CONTROVERSIES.....

Controversies ... DAVID JONES MPedit source | edit]

In 2013 it was reported that Jones took a chauffeur-driven Jaguar on a journey of about 100 metres.^[14]

During an interview on ITV Wales Face to Face programme, discussing the recent Parliamentary vote on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill on 5 February, Jones said, "I was one of two cabinet ministers who did vote against it and it was for various reasons. Certainly in constituency terms, I felt that overwhelmingly the constituents of Clwyd West were opposed to the change. But also I regard marriage as an institution that has developed over many centuries, essentially for the provision of a warm and safe environment for the upbringing of children, which is clearly something that two same-sex partners can’t do. Which is not to say that I’m in any sense opposed to stable and committed same-sex partnerships".^[15] The gay rights organisation Stonewall, which in 2010 had given Jones a score of 14% in favour of lesbian, gay and bisexual equality,^[16] issued a statement expressing great sadness about his comments.^[17]

In June 2014 David Jones was marred in further controversy when he refused to apologise^[18][18] to a disabled ex-serviceman a liar and accused him of being a member of the Labour Party and brushed of the disabled ex-serviceman's plight as no more than a party political stunt causing great offence by this accusation.

Former Welsh Secretary David Jones was linked to the poison pen style blog Thoughts of Oscar^[19], this was revealed during a house of commons speech into alleged collusion with North Wales Police and the anonymous blog authorship on 9 September 2014.^[19][20]

Clwyd West MP causes more concern to animal rights activists by voting to repeal the hunting act of 2004.^[20] Many constituents view hunting, especially fox hunting as barbaric.

A local blogge^[21]r was accused of an electoral offence by David Jones, during the 2015 general election, potentially affecting Mr Jones' chance of re-election, but the CPS make the decision to take no action.

David Jones causes yet more concern in the community when he again falsly accused a local blogger of a section 4^[22] harassment Offence, the blogger was arrested, detained and bailed, his home was raided and his disabled child's I pad and Xbox One were confiscated. The CPS advised North Wales Police to take no further action as this comment the blogger published was in no way threatening, as claimed by Jones:

19 September 2015 at 07:59

• Even more to come. D Day is 1st. November,a massive start to Guy Fawkes celebrations. Bangers and Smash.

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WALES[EDIT SOURCE | EDIT]

On 4 September 2012, Jones was promoted to Secretary of State for Wales,^[2] and he was in consequence appointed to the Privy Council on 10 September.

Jones stated his top priorities would be to promote economic growth and deliver major infrastructure projects including a new nuclear power station at the Wylfa site on Anglesey, upgrades to rail lines in North Wales and improvements to the M4 motorway and the A55, and exploiting the full economic potential of the Holyhead and Milford Haven Waterwayports.^[23]

Ongoing issues with the Welsh Government include a Supreme Court challenge by Her Majesty's Government to legislation passed in the Welsh Assembly about local government byelaws^[24] and the Welsh government's objection to a Wales Office consultation on changing the boundaries of assembly constituencies.

Jones has described the Welsh Government's planning guideline Tan 8 as "an atrocity".^[25]

David Jones was sacked^[26] from his position as Secretary of State for Wales in 2014, after less than two years in the job.