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Plaid Cymru, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats ‘to announce election pact next week’

09 Aug 2019 4 minute read
Jane Dodds (left) and Adam Price (right). Pictures by the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru.

There are reports that Plaid Cymru, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats are close to a deal that would mean fielding a single Remain candidate in most constituencies across Wales.

According to journalist Nick Cohen writing in the Spectator, a “non-aggression pact” will be announced in 30 constituencies, including constituencies in Wales, next week.

The candidates will all stand as Unite to Remain candidates under their own parties’ colours, he says.

Only Ceredigion, a Plaid Cymru / Liberal Democrat marginal, will be contested by both the parties should a General Election be called before Brexit is resolved.

The second tranche of 30 or so constituencies will be settled on 22 August, and another 40 in September.

If the top ranking party at the last election stood without competition from the other Remain parties, there would be 34 seats in Wales with a Plaid Cymru candidates and five with Lib Dem candidates.

However, Cardiff North, Delyn, Newport East, Newport West, and Swansea East were close between Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.

‘No agreement’

“There’s agreement that sitting MPs should be given a free run, and on the names of candidates for obvious target seats,” Nick Cohen says.

“As the parties move down the list of target seats, the task becomes harder. In each constituency they are asking activists to step aside for a rival, a hard concession for many to make.

“Nevertheless, the scale of the national crisis and the almost universally hostile reaction from remain voters to the Greens, Change, Lib Dems and nationalists splitting the vote in the May European elections is concentrating minds.”

Plaid Cymru and the Greens stood aside in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election on 1 August where the Liberal Democrats triumphed by a small margin.

A Plaid Cymru Spokesperson however maintained that it wasn’t a done deal.

“As we’ve shown in Brecon & Radnorshire, Plaid is ready to work with others to strengthen our collective voice as remain parties, but this article is getting ahead of itself, as no agreement has been reached on how to achieve our common goals should an election be called,”  they told Nation.Cymru.

“No firm proposals have been made, and if and when they are, they will clearly have to be approved by any party involved.”

How could it look?

Here are Nation.Cymru’s best guess based on the last election results. An asterik denotes a close run thing:

Aberavon – Plaid Cymru candidate

Aberconwy – Plaid Cymru candidate

Alyn and Deeside – Plaid Cymru candidate

Arfon – Plaid Cymru candidate

Blaenau Gwent – Plaid Cymru candidate

Brecon and Radnorshire – Lib Dem candidate

Bridgend – Plaid Cymru candidate

Caerphilly – Plaid Cymru candidate

Cardiff Central – Lib Dem candidate

Cardiff North – Plaid Cymru candidate*

Cardiff South and Penarth – Plaid Cymru candidate

Cardiff West – Plaid Cymru candidate

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr – Plaid Cymru candidate

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire – Plaid Cymru candidate

Ceredigion – Contested!

Clwyd South – Plaid Cymru candidate

Clwyd West – Plaid Cymru candidate

Cynon Valley – Plaid Cymru candidate

Delyn – Plaid Cymru candidate*

Dwynfor Meirionnydd – Plaid Cymru candidate

Gower – Plaid Cymru candidate

Islwyn – Plaid Cymru candidate

Llanelli – Plaid Cymru candidate

Merthyr Tydfil – Plaid Cymru candidate

Monmouth – Lib Dem candidate

Montgomeryshire – Lib Dem candidate

Neath – Plaid Cymru candidate

Newport East – Lib Dem candidate*

Newport West – Plaid Cymru candidate*

Ogmore – Plaid Cymru candidate

Pontypridd – Plaid Cymru candidate

Preseli Pembrokeshire – Plaid Cymru candidate

Rhondda – Plaid Cymru candidate

Swansea East – Plaid Cymru candidate

Swansea West – Plaid Cymru candidate*

Torfaen – Plaid Cymru candidate

Vale of Clwyd – Plaid Cymru candidate

Vale of Glamorgan – Plaid Cymru candidate

Wrexham – Plaid Cymru candidate

Ynys Môn – Plaid Cymru candidate


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vicky moller
vicky moller
5 years ago

yikes, like brexit only thing that matters?

Huw Davies
Huw Davies
5 years ago
Reply to  vicky moller

Convenient bout of amnesia there. After all LibDems have recent form for teaming up with another unsavoury party to form a Coalition to inflict indiscriminate pain on lower income groups. Leader of LibDems long on chat about environment and fluffy green stuff but happy to take other kind of green stuff from fracking corporate !!

Adam & Co have really dumped their principles, or is it just a case of getting some new ones to match the yellow colours ? We could do with some answers not usual evasion and bull***t.

Cilmeri
Cilmeri
5 years ago
Reply to  vicky moller

At the moment yes – unfortunately. The problem is with a hard Brexit Wales will suffer terribly. I don’t like the Lib Dems and am not sure how trustworthy they are but if this is what it takes to ensure a stable future for my children and my community the we have to go with this plan. This could also benefit the increasing desire for independence as it shows that we are a progressive people willing to compromise in order to achieve what is best for Wales. DDwi ddim yn credu fod yna ffordd ymarferol arall i fedru symud yn… Read more »

Rhysiart Ap Dafydd
Rhysiart Ap Dafydd
5 years ago

This strategy only really works for Plaid if the pact fail it’s aim of stopping a hard Brexit. If there is a some revocation of A50 or a soft Brexit many people will not forgive remain campaigning parties, plus as the junior party they will be particularly tainted. The only way it works is if a hard brexit comes to pass and it is as devestating as most suggest. They will have been on the right side trying to protect some of the poorest communities from another generation of poverty and hopelessness, A hard brexit would also lead to Scotlands… Read more »

Geraint Jones
Geraint Jones
5 years ago

Dwi’m yn deall “If there is a some revocation of A50 or a soft Brexit many people will not forgive remain campaigning parties”

Bryn Colion
Bryn Colion
5 years ago

I think No deal is looking likely …. time has run out for any deal change

Gary Pritchard
Gary Pritchard
5 years ago

Ynys Môn nid Anglesey!

Mcollins
Mcollins
5 years ago

You may live to regret putting Brexit above Welsh sovereignty PC

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
5 years ago

It’s almost impossible to say whether this is a good or a bad decision by Plaid Cymru. They are indeed taking a gamble by supporting Remain, bearing in mind the Welsh majority vote to Leave, but it could turn out to be a winning move if the Party is serious about independence. If Brexit turns out to be as bad economically as predicted, and Wales is trapped in an economically and culturally disastrous EnglandandWales marriage, then the support for independence must surely increase. Plaid will then be seen to have been vindicated on two fronts: firstly that they were right… Read more »

Simon Gruffydd
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhosddu

The ill effects of being trapped in a British Union does not make the effects of being trapped in a less democratic European Union any better. This is deeply flawed Remainiac logic. National independence and membership in the EU cannot co-exist. 2+2 does not =5

Siân
Siân
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhosddu

Don’t like your attitude to Eastern Europeans in Wrecsam who are contributing to the area….. surely integration is a 2 way process…..There’s a well established Polish community there…don’t dismiss them like this – Croeso nid erlyn

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
5 years ago
Reply to  Siân

I have no attitude towards Eastern Europeans in Wrecsam. I’m merely pointing out how the lack of a welcome they have received there has marginalised them, and that they have not been major players in raising the prosperity of the town, but there again, many people in the UK are doing jobs that are socially utterly useless. Wrecsam has indeed had an earlier Polish community since the War – it’s now four generations old. The recent free-movement influx referred to above was a factor in producing a Leave majority in the town in the EU referendum. Same in the Valleys.… Read more »

Minydon
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhosddu

Well they are not serious about independence, otherwise they would not want to join or stay in the European union, as it has already stated it wants ever closer political union, sorry independence means just that.
What it does show that these parties are happy to ignore democratic vote when it suits them. Like it or not the majority in Wales voted out. Plaid have made a terrible mistake! I want an independent Wales and that means no union with anyone. So basically I’m left with no party to vote for.

Gwylon Phillips
Gwylon Phillips
5 years ago

AauS presennol i sefyll yn ddiwrthwynebiad ond yng Ngheredigion. Ni fedraf ymddiried yn y LibDems. So there.

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
5 years ago

The only certain good thing about this arrangement is that Plaid Cymru will not have to have its vote eaten into in Dwyfor Meirionydd, and we’ll be rid of Dafydd Ellis Thomas.

Joel Stibbard
Joel Stibbard
5 years ago

If I were living in Wales, I would most likely be a Plaid Cymru voter. As I am an Australian with proud Welsh ancestry and heritage, I can see issues with this. A preferential voting system works better in this sense in that all parties can run in an election but then the backdoor deals become less transparent.
It seems to me, seceding from Westminster’s system of Government rather than seceding from the EU makes more sense economically for Wales.

Gaynor Jones
Gaynor Jones
5 years ago

Only Ceredigion!? So plaid are happy to throw Ben under the bus are they? For Brexit. ?

Huw Davies
Huw Davies
5 years ago
Reply to  Gaynor Jones

Looks like it . Onus on all to turn out and give those duplicitous LibDems a good kicking, not for Plaid’s sake but to enable a good local M.P and bright rising star a chance to develop his role as representative of the old county.

Bryn Colion
Bryn Colion
5 years ago
Reply to  Gaynor Jones

Ceredigion is either Lib Dem or Plaid Cymru….why the hell are they worried about a hard brexiteer being there

Simon Gruffydd
5 years ago

What the results in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election revealed was that Leaving the EU is still the preferred option for the majority of voting constituents. It also showed how backroom deals between parties could stitch up the popular will and deliver a victory to the minority opinion. This subversion of democratic will is precisely what Plaid Cymru, Greens, and Liberal Democrats are contemplating. Hence they are, like many in the neo-liberal globalist fold, without principle and totally untrustworthy. Only a return of popular nationalism can save us now.

Sian Caiach
Sian Caiach
5 years ago

Very courteous of Plaid and the Liberal Democrats to give me the heads up on the constituencies where Plaid will stand down! Gwlad Gwlad will need to stand in these in the next General Election to allow patriots to vote for a party representing Independence for Wales and addressing Welsh issues . I have already prepared a draft list, and have allowed for the Ceredigion marginal situation where neither side wishes to stand down. Will be nice to see how accurate I have been with the other Welsh constituencies. Our policy is normally not to stand in UK General Elections… Read more »

Anne Greagsby
Anne Greagsby
5 years ago

Plaid Cymru should have an election pact with @neiljmcevoy for Cardiff West. Sure winner.

j r humphrys
j r humphrys
5 years ago
Reply to  Anne Greagsby

Aha! Good one.

max wallis
max wallis
5 years ago

It’s surprising that Plaid is not seeking some agreement on devolution moves short of independence, such as a Constitutional Convention or Citizens Panel on Wales-in-Europe. Some way Wales could break through tribal politics.

Aled Gwyn J
Aled Gwyn J
5 years ago

Have Plaid’s members been consulted regarding this wholesale abandonment of its own unique identity for the sake of this proposed cross-party project? What a silly question. Were they consulted when the original Plaid position of ‘we respect the vote, but we’ll fight for Wales’s interests whatever happens now’ was abandoned, and replaced by a dogmatic ‘Remain’ stance? No, of course not. The new position was imposed by the new leader who wanted to take his rightful place on the political stage. The members just had to lump it. Adam Price is supposedly a keen student of history. It’s all the… Read more »

Bryn Colion
Bryn Colion
5 years ago

Plaid Cymru …. the “umbrella” party for Wales … taking a very polarising hard remain stance …… Im very worried as a member about their strategy 🙁 – not been getting great feedback from people I once persuaded to vote PC – in fact Ive been told that Plaid Cymru are “anti-democratic” and “Adam is arrogant in his dogmatic assertions” …. “Never voting them again” is the most hurtful

People I once spent effort converting to believe in Wales and Plaid Cymru ffs!
Wales is larger than brexit – not worth polarising people over

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