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ONCE again, the shocking inconsistencies of leafleting in lockdown Wales has been exposed.

Independent Nationalist AM Neil McEvoy received a caution from South Wales Police over the weekend for leafleting in his Cardiff West Constituency.

The politician was told that presenting election material in this manner to his constituents is an illegal activity under present lockdown rules.

Any sense of irony seems to be lost completely on the force who tweeted a picture of two of their officers leafleting houses on an anti-burglary drive nearby Ogmore Vale over the same time period.

And with the established parties continuing to leaflet homes unashamedly, and various takeaways shoving leaflets through letter boxes like nobody’s business, it’s easy to understand Neil McEvoy’s frustration with the situation.

He described the Police’s handling of the matter as a complete farce, with officers needlessly politicising an essential part of his work as an AM.

A spokesperson for Gwlad said the glaring inconsistencies concerning leafleting was no laughing matter.

‘It’s as if Welsh Labour are saying, – takeaways encouraging more obesity in Wales is fine-, yes, we can live with that. But wider democratic engagement with the voters, hell no!’

‘We think Neil McEvoy has every right to challenge this. Policing is not yet devolved in Wales, and Westminster guidelines on this matter do allow political work, such as leafleting to still occur’.

One has to wonder why South Wales Police have taken such a draconian approach with the Independent AM, turning a blind eye to other forms of leafleting that are going on all around, including their own leafleting!

And why are the other political parties so silent about this overreach on behalf of the Police?

Surely they want a more informed and involved electorate in the run-up to this election? Don’t they??