Plaid-Tory coalition speculation? The last thing Plaid needs.

There  has been a number of articles on the idea that there could be a future Plaid- Tory coalition in Cardiff Bay after the  next Assembly elections.

Ifan Morgan Jones (26 May 2018)  kicked off with

No, a Plaid Cymru and Tory coalition just isn’t going to happen

Some within the Labour Party in Wales have quite cheekily been suggesting over the past week or so that Plaid Cymru is about to jump in bed with the Tories.
Supporters of Vaughan Gething’s bid to become the next First Minister – particularly, it seems, Hefin David AM – have been suggesting that some Plaid Cymru members are privately discussing the possibility of a future pact with the Conservatives.
This seems to be based on Andrew RT Davies’ suggestion in his conference speech that the only way to turf Labour out of Government in Wales is a Tory-Plaid Cymru coalition.
Andrew RT Davies might want a deal, but that doesn’t mean that Plaid Cymru has any interest in one. I’d like a joint bank account with Bill Gates, but it’s not going to happen is it?

 See full article here
This was followed by Harry Thompson 28 May and  this
 P

Why a Plaid-Tory deal is closer than you think

 Which pointed out

"Well for starters, let’s look at recent history. In the wake of the 2016 elections to the National Assembly for Wales, one of the most dramatic events of recent Welsh political history occurred.
A vote was held to determine the next First Minister of Wales. A roll-call vote was held. This is not usual in the Assembly, as it requires each Member to stand and state the name of the person they wish to support to be the First Minister of Wales.
Labour AMs stood up and, to the surprise of few, called out ‘Carwyn Jones’. To the surprise of some, Plaid AMs stood and called out ‘Leanne Wood’. At first this appeared to be a symbolic act, with Plaid only returning 12 seats.
The real shock came when every single Conservative and Ukip Assembly Member stood and called out ‘Leanne Wood’. The vote went down to the wire, with Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams backing Carwyn Jones.
Plaid’s position at the time was that they had not done any kind of a deal with the Conservatives or Ukip, and that Leanne Wood had held true to her ‘no coalitions’ rule.
In the strictest sense, this was true. There was no coalition as an academic political scientist would understand it. But what was untrue was the idea that there had been no deal between the three parties.
Adam Price later admitted in an interview with Martin Shipton that Plaid Cymru had approached the Conservatives and Ukip to ask for their support, and the two parties had agreed.
In the same interview, Price also insisted that it wasn’t a ‘gimmick’. The attempt to make Leanne Wood First Minister had been genuine.

Full article here  

No we have  Dan Roberts 1st of June 2018 with

Labour really want Plaid to cwtsh up with the Tories – but it makes absolutely no sense to do so

Whose summing up ptobably hits the nail on the head

 

While a Plaid-Conservative deal might, at best, kick Labour out of power for a few years, it wouldn’t make long-term electoral sense.
Labour want Plaid to go into coalition with the Tories for a reason because it would give them a stick to beat us with for decades after that.
For Plaid to get elected or for us to win independence, we need to gain the support of Labour voters in the valleys, north-east Wales and elsewhere.
Going into coalition with the Tories immediately puts us on the back foot, for no obvious policy wins.
Regardless of political positioning, the goal of Plaid Cymru should always be to implement policies that take us closer to a stronger, fairer and more independent Welsh economy.
The realistic aim ahead of the next election, therefore, can’t be a coalition with the Tories, but minority government and working with all interested AMs to implement our nationalist, egalitarian and sustainable vision for Wales.
So – Plaid and the Tories – will they, won’t they? No they won’t, nor should they.

Full article here 

It's a pity  that Nation Cymru don't give biographical details of its contributors 

Harry Thomson is a Labour activist for example and his twitter page may give us some insight  into his motivations

  Harry Thompson‏ @HMorganThompson May 28

Harry Thompson Retweeted Nation.Cymru

Here's a piece I wrote for http://Nation.Cymru  - give it a read and let me know what you think!

Harry Thompson added,

Nation.Cymru @NationCymru

Why a Plaid-Tory deal is closer than you think https://nation.cymru/2018/why-a-plaid-tory-deal-is-closer-than-you-think/ …

4 replies 0 retweets 7 likes

Harry Thompson‏ @HMorganThompson

Normally when I write something like this I get a bit of a reaction from Plaid AMs. As far as I'm aware, there has been uniform silence from them on this. I wonder why that could be?

5:26 AM - 29 May 2018

 

For me the main impetus  for a Plaid-Tory coalition would be Labour 's  belief in its divine right to rule Wales and if they were short of a majority expect Plaid to back them without any real concessions .

Labour may indeed take the gamble that a brief spell in opposition  by  denying Plaid's offers forcing  Leanne Wood into the unthinkable of a Tory deal was worth it.

The result  of which they would forecast  would be a landslide  in the next election.

Of course a reform of the Assembly electoral system and a increase of the number of AMs before the election may result in other parties being involved in a future Welsh Government.

Meanwhile it suits Labour to raise the  bogey  of a Plaid-Tory deal as it does the Tories.

Indeed the only party that doesn't want to see any speculation are Plaid themselves.