A Plaid Cymru town councillor has hit out at his own party after “personal attacks” by some members against Conservative Dwyfor Meirionnydd candidate Tomos Dafydd Davies.

Cllr Simon Brooks, who represents Borth y Gest on Porthmadog council, said last week that he wouldn’t be campaigning for Plaid in the run-up to the election after the “attacks” about Mr Davies, who is Welsh-speaking, living in London.

Cllr Brooks, himself from a London Welsh background, said his party “should focus more on politics rather than abuse”.

However Cllr Brooks (pictured) made a U-turn this week, after he said the attacks seem to have stopped.

“I was very unhappy with the fact that Plaid kicked off this campaign by personally attacking one of the candidates,” Cllr Brooks said.

“The Tory candidate, Tomos Dafydd Davies, is very active in the London Welsh community and I come from a London Welsh background myself.

“To be honest, I found it quite upsetting he was being attacked for that.

“I could never participate in a campaign which sought to denigrate an individual because of his background.

“I have made a number of public comments asking the party to stop the personal attacks and to campaign on policy instead.

“To be fair, they seem to have done so.

“There have been no personal attacks on Tomos Davies for over a week now.

“I welcome that.

“As the personal attacks have now stopped, I will rejoin the Plaid campaign.”

Mr Davies said that he was “grateful” to Cllr Brooks for making a stand, adding that it was “quite significant for a Plaid councillor to down tools for attacks on a Conservative candidate”.

“I’m grateful to Cllr Brooks for highlighting these attacks,” he told the Cambrian News.

“I will be reminding voters that a proud Welsh-speaking Welshman is running for the Conservatives.

“I am determined to fight a clean campaign.”

A spokesperson for Liz Saville Roberts, the Plaid candidate standing in Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said she would not be commenting on the row.