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Andrew RT Davies rules out a coalition with Plaid Cymru and calls on Labour to do the same

04 Mar 2021 4 minute read
Andrew RT Davies picture by Senedd Cymru (CC BY 2.0).

New Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies has ruled out doing any deal with the “divisive separatists” in Plaid Cymru after the Senedd election and has called on Labour’s First Minister to do the same.

The Welsh Conservative leader said that Plaid Cymru’s desire for independence from the UK meant that he could not do a deal with them under any circumstances.

He added that the fifth Senedd term had been “besieged” with changes and backroom deals, and ahead of May’s poll called for all parties to be clear with the Welsh public about where they stood on coalitions.

The Labour Party has yet to rule out a deal with Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives pointed to the First Minister’s call for ‘Home Rule’ for Wales at a party conference this week as evidence of a soft spot for Welsh nationalism.

“When the people of Wales head to the polls on May 6th they need to be fully aware of what parties stand for and what their votes will achieve,” Andrew RT Davies said.

“This Senedd term has been besieged by party changes and backroom deals, and ahead of May I believe all parties should be upfront and straight with the Welsh public.

“I will give a clear commitment to people across Wales that we will not work with the divisive separatists of Plaid Cymru. There will be no repeat of 2016 and we will not support the nomination of any other leader.

“Labour’s First Minister has regrettably flirted with divisive nationalism throughout his short time in post, but for the good of the country and our economic recovery he must rule out any backroom deals with a party that is solely intent on tearing Britain apart.

“Whereas other parties want to divide us, our future economy depends on remaining in the United Kingdom and the sole focus of the Welsh Conservatives will be on our economic recovery and rebuilding Wales. Not the constitution, powers, or new taxes.

“Labour need to be honest on how they see Wales’ future; a strong economic bounce-back recovery from the pandemic in a strong Union, or a dangerous dance with nationalism that risks division, and both economic and constitutional chaos.”

‘Devastation’

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson responded to Andrew RT Davies: “This is a rather embarrassing intervention from the Leader of the Tories in Wales. It’s tantamount to sending an RSVP to a party to which you were never invited.

“Perhaps he was too busy plotting his leadership coup to notice that Plaid Cymru has already ruled out a coalition with the Tories in no uncertain terms.

“It is beyond comprehension why anyone would think that Plaid Cymru – a party which campaigns day in day out for fairness for Wales – would form any kind of an alliance with a party which is doing its utmost to undermine our nation and its national parliament.”

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price ruled out entering a coalition with the Conservatives following the Senedd elections in 2019.

“I said clearly in the leadership campaign, I don’t want and would never ask for people’s support for a coalition with the Conservatives,” he said at the time. “How could I with my life history, you know?

“The devastation that was wrought in Wales under Thatcher are still at the heart of the economic policies of the Conservatives.

“But here’s the difference and here’s the new thing, which is that I’m not prepared to accept a coalition with Labour either.

“The Labour party have left a legacy over the last twenty years of broken lives.”

Wales goes to the polls on 6 May.


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