Plaid Cymru and Labour unveil three year cooperation agreement that promises ‘radical change’
The First Minister and Leader of Plaid Cymru today revealed a three year cooperation agreement that included action on free school meals for all, strengthening the Welsh media, a north-south railway, the teaching of Welsh history, second homes, a larger Senedd and much more.
Mark Drakeford and Adam Price revealed the joint policy programme covering 46 areas this afternoon. The two partners – the Welsh Government and the Plaid Cymru Senedd Group – will work together to jointly develop and oversee the delivery of the policies covered by the agreement, they said.
The First Minister Mark Drakeford said that this would be in addition to the Welsh Government’s own “ambitious Programme for Government”.
“But we do not have a monopoly on good ideas and we will work with progressive parties where we have shared and common interests to benefit people in Wales,” he said.
“This cooperation Agreement brings the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru together to respond to some of the most pressing issues facing Wales today, such as climate change and the energy and cost-of-living crisis.
“We can achieve more for people in Wales by working together and the Co-operation Agreement is both a response to the external challenges we face and a chance to build on the opportunities in our future. It will also help us secure a stable Senedd over the next three years, capable of delivering radical change and reform.
“These commitments build on our shared values of social solidarity, a sustainable planet and a vibrant democracy.”
‘Pleased’
Adam Price, Leader of Plaid Cymru said that the cooperation agreement delivered on the promise for “a new type of politics”.
“They placed their trust in a new democracy with an instruction to work differently – inclusively and cooperatively,” he said.
“The challenges we face require real ambition to deliver radical ideas. The fallout from leaving the European Union, the legacy of the pandemic, and the UK Government’s determination to erode the Senedd’s powers all increase the need for transformational change.
“Taken together, the bold policy pledges will unite Wales and benefit every generation, from all primary school pupils receiving free school meals to a national care service, free at the point of need.
“I am pleased this pioneering Co-operation Agreement is founded on common ground on a range of issues that will make a long-lasting difference to people’s lives.”
The deal is not a coalition and Plaid Cymru Members will not be joining the Welsh Government as Ministers or Deputy Ministers.
Plaid Cymru will appoint a designated lead member for the agreement and committees made up of Welsh Ministers and Plaid Cymru designated members will be established to reach agreement on issues covered by the Co-operation Agreement.
Funding has been put in place as part of the Co-operation Agreement and will be reflected in the draft Budget, when it is published in December.
All issues outside the Co-operation Agreement will be handled in the normal course of political engagement, Labour and Plaid Cymru said.
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Forward, Cymru. In a free Wales I’m not sure how different these parties will be but for now I am pleased about this.
I bet the tories are hating this.
Just check the comments on the BBC HYS. The usual right wing culprits on there are going bananas. Which part of democracy do they not get? Plaid & Labour have a large amount in common in their manifesto’s and have agreed to pool their votes to see that common ground through. Hard luck to the hard right – next time get yourselves more than 50% of Senedd members!
Conservatives and Lib Dems in 2010 actually had a lot in common too (plus they had the common enemy of a tired Labour government), they had a plurality of seats and votes. As well as arithmetic on their side (Lab+LD in 2010 was a no starter)
The left still attacked the Lib Dems for it and now the right are attacking Plaid for this.
That’s politics, if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen.
This is great for Welsh democracy. Now please let’s have a Plaid / Labour alliance at the next Westminster election (i.e. agreement to only run one candidate in the Tory seats e.g. Plaid could run in Ynys Mon, Aberconwy etc.; Labour could run in Vale of Glamorgan, Monmouth etc.) and let’s rid Wales of all Tory MPs.
But Plaid are third in Ynys Mon.
And would this mean Plaid standing down everywhere in the Valleys to allow Labour a free run too or do they fight in the valleys and play nice elsewhere?
(Genuine question btw)
A fair question. My suggestion is just the Tory seats. A mutual agreement to stand aside in mutually agreed target seats, The examples I gave are just suggestions to highlight my idea, they would have to be agreed by negotiations between local parties in reality. Just imagine a Wales without Tory MPs….
Meaningful action on second homes, teaching welsh history in our schools, a north – south railway link, a stronger welsh media, a larger Senedd with a fairer voting system. This is a good deal for Wales (and at the end of the day that’s what matters – what’s best for Wales).