The more sceptical readers might detect a thread of self-interest running through the encouragements to Plaid Cymru’s hierarchy from off-stage that a One Wales Part Two is the optimum scenario. It may well be the case for Dav-El but he does not seem to be expressing a hugely popular view among the membership. Nor is there widespread endorsement for his insistence that there is no potential leadership vacancy.
The former presiding officer appears confused about the source of Plaid’s negative and unsuccessful campaign strategy (as if) but it was IWJ who sanctioned the approach and took a prominent role in attacking his former coalition partners.
As everyone knows, a “period of reflection” for a beaten party inevitably means holding up a mirror to the leadership. Consequently, the safe option for party elders is to offer Ieuan an opportunity to isolate himself from the coterie of policy strategists who will be later cited as the reason why Plaid lost four seats and a couple of key Senedd players. It will certainly serve until some of the more semi-delusional staffers disappear up their own rationalisations. But it does not address the wider issues confronting the Party of Wales or even help to define them.
“I’m thinking about the welfare of Wales, not the party”, says Cynog Dafis. Others however are likely to be a lot less altruistic in the short term.
4 Comments:
the buck stops at the leader, simple.
But whether Plaid has the guts to sort itself and its staff and actually listen to what ordinary members and the electorate are saying is another matter.
It also has to decide if its a movement or a serious political party with ambition to govern in its own right.
Basically agree on the issue of who needs to accept responsibility - although we would add that being regarded both a movement and a serious political party as actually been one of Plaid's major strengths. It might be simplyfying matters but greater concentration on this aspect and less on kicking out at Labour might have produced slightly different result.
God Almighty! Don't tell me Plaid is listening to Cynog Dafis! I knew things were desperate but I had no idea they were that bad.
Agree but its getting the balance right is the crunch point. Atacking Labour was not a good way to go, when you are in the glass house stone throwing is redundant.
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