Sunday 19 August 2018

The "I" word gets priority in Plaid leadership contest.

Perhapss one of the outcomes of the Plaid Cymru Leadership contest is that whoever wins the Party will be putting Independence as its main platform after years of simply trying to make the devolved settlement work and trying to become the largest party in the assembly.
In his campaign launch  this week  Plaid Cymru's Adam Price outline his vision of an independent Wales by 2030 as he formally launches his leadership campaign in Carmarthen.
Since announcing his intention to challenge Leanne Wood, Mr Price has called for the party to change its name to New Wales to broaden its appeal.
The Carmarthen East and Dinefwr AM has also called for a 1p increase in income tax to boost education.
But its  Mr Price claim  he wants to establish Plaid Cymru as "the natural party of government" in Wales, following the example of the SNP which has been in power in Scotland since 2007  and that is the road to independence that hit the headlines 
But he has claimed Plaid Cymru is "at a crossroads" and faces defeat if it does not change direction.
The former MP's goal is to win the next two Welsh Assembly elections - in 2021 and 2026 - and follow them with a referendum on independence, which he claimed "we will fight and win".
Speaking ahead of the launch, Mr Price said: "Independence is the reason I joined Plaid Cymru and the reason I have remained a member for 36 years.
"I have always been consistent that we should make it our express purpose to achieve an independent Wales, and sooner not later.
"Independence can never be the safe or 'middle of the road' option.
"When we have tried to avoid saying anything that might frighten the voters we ended up saying nothing at all.
"Over the coming weeks I hope to be able to convince party members that in electing me as the new leader of Plaid Cymru we will have a clear and credible path to an independent Wales."
Plaid Cymru was in power from 2007 to 2011 as the junior partner in a coalition with Labour, which has led the Welsh Government ever since the first assembly elections in 1999.
Although  Leanne Wood has  argued yjay Wales may be currently to poor for Independence now Brexit has clearly changed her position and she advocated a similar root as Adam Price 
 Speaking just after the EU referendum and the vote to leave the EU Ms Wood said:
 “Last Thursday’s vote has changed everything. In all likelihood, with Scotland voting to remain, the UK will cease to exist in the near future. Northern Ireland will be considering its future too.Scottish Labour seeks possibility of staying in EU and UKEven though this situation was not of our making, Plaid Cymru believes that redesigning the current UK is the only option. A new union of independent nations working together for the common good.
“Even though this situation was not of our making, Plaid Cymru believes that redesigning the current UK is the only option. A new union of independent nations working together for the common good.
“It is my belief that this independent Wales in a completely different context to last week’s referendum would want to be a part of the European Union.
“This is a huge challenge that we face. All of us, whether we voted in or out should be prepared to be bold and confident in being able to forge a new, strong, inclusive, outward-looking future for our nation.”

I have no reason to think that the third contender  Rhun ap Iorwerth does not share a similar route to Independence.

After all it is surely the only one.

What Plaid must not do is be seduced by the prospect of winning power in the assembly in itself  and not seeing it as a step to Independence  and a.

It could be argued that Plaid have been seduced by the  First Assembly Elections when it actually out preformed the SNP  in the percentage of votes,


Votes summary[edit]

Popular Vote
Labour
35.40%
Plaid Cymru
30.50%
Conservative
16.50%
Liberal Democrats
12.50%
Green
2.50%
Socialist Labour
1.00%
Others
1.60%
Parliament seats
Labour
46.67%
Plaid Cymru
28.33%
Conservative
15.00%
Liberal Democrats
10.00%


  • Voter turnout: 59.1%
Popular Vote
Labour
33.64%
SNP
27.26%
Conservative
15.35%
Liberal Democrats
12.43%
Green
3.59%
Socialist Labour
2.37%
Scottish Socialist
1.99%
Other
3.37%
Parliament seats
Labour
43.41%
SNP
27.13%
Conservative
13.95%
Liberal Democrats
13.18%
Green
0.78%
Scottish Socialist
0.78%
Other
0.78%

Since then Plaid have fallen behind  the SNP  who have not only one a majority under a system designed to prevent this but also forced through a Independence  referendum.

There has also been a emphasis on making the assembly work , a policy that  because of the lethargy of Labour in government has failed spectacularly, not only for Plaid but for the nation. 

If the Plaid Leader and I still think it should be Leanne do manage to change the face of Welsh Politics by becoming the governing party (even without a overall majority) , it can't become fret of allowing this to divert it from its overall goal.

The Plaid leadership contest may have seen the mafia I word given prominence , but it vital that it is not lost in the quest for short term goals.






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