The leader of the Green Party in Wales has to my mind made a great error in brushing off suggestions their supporters should vote for Plaid Cymru in seats where the latter can win.
Pippa Bartolotti said she understood the appeal by Plaid's general election co-ordinator Lord Wigley, who urged Welsh people in England to vote Green.
But she said Green membership in Wales had "surged" fourfold in 12 months.
"These are people who have joined the Green Party - they haven't joined Plaid Cymru," she told BBC Wales.
But is a rise in membership and the polls good enough reason to damage one of the most exiting progressive alliances in UK poltics.?
One wonders who may be damaged most by this? Plaid who may lose some vital votes or the Greens who seem to believe that a surge which must in part be due to the SNP, Plaid and the Greens saying they would form an anti-austerity alliance to maximise their influence in a hung parliament?
To some voters it may look like a form of betrayal and political opportunism even if there wasn't even a tacit understanding.
But is a rise in membership and the polls good enough reason to damage one of the most exiting progressive alliances in UK poltics.?
One wonders who may be damaged most by this? Plaid who may lose some vital votes or the Greens who seem to believe that a surge which must in part be due to the SNP, Plaid and the Greens saying they would form an anti-austerity alliance to maximise their influence in a hung parliament?
To some voters it may look like a form of betrayal and political opportunism even if there wasn't even a tacit understanding.
It is maybe understandable that Ms Bartottoi may feel a bit left out as Plaid seems to be negotiating with the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales Natalie Bennett in England
One wonders if the Leader of GPEW has included Ms in her negotiations.
And with some candidates in place asking them to withdraw or cal for a Plaid vote will be hard.
But there was no need for her to make her "they haven't joined Plaid Cymru"jibe.
Indeed all she had to do was to say it was up to the local party.
Maybe with 2000 member the Greens in Wales. should form a separate Party as their colleagues in Scotland has done.
One wonders if the Leader of GPEW has included Ms in her negotiations.
And with some candidates in place asking them to withdraw or cal for a Plaid vote will be hard.
But there was no need for her to make her "they haven't joined Plaid Cymru"jibe.
Indeed all she had to do was to say it was up to the local party.
Maybe with 2000 member the Greens in Wales. should form a separate Party as their colleagues in Scotland has done.
A poll for BBC Wales on Wednesday showed support for the Greens had risen from 2% to 6% in Wales since September, but the party remained in sixth place.
As someone who has advocated a Plaid-Green pact for a few years now I am somewhat disappointed with Ms Bartotti attitude .
Hopefully it will make no difference. but she has given ammunition to those Nationalists (especially those outside Plaid) who have attacked the Greens in Wales as largely an English Party.
The Greens are cock-a-hoop at the moment over their rise in the Polls and surge in membership but they should realise that Plaid and the SNP have played no small part in making them relevant.
I sincerely hope in the next few weeks they realise that it may serve them better to be more accommodating.
4 comments:
Your line about Plaid and the SNP giving the Greens a hand up is key.
The SNP can afford to be generous; they have a 20 - 25% lead over Labour depending on which polls you believe and at leadership and grassroots level they worked successfully alongside the Scottish Greens during the Independence referendum because they share a common goal of Scottish independence, removal of Tridnet and more.
Plaid Cymru doesn’t have the luxury of working with a stable Welsh Green Party who were already part of welsh political discourse and supporting Welsh self determination, that along with the party's less than stella track record makes the call to support them even more bizarre. The Wales Green Party from it’s leader down are dispirit bunch of environmentalists, anarchists, hippies, student radicals and English incomers who don’t what their new homes and communities spoilt by welsh speakers and economic development.
Leanne Wood’s a solid radical left leader with credentials to prove it, but her generosity could end up costing her and Plaid Cymru dear, I hope I’m wrong.
The description of the Wales Greens from anon is deeply offensive - not to say racist - but is sadly growing typical from plaid supporters who are hostile to suggestions of any cooperation between plaid and the welsh greens.
On the broader point we suspect a statement from Leanne stating that plaid was withdrawing support for the proposed wylfa b nuclear reactor might go some way to bringing about the kind of arrangement you suggest Glyn. But the sad fact is Leanne is unable to make any such statement because she would be prevented from doing so by the pro nuclear clique within plaid cymru.
Though, in view of her failure to offer any public support to michael haggett in his dispute with rhun ap iorwerth over wylfa b, perhaps Leanne is no longer politically inclined to make such a statement?
Green Dragon since your arrival you’ve come across as an arrogant know it all and you should have expected to be challenged on your selective remembering of the Wales Greens past, not everyone has the memory of a goldfish or is willing to let you peddle lies and smears about Plaid Cymru to suit your agenda.
But with you contributions to welsh politics to date, it’s no surprise to see you aligning yourself with Michael Haggart, someone else who has a chequered history and has rubbed lots of people up even when he was in Plaid Cymru.
And are your cheap shots at Leanne Wood because Pippa Bartolotti is being ridiculed after her flounce on the Sunday Politics?
Your post drips of arrogance anon.... a case of pots and kettles most certainly. So far as we can see all michael haggett was guilty of was publicly stating plaid - and its candidate in ynys mon rhun ap iorwerth - had reneged on plaid's alleged opposition to nuclear power,for which he was booted out of plaid following a complaint against him by Elin Jones.
Pointing out leanne declined to support michael haggett on this matter - despite requests from him to her to do so - isnt a 'cheap shot' or a 'smear'..... it's a fact!
We dont know of anyone ridiculing pippa bartolotti following her recent appearance on the sunday politics shows, indeed the consensus has been that she came over well. But people of course can make their own minds up by watching the show - Pippa Bartolotti's interview begins around 36 minutes into the show http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b050b1zn/sunday-politics-wales-01022015
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