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Peter Rogers (politician)

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Peter Rogers
Rogers in 1999
Isle of Anglesey Councillor for Bro Aberffraw ward
In office
2 May 2013 – 5 May 2022
Preceded byWard Established
Succeeded byArfon Wyn
Isle of Anglesey Councillor for Rhosyr ward
In office
10 June 2004 – 2 May 2013
Succeeded byWard Abolished
Member of the Welsh Assembly for North Wales
In office
6 May 1999 – 1 May 2003
Preceded byNew Assembly
Succeeded byBrynle Williams
Personal details
Born (1940-01-02) 2 January 1940 (age 84)
Wrexham, Wales
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Conservative
Alma materCheshire School of Agriculture

Peter Standing Rogers (born 2 January 1940) is a former Welsh Conservative politician, farmer and magistrate who was a Member of the Welsh Assembly (AM) for the North Wales Region from 1999 to 2003.

Early life and career

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Peter Standing Rogers[1] was born on 2 January 1940 in Wrexham, Wales. He was raised in Birkenhead, England, where he attended Prenton Secondary School. He later studied at the Cheshire School of Agriculture, where he received a credit certificate in agriculture.[2]

He formerly played rugby professionally for Cardiff and Bridgend.[2][3]

Political career

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National Assembly for Wales (1999-2003)

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Rogers was Vice President of the Ynys Môn Conservative Association. He ran in the 1999 National Assembly for Wales election for the Ynys Mon constituency and in third place on the North Wales list.[3] He was elected to represent North Wales in the First Assembly.[4]

He was appointed by Rod Richards to be the Welsh Conservatives' Environment spokesman shortly after he was elected.[5] After Nick Bourne took the lead of the party he was appointed as the Agriculture and Rural Affairs spokesperson in his frontbench team.[6] He held this role until he lost his seat at the 2003 Assembly election.

As Agriculture and Rural Affairs spokesperson, he supported repealing the ban on beef on the bone, and was opposed to bans on fox hunting.[7] In 2000, Rogers called for a debate on an attempted fox hunting ban in Westminster, despite the assembly having no responsibility over the matter at the time,[7] and also called for a ban on french beef.[8] He also led the Welsh Conservative response to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease to Wales in 2001 and tuberculosis in 2002.[9][10] Three of his own farms were located in the initial foot and mouth exclusion zone in Ynys Môn, and his cattle were eventually culled.[9] He was critical of the communication around the National Assembly's response to the disease.[11][12]

In October 2001, it was announced he was investigated by standards authorities in the National Assembly for Wales for naming a civil servant, who he accused of failing to adequately handle a constituent's situation.[13] The investigation was passed to the Assembly's Standards of Conduct Committee, which censured him in January 2002.[14][15] He alleged that the complaint was "being used politically and was an attempt to keep [him] quiet during the foot-and-mouth crisis," but that what he had done was inappropriate.[14][16]

In the same month, Ieuan Wyn Jones, leader of Plaid Cymru, threatened to sue Rogers, after he claimed that Jones was intending to resign his seat in Ynys Môn and contest the Caernarfon constituency instead.[17][18] The threat was withdrawn the next day, although Jones did pursue action within the assembly with presiding officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas.[19][20] The Presiding Officer chose not to proceed with the complaint.[21]

Rogers was selected to contest the Ynys Môn constituency again at the 2003 National Assembly for Wales election in March 2002.[22] He was also placed seventh on the North Wales regional list for the Conservative Party, after a local association member's vote to select the order. Rogers said he was "shellshocked and wounded" to discover his placement on the list.[23][24] During the campaign, he was barred from a campaign event, after having to be held back to prevent an altercation between himself and the area Liberal Democrat candidate at a hustings hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses.[25][26][27] He was not re-elected to represent North Wales, nor elected to represent Ynys Môn.[28][29] However, he increased his share of the vote in Ynys Môn by 9.2%, coming second with 38.5% of the vote, 2,255 votes behind Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones.[29]

Deselection and selection controversies

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There was an attempt to select Rogers for the Ynys Môn constituency for the 2005 United Kingdom general election, but it was unsuccessful, with his application to be on the short list being rejected by the Conservative Party.[30] However, the selection process failed after disruption from supporters of Rogers in December 2003.[31] A second selection process beginning in January 2004 also failed to nominate, with two candidates not attending the eventual selection meeting, and protest from supporters of Rogers.[32][33] A motion of no confidence in Anglesey Conservative association was passed at the meeting.[34] Members had been threatened with expulsion if the process was disrupted again.[35] Rogers was refused entry to the Welsh Conservative party conference in 2004.[36][37] In December 2004, James Roach was selected as the Conservative candidate for the seat.[38][39]

Ynys Môn electoral contests as an independent

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In February 2005, he announced he would run as an independent candidate for Ynys Môn at the 2005 general election, and resigned from the Conservative party.[39][40] Rogers came third, receiving 14.7% of the vote, and defeating Conservative candidate James Roach.[41] He stood for Ynys Môn at the 2007 Welsh Assembly election,[42][43] and came second, with 23.3% of the vote.[44] He also stood again at the 2010 United Kingdom general election, dropping to fifth place and receiving 6.5% of the vote.[45][46] He had been approached to contest the election as a UKIP candidate, but refused.[47]

Local government

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Rogers announced he would contest Rhosyr ward on Ynys Mon council as an independent at elections held in June 2004.[48] He was successfully elected.[49][50] His re-election in 2008 was uncontested.[51] He served as High Sheriff of Gwynedd from 2008 to 2009 and represented Isle of Anglesey council on North Wales Police Authority.[52][53] Rhosyr ward was abolished for the 2013 council elections, and Rogers moved to the Bro Aberffraw ward, which he was elected to represent in 2013 and 2017.[54] He was not re-elected in 2022.[1]

Suspensions and allegations against the council

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In 2011, Rogers was cleared of bullying and harassment in 2011, after an April 2010 incident where he accompanied a constituent to the police station, and acted in a manner that was found to have brought Anglesey council and the office of councillor into disrepute.[55][56]

In December 2014, he refused to attend council meetings, claiming he was deliberately being sent welsh-only correspondence, which he could not read.[57]

In 2015, Rogers was suspended from the council for 3 months. He had been being investigated over a 2013 incident, in which he made efforts to speed up the sale of land, where he had a "close, personal association" to one of the involved parties, and "misused his position" to gain advantage for the buyer of the land. He was cleared of having a prejudicial interest in the sale of some land by the council, but was regardless suspended for a month for his criticism of the Public Service Ombudsman and the officer responsible for investigating him.[58] He appealed his one-month suspension, and attempted to escalate the matter to Local Government Minister Julie James and First Minister Carwyn Jones.[59] His appeal hearing recommended his suspension be increased to 3 months.[59]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Election results for Bro Aberffraw, 5 May 2022". democracy.anglesey.gov.uk. 5 May 2022. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b "People in the Assembly: Peter Rogers". BBC News. 1 September 1999. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b "No stranger to controversy". Western Mail. 8 March 2001. p. 3.
  4. ^ "BBC News AMs profile". BBC News. 1 September 1999.
  5. ^ "Bourne is given job". South Wales Evening Post. 14 May 1999. p. 16.
  6. ^ "Bourne snubs Richards in cabinet". BBC News. 25 August 1999. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Fox-hunt Bill airing plea". South Wales Evening Post. 19 December 2000. p. 10.
  8. ^ Hazlewood, Richard (1 January 2001). "Order! Order! The rowdy reputation of politics could soon be at an end of some members of the National Assembly get their way". South Wales Echo. p. 13.
  9. ^ a b Mason, Toby (28 February 2001). "Foot-and-mouth strikes Wales". Western Mail. p. 1.
  10. ^ Elston, Laura (23 April 2002). "Bovine TB outbreaks 'common in Wales'". Press Association.
  11. ^ "Daily broadcasts urged". The Western Mail. 20 March 2001. p. 4.
  12. ^ "Confusion reigns over Anglesey cull". BBC News. 27 March 2001. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  13. ^ Bodden, Tom (3 October 2001). "AM faces probe after naming civil sevant in subsidy row". North Wales Daily Post. p. 12.
  14. ^ a b Mason, Toby (11 January 2002). "Tory AM to be censured as complaint against him upheld". Western Mail. p. 7.
  15. ^ "The National Assembly for Wales: Committee on Standards of Conduct: Report 01-2002 - Complaint against Peter Rogers AM" (PDF). senedd.wales. 11 January 2002. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  16. ^ "AM broke code of conduct". South Wales Echo. 11 January 2002. p. 19.
  17. ^ "Plaid warning dismissed". The Western Mail. 30 January 2002. p. 8.
  18. ^ "Tories shrug off legal row". North Wales Daily Post. 30 January 2002. p. 12.
  19. ^ Lyons, Jamie (31 January 2002). "Plaid leader not to sue; Conduct: Ieuan Wyn Jones shelves legal action". Western Mail. p. 8.
  20. ^ "Wyn Jones shelves legal action". Wales Online. 30 January 2002. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  21. ^ Bodden, Tom (8 February 2002). "Attempt to censure tory fails". North Wales Daily Post. p. 5.
  22. ^ "Prospective candidate". The Western Mail. 21 March 2002. p. 2.
  23. ^ Lyons, Jamie (2 October 2002). "Fuel protest leader tops ballot for assembly list". Press Association.
  24. ^ "Demoted AM could quit Tories". BBC News. 10 October 2002. Retrieved 10 October 2002.
  25. ^ Lyons, Jamie (17 April 2003). "Welsh candidates in hustings scuffle". Press Association.
  26. ^ Crump, Eryl (18 April 2003). "Tory AM election scuffle". North Wales Live. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  27. ^ WalesOnline (17 April 2003). "Rivals in election campaign scuffle". Wales Online. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  28. ^ "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2003 | North Wales". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  29. ^ a b "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2003 | Ynys Mon". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  30. ^ Trewyn, Hywel (26 November 2003). "Tories pull the plug on Rogers ambition". North Wales Daily Post. p. 7. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  31. ^ Greenwood, David (9 December 2003). "Tories clash after vote veto; process halted after ex-AM is left off list". North Wales Daily Post. p. 7.
  32. ^ Bodden, Tom (8 January 2004). "Tories to try again in Island candidate row". North Wales Daily Post. p. 13. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  33. ^ Bodden, Tom (6 February 2004). "Island selection row leaves tories in chaos". North Wales Daily Post. p. 13. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  34. ^ "No confidence vote by Tories". BBC News. 17 February 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  35. ^ Bodden, Tom (17 January 2004). "Expulsion threat in tory selection row". North Wales Daily Post. p. 11.
  36. ^ "I've been banned". Western Mail. 2 April 2004. p. 2.
  37. ^ "Tory banned from conference". BBC News. 2 April 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  38. ^ "Rugby player to fight seat for Conservatives". North Wales Daily Post. 11 December 2004. p. 8.
  39. ^ a b Greenwood, David (15 February 2005). "Ex-tory to stand as independent". North Wales Daily Post. p. 8. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  40. ^ "Ex-Tory AM stands as independent". BBC News. 15 February 2005. Retrieved 15 February 2005.
  41. ^ "BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Results | Ynys Mon". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  42. ^ "Ex-Tory to stand as Independent". Wales Online. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  43. ^ Bodden, Tom (21 March 2007). "Ex-Tory AM bids for independent return; Farmer aims to oust sitting AM in May poll". North Wales Daily Post. p. 2. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  44. ^ "BBC NEWS | Election 2007 | Welsh Assembly | Election Result: Ynys Mon". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  45. ^ "BBC News | Election 2010 | Constituency | Ynys Mon". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  46. ^ "Profile: Anglesey is key marginal for 2010 election". North Wales Live. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  47. ^ Bodden, Tom (29 August 2009). "Ex-AM rejects UKIP approach to go it alone". North Wales Daily Post. p. 2.
  48. ^ Bodden, Tom (12 May 2004). "Tory rebel goes it alone in poll; party likely to give him clear run in ward". North Wales Daily Post. p. 12.
  49. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Rhosyr Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  50. ^ Bodden, Tom (12 June 2004). "Elections 2004: Wake up Labour!; Wales adds to Blair woe". North Wales Daily Post. pp. 1, 3.
  51. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2008 - Isle of Anglesey". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  52. ^ "No. 58639". The London Gazette. 13 March 2008. p. 3948.
  53. ^ Wigley, Dafydd (19 May 2011). "Elected police commissioners? How American can you get?". North Wales Daily Post. p. 9.
  54. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Ward Bro Aberffraw / Bro Aberffraw Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  55. ^ "Anglesey councillor Peter Rogers cleared of bullying". BBC News. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  56. ^ "Detective felt "threatened and intimidated" by Anglesey Councillor". Wales Online. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  57. ^ Wyn-Williams, Gareth (15 September 2015). "Anglesey councillor set to have his suspension increased after trying to appeal original ban". North Wales Live. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  58. ^ Wyn-Williams, Gareth (12 January 2015). "Anglesey councillor Peter Rogers says he will appeal his suspension". North Wales Live. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  59. ^ a b Wyn-Williams, Gareth (15 September 2015). "Anglesey councillor set to have his suspension increased after trying to appeal original ban". North Wales Live. Retrieved 23 August 2024.

Offices held

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Senedd
Preceded by
(new post)
 Assembly Member for North Wales
1999 – 2003 		Succeeded by
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