Are the BBC trying to select a Plaid leader?

You wonder at times whether the Media try and create a bandwagon especially when it comes to politics

On Tuesday the BBC  reported that Ynys Mon AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said he would consider standing for the party's leadership if Leanne Wood were to step down.

 He made the comments during a Radio Cymru discussion at the National Eisteddfod on Anglesey.

But the Ynys Mon AM insisted he had no immediate ambitions to be leader - and there is currently no vacancy.

The AM added his party should again consider a coalition with Labour in the assembly if circumstances allow.

But he said now was not the right time.

Why this can be sen as a challenge to Leanne is beyond me .

It is the equivalent of a Welsh Rugby International saying he would like to Captain Wales someday.

But of course the Beeb didn't leave it there 

A different Plaid AM, who did not want to be named, said:

 "The party needs a leadership contest.
"The election result under Leanne was disappointing. If we are going to move the party forward its time for Leanne to step down.
"She has lost authority in the group and no longer has any control over what the group does."

I have no respect for anybody  who hasn't the courage to make such a statement  but it is clearly not Plaid Cymru AM  Dai Lloyd who  has denied that the leader of the party has lost the authority of her assembly group.

Mr Lloyd, chair of the Plaid Cymru assembly group, said:

 "The anonymous claim that Leanne Wood has lost the authority of the assembly group is simply not true.

"In the several group meetings since the Westminster election the issue of leadership has not been raised, and the assembly group is clear that she remains the party's candidate for first minister."

Maybe the Anonymous AM is in a group of one.

But lets face it  would any Plaid leader  have  managed to increase the Plaid vote last May considering  the sudden surge in support of Corbyn?

Replacing the leader  with Rhun ap Iorwerth or Adam Price will not change things and could lead to either failing to win in the next Assembly elections and another call for a replacement and probably see them not standing for the assembly again.

Ultimately Plaid Wales could not afford  to lose Leanne, Rhun or Adam  from the Assembly.

We must accept that with little Welsh Media (and what that is hostile)  it is hard to fight the coverage given to the Unionist Parties and their ample war-chests.

I doubt very much if Plaid would have increased their vote in May under a different leader and clearly  Leanne  has probably the highest profile on a UK basis of any Plaid leader ever.

The party certainly shouldn't  let the Unionist Media like the BBC dictate or select  who the leader should be.