Politics

John Rees-Evans: The donkey in the room

Published

9 years ago

October 28, 2016

John Rees-Evans: Potential UKIP leader

ONE of UKIP’s more colourful characters – in a party which has traditionally set the bar for eccentricity quite high – has thrown his hat into the ring for the party leader job.

Following Diane James’ fleeting spell at the helm, the role of party leader is currently occupied (again) by Nigel Farage, although it has been made clear that he is acting on an interim basis this time.

However, following the exit of bookies’ favourite Stephen Woolfe, who left the party after an alleged brawl with another MEP at the EU Parliament building in Strasbourg, John Rees-Evans announced this week that he was standing, alongside Paul Nuttall, Suzanne Evans, and Breitbart UK founder Raheem Kassam.

Mr Rees-Evans previously hit the headlines in 2014, after he was filmed telling protestors outside the opening of UKIP’s Merthyr branch that a male donkey had tried to ‘rape’ his stallion.

A series of the more outré claims made by elected members of UKIP was read out to Mr Rees-Evans, including a quotation from former UKIP Oxford chair Dr Julia Gasper, who claimed homosexuals prefer sex with animals.

His response, immortalised in full, ran thus: “Actually, I’ve witnessed that. I was personally quite amazed.

“I’ve got a horse, it was in the fields, and a donkey came up – my horse is a stallion.

“A donkey came up which is male, and I’m afraid tried to rape my horse.

“My horse bit the side of the donkey, and I had to give my horse a slap to protect the donkey.”

“So, in this case, [she’s] obviously correct but I don’t think that’s what it meant, it’s just a bizarre coincidence.”

It is worth pointing out that neither this incident, or telling a hustings that he urinated in bottles to reduce his CO2 footprint, prevented Mr Rees- Evans from getting 13% of the vote in Cardiff South and Penarth in the 2015 General Election – an increase of 11% on 2010.

Mr Rees-Evans, who grew up in Africa and was educated in 11 different schools, is a former soldier who trained with the parachute regiment.

After leaving the forces, he attempted to work as an ‘expeditioneer’, taking a wide array of jobs including pizza delivery and labouring on a building site to fund expeditions.

However, after the birth of his first child in 2003, he set up a tour company and, according to his biography, has ‘since developed a handful of other small businesses which span the tourism, business development, legal services and real estate sectors in Africa and Europe’.

Since coming to the attention of the British media, Mr Rees-Evans has had to play down a couple of the more headline-grabbing anecdotes which surround him. Prospective voters will be reassured to know that the ‘fortified compound’ in Bulgaria where Vice magazine interviewed him in 2015 is apparently little more than a garden with a wall around it.

Similarly, Mr Rees-Evans explained that rumours stating he persuaded a shop assistant in a Bulgarian Ikea store to let him carry his gun in case terrorists took over the building were also misconstrued. He admitted he did have the gun on him when he entered the store because ‘it wasn’t safe to hand it over to store security and I had some things I had to get.’.

In a recent appearance on the Daily Politics show, Mr Rees-Evans pointed out that the host, Jo Coburn, was focussing on these stories rather than his vision for the party: “Do you know, Jo, it’s really interesting what you’re doing because I am trying to tell you my serious vision for UKIP and you keep trivialising it,” he remarked.

“It [the donkey story] was a bit of playful banter with a mischievous activist. I would be so appreciative if you could please just understand the concept that I am trying to communicate to your viewers.”

One concept which has yet to be discussed was a policy proposal made by Mr Rees-Evans on his blog in the aftermath of the Paris attacks last year.

Warning that ‘a devastating Mumbai/Paris-style attack on UK soil should be considered inevitable and imminent’, he suggested that a ‘volunteer civilian defence force’, using existing Special Forces troops, followed by civilians ‘irrespective of previous military experience’ should be formed. This force, he recommended, should be ‘required to complete an advanced tactical IPSC-standard training course, with a view to obtaining proficiency in the use of several small arms, with emphasis on the Glock 17, and common variants of Kalashnikov’.

“Once qualified, VCDF marshals should be required to carry a concealed Glock 17, spare magazine, and not fewer than 30 rounds at all times, unless logged as inactive,” he suggested.

Marshals would be only permitted to engage combatants at ranges above 30m if ‘there are no innocents/ friendlies within 300 mils of marshal’s sight picture’. Firing a warning shot should also not be required due to the risk of ricochet in built-up environments.

A marshal would only be permitted to engage a target where ‘either a) a shot has already been fired or b) a combatant has raised his/her weapon to aim’.

Given that support for an armed undercover militia is patchy at best in Britain, Mr Rees-Evans may have a better chance of becoming UKIP leader if media attention continues to focus on his horse. However, it is worth mentioning that a YouGov poll taken in 2015 showed that 44% of those who voted UKIP in 2015 could imagine supporting an army coup against the elected government.

Business

Computer gaming lounge plans for Tenby cinema submitted

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

FORMAL plans to turn Tenby’s former Poundland and Royal Playhouse cinema to a retro computer gaming lounge have been submitted to the national park.

Following a takeover by investment firm Gordon Brothers, Poundland shut 57 stores earlier this year, including Tenby’s branch on White Lion Street.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Matthew Mileson of Newport-based MB Games Ltd, seeks permission for a change of use of the former Gatehouse (Playhouse) Cinema, most recently used as a Poundland store to a retro gaming lounge.

This follows a recently submitted application for a ‘CONTINUE? Retro Gaming Lounge’ sign on the front of the former cinema, ahead of the wider scheme for a retro gaming facility at the former cinema site, which has a Grade-II-listed front façade.

A supporting statement for the change of use scheme through agent Asbri Planning Ltd says: “The proposed retro gaming lounge will be inviting to all ages, including families, groups and individuals with no age restriction. The applicant has several similar premises across other parts of the UK and operates under a successful business model.

“This includes a fee being payable to enter the premises which thereby grants access to unlimited game time to all consoles/arcade machines. There will be no slot or coin-based reward games, so the proposal would not be considered/classed as gambling. The site will provide snacks and drinks (including alcohol) which will be canned/bottled drinks.

“The sale of such drinks would be ancillary to the overall function of the premises, and a separate alcohol licence will be submitted, accordingly.”

It adds: “The development would provide a much-welcomed addition to White Lion Rd which will improve the vitality and viability of the immediate area by promoting greater levels of footfall within the area and introduce greater variety to the shopping frontage at this location.”

It proposes opening hours of 10-10, Sunday to Thursday, and to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

The application, and the related signage scheme, will be considered by park planners at a later date.

Prior to being a Poundland, the site was the Royal Playhouse, which had its final curtain in early 2011 after running for nearly a century.

The cinema had been doing poor business after the opening of a multiplex in Carmarthen; in late 2010 the opening night of the-then latest Harry Potter blockbuster only attracted an audience of 12 people.

Business

Cosheston Garden Centre expansion approved by planners

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS to upgrade a garden centre on the main road to Pembroke Dock have been given the go-ahead.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, submitted through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, Mr and Mrs Wainwright sought permission for upgrade of a garden centre with a relocated garden centre sales area, additional parking and the creation of ornamental pond and wildlife enhancement area (partly in retrospect) at Cosheston Garden Centre, Slade Cross, Cosheston.

The application was a resubmission of a previously refused scheme, with the retrospective aspects of the works starting in late 2023.

The site has a long planning history, and started life as a market garden and turkey farm in the 1980s, and then a number of applications for new development.

A supporting statement says the previously-refused application included setting aside a significant part of the proposed new building for general retail sales as a linked farm shop and local food store/deli in addition to a coffee bar.

It was refused on the grounds of “the proposal was deemed to be contrary to retail policies and the likely impact of that use on the vitality and viability of nearby centres,” the statement said, adding: “Secondly, in noting that vehicular access was off the A 477 (T) the Welsh Government raised an objection on the grounds that insufficient transport information had been submitted in respect of traffic generation and highway safety.”

It said the new scheme seeks to address those issues; the development largely the same with the proposed new garden centre building now only proposed to accommodate a relocated garden centre display sales area rather than a new retail sales area with other goods, but retaining a small ancillary coffee bar area.

“Additional information, in the form of an independent and comprehensive Transport Statement, has now been submitted to address the objection raised by the Welsh Government in respect of highway safety,” the statement said.

It conceded: “It is acknowledged that both the creation of the ornamental pond and ‘overspill’ parking area do not have the benefit of planning permission and therefore these aspects of the application are ‘in retrospect’ and seeks their retention.”

It finished: “Essentially, this proposal seeks to upgrade existing facilities and offer to the general public. It includes the ‘relocation’ of a previously existing retail display area which had been ‘lost’ to the ornamental pond/amenity area and to provide this use within the proposed new building and moves away from the previously proposed ‘farm shop’ idea which we thought had merit.

“This revised proposal therefore involves an ‘upgrading’ rather than an ‘expansion’ of the existing garden centre use.”

An officer report recommending approval said that, while the scheme would still be in the countryside rather than within a settlement boundary, the range of goods sold would be “typical of the type of goods sold in a garden centre and which could be sold elsewhere within the garden centre itself,” adding: “Unlike the recent planning application refused permission it is not intended to sell delicatessen goods, dried food, fruit and vegetables, pet products and gifts.”

It added that a transport statement provided had been reviewed by the Welsh Government, which did not object on highway grounds subject to conditions on any decision notice relating to visibility splays and parking facilities.

The application was conditionally approved.

Business

Tenby Poundland site could become retro gaming lounge

Published

3 days ago

December 12, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

TENBY’S former Poundland and Royal Playhouse cinema could become a retro computer gaming lounge, plans submitted to the national park hope.

Following a takeover by investment firm Gordon Brothers, Poundland shut 57 stores earlier this year, including Tenby.

Prior to being a Poundland, the site was the Royal Playhouse, which had its final curtain in early 2011 after running for nearly a century.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Matthew Mileson of Newport-based MB Games Ltd, seeks permission for a ‘CONTINUE? Retro Gaming Lounge’ sign on the front of the former Gatehouse (Playhouse) Cinema, White Lion Street, most recently used as a Poundland store.

The signage plans form part of a wider scheme for a retro gaming facility at the former cinema site, which has a Grade-II-listed front facade, a supporting statement through agent Asbri Planning Ltd says.

“The subject site is located within the settlement of Tenby along White Lion St. The site was formerly the Gatehouse Cinema and currently operates as a Poundland discount store, which closed on October 18.”

It adds: “This application forms part of a wider scheme for the change of use to the former Gatehouse Cinema. Advertisement consent is sought for a non-illuminated aluminium composite folded panel that will be bolted onto the front façade of the proposed building, in replacement of the existing signage (Poundland).”

It stresses: “It is considered that the proposed advertisement will not have a detrimental impact on the quality of the environment, along with being within a proportionate scale of the building. It is considered that the proposed signage will reflect site function.

“Furthermore, due to the sympathetic scale and design of the sign itself, it is considered that the proposal will not result in any adverse visual amenity impacts.

“The proposal is reduced in sized compared to the existing Poundland advertisement. The sign will not be illuminated. Given the above it is considered that such proportionate signate in association with the proposed retro gaming lounge is acceptable and does not adversely affect visual amenity.”

An application for a retro gaming lounge by MB Games Ltd was recently given the go-ahead in Swansea.