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All Plaid Cymru councillors on Cardiff Council have quit the party amid claims of a "toxic atmosphere".

Council Plaid group leader Keith Parry along with colleagues Lisa Ford and Andrea Gibson are unhappy with the decision not to allow AM and Fairwater councillor Neil McEvoy back into Plaid.

Mr McEvoy was expelled from Plaid Cymru after allegations of disruptive behaviour at the party's conference in 2017.

He later abandoned his bid to rejoin in October after a supporter of his, Dewi Evans, failed to become chairman of the party.

In a statement the three councillors say Mr McEvoy's bid to re-enter Plaid was "rigged".

The statement signed by the trio said: "We, as councillors for Fairwater and Ely wards in Cardiff, are announcing our resignation of the Plaid Cymru whip on Cardiff council. We will now form an independent group to sit on the Council.

"We have kept quiet about a lot in the interests of unity. We can no longer do this.

"This is not a decision we take lightly. We have been members of Plaid for decades in total and have won votes for Plaid on the front line, taking seats from Labour in their former heartlands.

"But rather than be supported by Plaid Cymru we have been stifled by the party at every opportunity.

"After coming within 1,000 votes of defeating the current First Minister in Cardiff West, after the hard work of so many fantastic members, our AM, Neil McEvoy, was expelled from the party. His application was then rigged to prevent his re-entry to Plaid."

(Image: UGC MWL)

The statement claimed that "ongoing personal vendettas now seemed the most important thing" for Plaid Cymru.

It added: "Members are encouraged to make complaints against other members and a toxic atmosphere within the party has been allowed to take hold. Our calls for leadership have simply gone unanswered, with new leader Adam Price unwilling to intervene in any way to try to achieve a way forward.

"It is our belief that many at the top of Plaid Cymru have become far too close to Labour and are more interested in cosying up to them than beating them. As elected councillors who have all beaten Labour we find this unforgivable.

"We will now continue to represent our communities to the best of our ability without the stifling hand of the Plaid Cymru leadership."

Plaid Cymru said it was aware of the trio's decision to resign the whip from the party.

A spokesman said: "We thank the councillors for their contribution and wish them well for the future."