsh Parliament. | Her paper suggested that Plaid should be committed to purely defensive armaments with existing military infrastructure under Welsh control with a chain of command answerable to the Welsh Parliament. |
| Plaid has been in coalition with Labour in the assembly government since last May. | Plaid has been in coalition with Labour in the assembly government since last May. |
| Jill Evans said Wales should have a purely defensive military | Jill Evans said Wales should have a purely defensive military |
| The MEP also called on the assembly government to investigate any links between the private companies involved in St Athan and the international arms trade. | The MEP also called on the assembly government to investigate any links between the private companies involved in St Athan and the international arms trade. |
| Her view was backed by Anna Jane Evans, a Plaid member and a member of Arfon Peace Group, who told BBC Radio Wales the party and Wales' peace groups had been "caught napping" over the creation of the St Athan centre. | Her view was backed by Anna Jane Evans, a Plaid member and a member of Arfon Peace Group, who told BBC Radio Wales the party and Wales' peace groups had been "caught napping" over the creation of the St Athan centre. |
| Anna Jane Evans said: "This has come under the carpet without any debate within the Welsh assembly. | Anna Jane Evans said: "This has come under the carpet without any debate within the Welsh assembly. |
| "It think it [St Athan] should be stopped until we have a full explanation of who the investors are, what their priorities are, who they're answerable to and who is going to be trained there." | "It think it [St Athan] should be stopped until we have a full explanation of who the investors are, what their priorities are, who they're answerable to and who is going to be trained there." |
| Mr Smith called Jill Evans' views "simply unacceptable" and her comments "dangerous and irresponsible nonsense that should be stopped now". | Mr Smith called Jill Evans' views "simply unacceptable" and her comments "dangerous and irresponsible nonsense that should be stopped now". |
| He said: "I call on those who stimulated this debate with this paper to do just that very quickly. We want these jobs for Wales." | He said: "I call on those who stimulated this debate with this paper to do just that very quickly. We want these jobs for Wales." |
| He added: "The idea that we didn't have a debate is also absurd. It took us two-and-and half years of hard, all-party, campaigning to get this to Wales. It was politics at the best. | He added: "The idea that we didn't have a debate is also absurd. It took us two-and-and half years of hard, all-party, campaigning to get this to Wales. It was politics at the best. |
| "Every senior politician I approached to ask for help, including Plaid Cymru politicians, supported me on this." | "Every senior politician I approached to ask for help, including Plaid Cymru politicians, supported me on this." |
| Building work on the St Athan centre is due to start in 2009, with the final phase expected to be completed by 2013. | Building work on the St Athan centre is due to start in 2009, with the final phase expected to be completed by 2013. |
| 'Logistics and personnel' | |
| The Ministry of Defence has confirmed it will go ahead at the site with the training academy part of the plan, known as Package 1, but doubts remain whether other training, such as security, will also be carried out there. | The Ministry of Defence has confirmed it will go ahead at the site with the training academy part of the plan, known as Package 1, but doubts remain whether other training, such as security, will also be carried out there. |
| The MoD said in October that it was still negotiating the second section, or Package 2, providing training for logistics and personnel staff, security, intelligence and photography at the site. | The MoD said in October that it was still negotiating the second section, or Package 2, providing training for logistics and personnel staff, security, intelligence and photography at the site. |
| The two packages are worth a combined £16bn and up to 5,000 permanent jobs, although most would come with the first phase of the academy. | The two packages are worth a combined £16bn and up to 5,000 permanent jobs, although most would come with the first phase of the academy. |