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Posted By admin on February 8, 2010

Liberal Democrats are investigating allegations about the behaviour of
a senior member of the Welsh assembly in hospital after a night out in
Cardiff.
Welsh party leader Kirsty Williams is trying to establish the facts on
claims about Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates.
She said she understood he was knocked unconscious and had a serious
head injury which still caused him problems.
She also understood he apologised “if his behaviour caused any
offence”. He said he could not recall what happened.
The party said it took the allegations in Wales on Sunday about his
behaviour last month “very seriously”.
The claims emerged as the party held its Welsh spring conference in
Swansea.
Mr Bates was due to speak at a fringe meeting, but he was replaced by
Lembit Opik, the MP for his constituency.
Ms Williams told the BBC Wales Politics Show she took the allegations
“very seriously,” and she would contact the NHS trust involved.
“We need to establish the facts,” she said.
“I’ve spoken to Mick Bates – he’s apologised if his behaviour following
the incident has caused any concerns.”
When asked about whether he still had her confidence, she replied: “Yes
he does.
“We don’t know the facts – we need to get to the bottom of this. My
understanding is that Mick was knocked unconscious and suffered a
severe head injury – which he’s continuing to have problems with.”
She added: “Abuse towards NHS staff is not acceptable so we need to
talk to the trust to establish the facts”.
Mr Bates, 62, told BBC Wales that he could not remember what had
happened on the night.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: “We take
these allegations very seriously and we would not condone this sort of
alleged behaviour.
“We have already begun an investigation to establish the facts and we
will return with a further statement once our investigations are
concluded.”
Mr Bates, who has represented Montgomeryshire since the assembly was
founded in 1999, has been chairman of its sustainability committee
since 2007.
A former teacher who became a farmer, he said last year that his wife,
a headmistress, was retiring in 2011, and that it was an “ideal time”
for him to stand down.
Mr Bates is also a former county chairman of the National Farmers’
Union, and became a local councillor in 1994.
He held his assembly seat at the 2007 election with a majority of just
over 2,000 ahead of the Conservatives.

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