Backing for Glyn in 'incomers' row

Seimon Glyn says he has no regrets over his comments

Support is growing for the Plaid Cymru councillor from north Wales who was criticised for making allegedly racist remarks about English people moving into Wales.

Seimon Glyn has received more than 200 e-mailed messages of support from fellow party members who believe he was right to speak out.

And, despite ferocious criticism from many quarters, Mr Glyn has told a BBC Wales programme that he has no regrets about the outburst which caused uproar.

Mr Glyn - chairman of Gwynedd County Council's housing committee - was forced to apologise last month after saying there should be stricter controls on the numbers of English people moving into north Wales.

Locals fear being priced out of the market

He described English as a "foreign language" and said retired people moving over to Wales were a "drain on resources".

When the inevitable backlash came, Plaid colleagues rushed to his aid, saying his comments had been taken out of context.

President Ieuan Wyn Jones issued strict instructions to any other party members that if they chose to speak on the same emotive issue in future, they should take care that their words were not misconstrued.

Speaking to BBC Wales's current affairs programme, Week In Week Out, on Tuesday, Mr Glyn stood by his statements.

"Nobody should have to defend themselves for highlighting issues to do with the language of their community, or the economic situation within the community, or the fact that the community is unable to absorb inward migration," he said.

In response to claims that his comments were too extreme, he replied :" I did choose pretty powerful language - but it's a pretty powerful crisis." And, he added: "I don't regret it".

Although Mr Glyn's comments raised the hackles of many, support for what he said has come from a number of quarters.

Sion Jobbins, Plaid's prospective parliamentary candidate for Cardiff North, has attacked his own party leadership for not doing enough to support Mr Glyn.

Mr Jobbins sent an e-mail urging fellow members to support him, and to date around 200 replies had been received.

"This man has been hounded for raising an important issue," he said.

"He has nothing to apologise for".