Labour MP pays ‘tribute’ to Leanne Wood after saying she’s ‘blown it’ in the Rhondda

A Labour MP has praised Leanne Wood after saying she’s “blown it” in the Rhondda.

Chris Bryant, who represents the constituency at Westminster, said he wanted to “pay tribute” to the former Plaid Cymru leader’s “dedication and courage”, in a video on social media.

He had previously come under fire for his comments about Wood when it looked like Labour were going to win back the seat from Plaid. His remarks were described as “snide” and “classless” on social media.

It has now been confirmed that Labour have regained the seat, which means that Wood is no longer a Senedd member because she isn’t on the regional list.

The successful Labour candidate Elizabeth Buffy Williams has won big after increasing her party’s vote to 12,000 from 7,000 votes.

In an interview with ITV Wales Bryant hit out at Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, who he accused of making “ranting speeches” and “wagging” his finger at voters.

He also said he was “hopeful” that Labour might do well enough at the election for Mark Drakeford not to have to rely on making a coalition pact with Plaid in order to form a government.

Wood, who is a former Plaid Cymru leader, won the seat from Labour in 2016 by defeating former Welsh Government minister Leighton Andrews with a 21% swing.

‘Tribute’ 

In a video posted on social media he said: “It looks like Labour has taken the Rhondda back from Plaid today, but I want to pay tribute to Leanne Wood because Leanne has been an Assembly Member, a Senedd member, either in the Rhondda or for the Rhondda for 18 years and that’s a phenomenal act of dedication and courage and commitment to the community in which she was born and brought up.

“So, I want to say thank you to you Leanne. There are times when we’ve disagreed of course. There are times when we’ve been in complete unison on facing the Rhondda and facing the country as a whole and you’ve shown absolute courage and determination on so many different things.

“I want to thank you. I also want to wish you the very best for whatever comes for the future.”

He previously told ITV Wales: “It’s intriguing isn’t it because I think people kind of wanted to give Plaid a chance last time, and quite frankly Leanne and Adam Price has blown it.

What I’d say to Adam, all those ranting speeches you’ve made when wagging your finger all of the time at the voters – I don’t think you’ve got anything to crow about, and I’m very hopeful that Mark Drakeford might be able to form a new government without having to any kind of coalition with Plaid.”