Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Political future of Adam Price in doubt as he fails to win top slot in candidate selection

30 May 2025 6 minute read
Adam Price

Martin Shipton

The political career of Adam Price hangs in the balance after the former Plaid Cymru leader was allocated third place in the party’s list of candidates for his home county of Carmarthenshire in next year’s Senedd election.

We can reveal that current Mid and West Wales MS Cefin Campbell topped the members’ ballot in the “super constituency” of Sir Gar, which comprises the two Westminster seats of Caerfyrddin and Llanelli.

Lobbyist and former MS Nerys Evans has been allocated second place on the list, with Mr Price, Mari Arthur, Iwan Griffiths and Abi Thomas making up the rest of the Plaid team in that order.

Party members voted after attending one of four hustings meetings, three of which were held in person while the other took place virtually.

Barnstorming

Some members have said Mr Price gave barnstorming performances at the meetings, while one Plaid source contrasted his “invigorating” delivery with the more “connected” and down-to-earth approach of Mr Campbell.

Under the new electoral system in the expanded Senedd, whose number of members is rising from 60 to 96, Wales has been divided into 16 super constituencies, each of which will elect six MSs according to the closed list system of proportional representation.

Candidates are ranked by local party members in the order they would be elected. Unlike in other systems of proportional representation, notably the single transferable vote, members of the public cannot choose which individual candidates to support. Instead they can only vote for the party.

The closed list system has been criticised for putting too much power in the hands of parties instead of ordinary voters, but it was agreed between Mark Drakeford and Adam Price when they respectively led Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru.

Unlike Welsh Labour, Plaid also used a “zipping” system designed to create gender balance among its candidates. As a result, the second slot on Sir Gar’s closed list was allocated to Ms Evans, as the female candidate with the highest level of support, regardless of whether she got more votes than Mr Price.

Harvard University

Mr Price was first elected to represent the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency at Westminster in 2001, standing down in 2010 to take a career break as a postgraduate student at the renowned Kennedy School at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

He returned to front-line politics in 2016, being elected to represent his old seat at the Senedd.

Two years later, he challenged the incumbent Leanne Wood in a Plaid leadership election that he won. But the party performed below expectations at the last Senedd election in 2021, largely because Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford had been perceived by many voters as a reassuring leader during the pandemic, in contrast to the lawbreaking conduct of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Paid became mired in scandal, with allegations of sexual harassment involving its staff. Ironically Nerys Evans, who has now secured a higher place on the Sir Gar list than Mr Price, wrote a critical report about the prevalence of harassment in the party which led to his resignation as leader in May 2023.

It will be a tall order for Plaid to win three of the six seats in Sir Gar, although officially the party believes it is a realistic aim.

The result of the internal election was leaked to us on the evening of Thursday May 29 and at the time of writing has not been revealed by Plaid Cymru. Neither have the number of votes won by each candidate.

Reform

We informed Cllr Alun Lenny, who chairs the Caerfyrddin Plaid Cymru branch, of the result. He said: “We believe that winning three seats is well within our reach and we shall be campaigning hard to win four. Labour is in meltdown in the county, and we easily held off the challenge of Reform UK at the Llanddarog by-election in March And the resounding victory of Ann Davies in the general election [when she was elected MP for Caerfyrddin] shows we can do it. .

“I am sure that the Reform bubble will burst. In a way, I’m pleased that they won control of a number of councils in England, because it won’t take long for their incompetence to become apparent.

“Farage has been making wild promises that would entail spending billions of pounds, yet at last year’s general election Reform said it would impose public spending cuts of £150bn a year. It doesn’t stack up and we need to be exposing the dishonesty of their position between now and the Senedd election.”

Reacting to Mr Price’s third place on the list, a Plaid Cymru member who didn’t want to be named said: “Adam Price is one of Plaid Cymru’s most distinguished thinkers from throughout its 100 years of existence. It would be a tragedy if he wasn’t present in the next Senedd.”

Perilous

Another local source, who also did not want to be named, said: “Adam’s position is now very perilous. It would have to be a very good day for Plaid to pick up three seats in Carmarthenshire. He’s in this position because many party members think he hasn’t been spending enough time in the constituency, and because there remains concern at his weak handling of the Jonathan Edwards affair [when the then MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr received a police caution for assaulting his wife and the party’s national executive committee overruled a disciplinary panel recommendation that following a period of suspension he should be allowed to resume his career as a Plaid MP].

“There is also some irony in the fact that Adam’s political future is insecure as a result of the electoral system he agreed with Mark Drakeford. Had the old system still been in place, there is no doubt he would have retained Carmarthen East and Dinefwr.”

Mr Price has said he was told by Mr Drakeford that if Plaid didn’t go along with the closed list system, the increase in the number of MSs would have been abandoned.


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

34 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Steve D.
Steve D.
8 days ago

I understand the system used but risking well established, experienced MS’ not being reselected isn’t a good move. I was astonished when my local MS told me the situation. A very well known politician at risk. The article states that there is concern about the party maybe having too much power over the process and I agree. Whether we like it or not, people generally vote for established, known, trusted and liked figures. If they aren’t there – will they continue to vote for Plaid?

Geraint
Geraint
8 days ago
Reply to  Steve D.

Whist it’s true that established figures, especially those with a solid track record for delivery in public office, attract support it’s also a fact that many voters make their decisions based on parties rather than on individuals.

It’s worth remembering that we’ve already used the closed lists to elect our regional MSs in the past, so it’s not a system that’s unfamiliar to the electorate.

At the end of the day, candidates will only be elected if they receive support from the electorate. This hasn’t changed.

Annibendod
Annibendod
8 days ago
Reply to  Steve D.

They are there Steve.

Llyn
Llyn
8 days ago

Cllr Alun Lenny, who chairs the Caerfyrddin Plaid Cymru branch said: “we easily held off the challenge of Reform UK at the Llanddarog by-election…I am sure that the Reform bubble will burst. In a way, I’m pleased that they won control of a number of councils in England, because it won’t take long for their incompetence to become apparent”. I hope he’s right. But I fear that this is being way too optimistic. I do sense with Plaid a tendency for over confidence bordering on cavalier. Last night’s performance in Llanelli was another pathetic result for a party who hope… Read more »

Annibendod
Annibendod
8 days ago
Reply to  Llyn

Were you out knocking doors?

Llyn
Llyn
8 days ago
Reply to  Annibendod

Nope. I have to say that I found the advertising of the Plaid candidates mental health symptoms on his leaflet as frankly bizarre. We all want compassion and understanding. However, needlessly promoting what might be seen by many as inhibitors on his possible suitability was just shooting yourself in the foot.

Annibendod
Annibendod
7 days ago
Reply to  Llyn

I see. Many people did and I value their opinions on the campaign. Not everyone shares your opinion on neurodivergence and do not frame it in the negative terms you have.

And
And
8 days ago
Reply to  Annibendod

This attitude towards criticism and a complete lack of introspection by people such as yourself doesn’t help. Lead up to every electoral event its the same – shut down discussion, shut down criticism then tell us all the mediocre results are a victory.

So disrespectful.

Annibendod
Annibendod
7 days ago
Reply to  And

Well that’s “a take”. Everything you mention is a matter of opinion. Isn’t it strange how criticism is “shutting down debate” unless it’s your own criticism eh 🤷🏻

Opinions eh And!

Last edited 7 days ago by Annibendod
And
And
7 days ago
Reply to  Annibendod

“Were you out knocking doors?”

You attempted to invalidate criticism based on participation. Its tone is dismissive and you made no effort to engage directly with those concerns yet still chose to respond.

Well that’s “a take”

Deflection. Again you don’t engage with the points and still engage simply to undermine criticism.

It’s not really an opinion is it? It’s here in back and white. Your posts seek to undermine criticism.

Loyalty is fine. Being hopeful and positive is fine. But. Loyalty without reflection isn’t strength. It’s denial.

Annibendod
Annibendod
7 days ago
Reply to  And

No, it’s pointing out that it’s armchair criticism with an absence of experience of the event. Sorry if it upsets you old boy but I find the ill-informed criticism of those who did nothing from a distance “disrespectful.”

Peter J
Peter J
8 days ago

Well, it would be ironic that the electoral system devised by Adam Price and Drakeford is his end-doing! If they’d put it to a public vote, I’m sure it would have been voted down.
It’s also quite depressing to see MSs seamlessly jump in and out of (effectively) public sector roles. Espeically as Ms Evans had a scrutiny role for Plaid in her former job. This kind of revolving door between public sector, scrutiny roles and electoral politics rightfully undermines public trust. Roles involving investigating culture and standards, should be genuinely impartial and not a springboard back into office.

Simon Hobson
Simon Hobson
7 days ago
Reply to  Peter J

Low-level corruption within the civil service, grassroots groups, the Senedd, and Welsh political parties plays a significant role in Wales’ struggle to assert itself within the UK and on the global stage. For Wales to become a nation that truly serves its people, citizens must engage more actively with these systems and challenge this corruption and the status quo. We are, after all, a nation of great potential.

Dai Rob
Dai Rob
8 days ago

What a shambles of a way to run a party!!!!!

R W
R W
8 days ago
Reply to  Dai Rob

I’m not sure how having a democratic vote qualifies as a shambles!?

Bilbo
Bilbo
8 days ago

What share of the vote is needed for the 3rd placed candidate to be elected?

Peter J
Peter J
8 days ago
Reply to  Bilbo

It depends on minority party share. Potentially as high as 50. But if you had lots of minor parties, it could be as low as 30% (but more likely to be closer to 50 than 30). One thing is for sure, not many countries or regional parliaments use this system, and Wales is about to find out why!

Bilbo
Bilbo
8 days ago
Reply to  Peter J

Somehow demands for voting reform got turned into “only PR will do”. And now the people have the most proportional system going they don’t like it.

Peter J
Peter J
8 days ago
Reply to  Bilbo

The other issue is with voter turnout potentially being so low. So it is entirely plausible we see an MS elected with only 4 to 5% of the voting population from within that constituency. To compound matters, some of them would have only received 20 or so votes to be high up on the party list due to poor local level engagement (who is why parties are not releasing data on how many votes each candidate is getting to be on the party list). It is all a bit of a farce and means some MS’s will lack legitimacy.

Bradley
Bradley
8 days ago
Reply to  Peter J

It’s not for the electorate to worry about the order on the list. People wanted PR and all that matters under PR is that parties gets a vote share of the elected members. If democratic legitimacy of elected individuals was important a different voting system should’ve been used.

HarrisR
HarrisR
8 days ago

Nerys, the premier little mermaid lobbyist & fixer from Cardiff Bay (twinned with Copenhagen, say the Kinnocks), gets elected to the meal ticket, while Prince Adam, the great Harvard hope from over the water, gets the booby prize. Which he can cash in at any branch of Lidl.

“It’s another day in the “bobbing boat bobbing bay” says Polly Garter, political correspondent of BBC Bistro.

And
And
8 days ago

Ultimately. He should never have agreed to the closed list system and if that meant that there wasn’t more politicians then so be it. I think there should be more and I know many people feel the same way… but critically we’ve got to have a bit of a dose of reality here and realise that none of this was going to be popular with voters within the current political climate. This disillusionment that is feeding Reform is not something new; its been growing since austerity was brought in. By now Plaids leadership should have gotten to grips with that… Read more »

Peter J
Peter J
8 days ago
Reply to  And

On your last paragraph, I personally consider this a conflict of interests. If this was the Tory party, plaid would be up in arms!

And
And
8 days ago
Reply to  Peter J

In my opinion it does look like someone has been rewarded. Personally don’t think Plaid should be supporting third sector and lobbyist candidates anyway.

hdavies15
hdavies15
7 days ago
Reply to  And

It stinks ! It’s not about gender/sex of candidate in this case but the opaque background of a lobbyist which is an unregulated “profession” as far as Wales and its Senedd are concerned. Might as well have come from the sector that dumps effluent without any regard for rules and regulations.

Annibendod
Annibendod
8 days ago

A fantastic slate of candidates to take forward to the electorate and I’ll be backing them. I’ll be fighting tooth and nail to see 3 if not 4 elected. This article was a predictable take on the situation. What actually matters is winning votes. No reason why we shouldn’t target 4 seats and fight hard for it.

HarrisR
HarrisR
8 days ago
Reply to  Annibendod

If it’s about “winning the votes” then surely a nationally recognised political figure and face (in as much as any are) would head the list? This is obviously not about that, it’s about parading and prioritising a pre determined criteria and gender structure. Given Nerys E’s “lobbyist plus” grubby track record she most definitely should be nowhere near this. The Party of the New Wales? This is “the new Wales”? No thanks.

hdavies15
hdavies15
7 days ago
Reply to  HarrisR

Grubby ? Yes you nailed it !

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
7 days ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Sad, 26 years of looking forward…

To what; more skulduggery, they just can’t run a straight game…

Annibendod
Annibendod
7 days ago
Reply to  HarrisR

Not once has anybody stopped to ask how they performed in the hustings or how the membership felt. Instead, comments have come from established positions and presumptions. Nerys is a fantastic candidate. I’m thrilled at the slate of candidates we’re putting forward including the “well established” Cefin and Adam who are very much firmly part of our plans for the coming elections. We will be aiming for as much representation as possible. There are other very worthy candidates I look forward to supporting on the doorstep whom I would dearly love to see at the Senedd. This negative narrative is… Read more »

Last edited 7 days ago by Annibendod
Y Cymro
Y Cymro
7 days ago

It will be a mammoth mistake if Adam Price is not reelected as a Plaid Cymru MS. Wales can Ill afford losing his vast experience and political intellect. We need more wheat less Conservative & Reform UK chaff in the Senedd next May.

Last edited 7 days ago by Y Cymro
Rob
Rob
7 days ago

People should be selected by the ability to do the job irrespective if they are male or female. This is the kind of policy that plays into the hands of Reform UK.

Islwyn Hermit
Islwyn Hermit
7 days ago

Thanks for the article – informative as ever.

While you’re at it, can you find out the result of the Plaid Cymru ballot in Casnewydd & Islwyn? Voting concluded two days ago, yet I haven’t seen hide nor hair of the outcome (I realise that the candidates are less newsworthy, but we do have one sitting MS, and, for those of us who voted, it would be nice to know).

Brychan
Brychan
7 days ago

Plaid Cymru is a political party that can get 75% of it’s MPs as elected women to the Westminster House based on merit, yet selects it’s candidates for our own national chamber, the Senedd, based on chromosome. In Carmarthenshire, of course the candidate second on the list is Nerys, architect of that very selection process, former employee of Deryn the lobby organisation and has spent the last few years sucking up to Labour.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.