Adam Price and Rhun ap Iorwerth challenge Leanne Wood for Plaid Cymru leadership

Both Adam Price and Rhun ap Iorwerth have today announced their intention to challenge Leanne Wood for the leadership of Plaid Cymru.

Today is the deadline for the candidates to announce they will stand, and also for members to join the party to vote in the election.

“I will now accept the nominations I have received to seek to lead Plaid Cymru,” Carmarthen East and Dinefwr AM Adam Price said in a statement today.

“I will use this campaign to enthusiastically share and discuss some bold and creative policy ideas for a prosperous, confident and independent Wales with party members who will now have the opportunity they have called for to have their say on building a renewed and resurgent Plaid Cymru.”

Earlier today, Ynys Môn AM Rhun ap Iorwerth had also announced that he was throwing his hat into the ring.

“My commitment is to Wales, and to a fairer and more prosperous future for the country,” he said.

“Plaid Cymru has to lead the way to that new, confident Wales, and over the coming weeks we can discuss openly and democratically how best to deliver the most effective and most exciting leadership for the party and the nation.

“Over the next few weeks let’s have an open and democratic debate about how to offer the most effective and most exciting leadership to Plaid Cymru and to the country.”

Co-leadership

On Monday Adam Price had offered not to stand against Leanne Wood if she would adopt a system of co-leadership. She rejected that offer.

Adam Price said that he and Leanne Wood “negotiated throughout the day, in good faith, to reach a way forward which recognised the need for change and avoid the need to challenge”.

“My proposal for a new leadership model was a sincere and creative attempt to inject a fresh dynamic into the team,” he said.

“I believe it remains a practical and progressive way forward and it could have made a traditional contest avoidable.  However, media statements soon indicated the negotiations were being undermined.

“So we must park the proposal for the time being and revert to established procedure.”

Leadership elections

Today’s announcement means that, for the first time since the Assembly was founded, all the main parties are holding a leadership election.

In Labour, finance secretary Mark Drakeford, health secretary Vaughan Gething, Welsh language and lifelong learning minister Eluned Morgan and children, older people and social care minister Huw Irranca-Davies have announced they will stand to replace First Minister Carwyn Jones.

Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies and South Wales West AM Suzy Davies are also vying to replace Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies.

UKIP are also engaged in a leadership contest after Mid and West Wales AM Neil Hamilton was ousted by the Assembly group.

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