Plaid Cymru will seek to form minority Welsh government, leader says

Eleanor Storey, David Lynch and George Thompson, Press Association

Rhun ap Iorwerth has said Plaid Cymru will seek to form a minority Government in Wales, as he spoke outside the Senedd after a historic election.

The Plaid Cymru leader hailed a “new beginning” for Wales and said no Prime Minister “can cast Wales aside or turn a blind eye to our needs” in a victory speech on the steps of the Welsh Parliament.

Plaid won the largest bloc in the Senedd, but fell short of a majority with 43 MSs.

Mr ap Iorwerth told reporters he “made it clear that my desire, were we able to, would be to form a minority government” during the election campaign.

He added it was “clear now we are in that position”.

Mr ap Iorwerth said: “Throughout our nation, people have put their faith in Plaid Cymru in numbers never seen before and we will do everything we can to repay the faith that people have put in us.”

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and the Greens have all ruled out the prospect of working with Reform UK, which is the second largest party in the new Senedd with 34 MSs.

So the prospect of parties ganging up against Plaid to prevent it forming the Welsh Government is unlikely.

Labour, with its nine MSs, would likely have been the most viable coalition partner for Plaid to reach a majority.

However, throughout Plaid’s election campaign, Mr ap Iorwerth said he wanted his party to “replace” Labour in government and promised “new leadership” for Wales.

Speaking on Saturday, he said: “It is a new beginning and I have no doubt that when we speak with a national voice that is as determined as we have seen in this election, no UK Government, no UK prime minister now or in the future can cast Wales aside or turn a blind eye to our needs.

“And we will work constructively to seek what is right for Wales.

“We will build this nation every single day, bringing the competence that is needed and the compassion that is needed, the hope that is needed, the belief in what we can be, in the belief that our current situation is not as good as things can be for Wales.

“We will take those arguments forward on behalf of all the people of our nation.”

The tail end of Mr ap Iorwerth’s answers to reporters’ questions was drowned out as the crowd of Plaid supporters began to sing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

He told the crowd he would be putting his name forward to become the next First Minister of Wales, which would make him the first Plaid Cymru MS to hold the title.

“We are eager, clearly, to move ahead as quickly as we can towards the First Minister vote,” he added

“We are as determined as we can be to hit the ground running.

“We have made a pledge to make a difference in the lives of the people of Wales, and we want to get down to business as soon as we can.”

Among the crowd of Plaid Cymru supporters gathered outside the Senedd on Saturday was Siwan Jones, grand-daughter of party co-founder Saunders Lewis.

She said it was an “unbelievable” and “emotional” day for the party.

“It’s so important to unite the nation now,” she added.

“It’s a new beginning with new values and direction, so it’s really exciting, it’s going to be hard work, obviously.

“Rhun ap Iorwerth has brought so many different factions together across Wales.”

Mr Skates, who scraped in as the sixth and last MS to win a seat in Fflint Wrecsam, will lead Welsh Labour after Eluned Morgan resigned from the role after losing her seat in the Senedd election.

Baroness Morgan urged Sir Keir Starmer’s Westminster Government to “change course” in her valedictory speech, but insisted the Prime Minister was not to blame for Labour’s disastrous result.

The historic defeat saw the party lose power in Wales for the first time since the era of devolution began in 1999.

Sir Keir thanked Mr Skates for “stepping up” as interim Labour leader in Wales.

He said a period of “necessary reflection and rebuilding” was required after the disastrous elections for Labour.