Plaid rule out coalition with Tories in the Assembly

Today's Wasting Mule Online Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has formally ruled out any coalition deal with the Conservatives after next year’s National Assembly election.

They  say 

While the left-winger’s statement comes as no surprise, it contrasts with the position adopted by the party at earlier Assembly elections.
In 2007 Plaid nearly entered a coalition with the Tories and the Liberal Democrats, and in 2011 then party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones’ refusal to rule out a deal with the Conservatives probably resulted in Plaid’s then deputy leader Helen Mary Jones losing her Llanelli seat

Not sure about the last bit  Llaneli was probably lost as a general swing to Labour  of 10'1%

Ms Wood told us: 

“Plaid Cymru’s vision for Wales sees a fairer distribution of wealth, a strengthening of our public services, and ensuring that everyone is able to reach their potential.
“Since they came to power in 2010, as well as historically, the Tories have proven that they do not share these values.
“They have shown that they are intent on pursuing policies that hit people in the middle and lowest income brackets the hardest while offering the best deal for those with the most. People in Wales have always rejected Tory politics.
"I reject their politics, and so does Plaid Cymru. There is no way that I would lead Plaid Cymru into coalition with the Conservatives.”

It does limit Plaid's maneuverability but I think it would be suicide to go into coalition with the Tories

A spokesman for the Welsh Conservatives said: “This is just fantasy politics.
“Leanne Wood isn’t even confident of winning a constituency seat, which is why she’s opted for the parachute of a place on the regional list as well.“Just six weeks ago the Welsh Conservatives polled 407,000 votes in the general election in Wales – more than Labour polled in 2011, which was enough for them to form a government then.

Er whose producing fantasy now ?  In the consituency section in the Assembly in 2011 Labour polled  349,935 votes to the Tories 213,773 .
Ok if every Tory who voted in May did again next year  and if Labour supporters failed to do the same then the Tories could win in Wales next year but really. 

“Under Leanne Wood’s leadership Plaid Cymru have slipped into fourth place, having tried, but failed, to win people over to what Dafydd Elis-Thomas called a ‘narrow, sectarian’ agenda.

 The former Assembly presiding officer had actually  said Plaid had no special pleading that it is more Welsh than other parties, and that to say so was arrogant and a “bit sectarian”.

“Its not about complaining on behalf of Wales now, its about running the country,” .

Actual DET's commentary was his own analysis of Plaid campaign  which in the light of Plaid failing to make a break through 

“Clearly the campaign did not seem to be focused on an argument about where Wales needs to be going in terms of powers and its future development, and it tended to concentrate mainly on drawing comparisons with Scotland,” s
“Scotland is another country, in all senses. Its politically different. The people of Wales understand that. The people of Wales have supported the development of the National Assembly and the Welsh Government here and seem to be in favour of more powers and more responsibility because they think it can be made to work.
“But I don’t think its helpful to demand that Wales be treated like Scotland when in fact Scotland has been over resourced in comparative terms in the UK.”
With the strategy to negotiate for funding for Wales in a hung parliament not having been successful, Lord Elis-Thomas said: ”You have to have a plan B or C.”
“The reason to vote for a political party is so people can have better representation in government,” he argued.
“We achieved that, or continued to achieve it in my part of the world, but we also have to always think in terms of the succeeding election, the Assembly elections, and how we position ourselves for that.”
But he said: “We can’t say different things in different elections so close from each other

However surely DET  realised that Scotland should be the standard we set our goals by is he saying that Wales should accept Devo Dipyn Bach for ever.

Plaid must set out a agenda that rejects the sort of  the muddled and confused way devolution is being handled by Westminster.Professor Richard Wyn Jones has warned about

He has raised concerns about the increasing problems caused by the UK Government’s attempt to maintain a single England and Wales legislative system

Rather than increasing powers for Wales, he believes that the fine detail contained in the proposals could lead to reduced control in order to preserve the integrity of ‘England and Wales’ legislation

Its all well to criticise but if DET can offer a plan B or C maybe he should tel us what they are.?