Ask me no questions ....

The Western Mail carries an uncomfortable story for Welsh Lib Dems which implies that reinstated AM Aled Roberts may not have been “entirely straightforward in his account of events” as Sir Humphrey was wont to say on occasion.

An unnamed AM has contacted the Electoral Commission to “confirm” claims made by the North Wales regional member that he had accessed a Welsh language version of an advisory website on 24 March this year to check his eligibility as a candidate. Roberts contended that the information was out of date.

The Commission state that an analysis of site traffic on 24 March showed no visits were made to the Welsh version of the candidates’ guidance document. Similarly, they state that no downloads of the Welsh version took place on that day either. The clear inference is that the assessment made by Gerald Elias could well be flawed as police did not request evidence specific to the date in question.

At least one AM, Jocelyn Davies, who voted for reinstatement has signalled her disquiet at the possibility of being misled and others will no doubt add their own calls to the suggestion that Roberts should clear up any lingering doubts by allowing the police to do the necessary forensic checks on his computer.

What we find most intriguing about this story however is not so much how a police force with extensive experience of forensic computer analysis allegedly failed to request key information or that the Commission has once again been so uncommonly forthcoming in its explanations. It’s how the unnamed AM involved apparently knew how to ask the right question and why he or she wishes to remain anonymous.