Rhondda MP Chris Bryant and AM Leighton Andrews went to the Burberry factory in Treorchy yesterday to discuss the proposed closure with management.
Security guards allowed Bryant through the gates - only to then shut them behind him in Andrews' face. Andrews protested, but to no avail. Bryant shrugged and sallied through, leaving Andrews behind at the gate like the unwanted gatecrasher at the party...
Update: I'm told Rhodri Morgan was due in the Rhondda on Wednesday as part of his two-day tour of West Wales and the Valleys. Apparently he was set to deliver a speech on the subject of full emploment, only to pull out when news of the closure of the Valley's second biggest employer broke.
As it's 5.05pm on a Friday we can safely assume all Labour's press officers are sipping white wine in trendy Cardiff bars, so if anybody is any wiser do let me know.
Update #2: Both the above stories are, it transpires, less than true...click on 'comments' for the full clarification from Mr Andrews himself...
quentin wrote...
Rhodri Morgan was in the Rhondda on Wednesday befoere the news broke. He visited the new Porth/Rhondda Fach relief road - the biggest local authority road scheme anywhere in the UK - funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. And the site of the new Llwynypia Hospital, again funded by WAG.
He had left the Rhondda by the time the Burberry story hit the wires to continue his tour of Wales.
There were never any plans for Rhodri Morgan to make a speech on employment on that day. The theme of the day was Assembly investments.
For the record, security at the Burberry factory was understandably very tight. Chris Bryant had secured a meeting for himself and Leighton Andrews with Burberry's Managing Director, UK Products. For some reason, leighton's name was omitted from the security guards list. Chris went in to explain the problem, the security guard returned less than three minutes later, very apologetic, and allowed Leighton Andrews in to participate in the meeting.
Posted by: quentin | September 8, 2006 8:14 PM