Plaid Cymru to announce new leader after Adam Price’s resignation
The new leader of Plaid Cymru is to be officially announced at a press conference today.
Rhun ap Iorwerth, who represents Ynys Mon in the Senedd, is expected to be named as the successor to Adam Price.
Mr Price resigned last month after a report found a culture of sexual harassment, bullying and misogyny and made 82 recommendations to “detoxify” the party.
Llyr Gruffydd, who was unanimously voted in my members to be interim leader, said he would use his short time in office to begin introducing the recommendations of the review.
Mr ap Iorwerth, a former BBC journalist who was deputy leader under Mr Price, announced his candidacy in a video on Twitter saying the party finds itself at a “crossroads” and faces “serious challenges” but that Wales was on a “journey to independence”.
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He added: “Now is the time to unite Plaid Cymru so we can lead the work of building a new future for Wales.”
Born in South Wales, Mr ap Iorwerth grew up on Anglesey and was educated at Ysgol David Hughes and later Cardiff University, where he graduated in Politics and Welsh.
Nominations for leader are due to close on Friday morning before a meeting is held at St David’s Hotel in Cardiff Bay where the new head of the party is expected to deliver a speech.
Mr Price’s predecessor, Leanne Wood, has publicly said she believes the next leader should be a woman, claiming they would be better placed to deal with issues of misogyny.
However, early in the race two of Mr ap Iorwerth’s potential competitors, Sioned Williams and Sian Gwenllian, announced they would not be standing.
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It was predicted a crowning. 82 recommendations involving misogyny, poor leadership and bullying. And hear we have the proof of that it’s the same old, same old. Lean Wood said that the next leader should be a woman. No woman came forward why? Fear? Poor leadership, PC failed to have an inclusive election. Failed to have an election to vote in a leader by the membership. Democracy lost, Chumocracy win’s, Comrade Llyr Gruffydd Crowned Comrade Rhun ap Iorwerth.
That leadership role is currently very much a poisoned chalice. Some of that poison is down to members of past leadership teams and the “influencers” around them. Even dear old Leanne Wood who had so much unrealised potential allowed the focus to drift onto narrow issues which were not beyond solving but were lept boiling by people who preferred debating “ishoos” to getting on with building platforms for success with the electorate. Appealing to narrower interest groups may be good for the ego but getting the electorate shifting in the right direction should be the primary mandate.
No other woman came forward, no other man came forward. Probably quite simply because they don’t want the job.
Should we vote for people that have no back bone. There for a ride on the gravy train of Y Senedd, Westminster, who have forgotten about Independence and happy to prop up Unionist parties. The time has come for a New Dawning, A new fresh party with one ambition. Independence for Wales. Uma o Hyd