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Opinion

Plaid Cymru needs people who will roll up their sleeves, not fall out over conspiracies

04 Oct 2019 7 minute read
Yr ymgieswyr ar gyfer Cadair Plaid Cymru. Dewi Evans (chwith) ac Alun Ffred Jones (dde). Llun Alun Ffred drwy garedigrwydd y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol (CC BY 2.0).

*English follows below*

Elin Tudur

Diddorol a dweud y lleiaf ydy cyflwyniad Heledd Gwyndaf yn dadlau o blaid ei hethol yn Gyfarwyddwr Cyfathrebu Plaid Cymru a Dewi Evans yn Gadeirydd yn y gynhadledd y penwythnos yma.

Mae’n cychwyn drwy nodi rhinweddau Dewi Evans fel ymgeisydd ar gyfer Cadeiryddiaeth Pwyllgor Gwaith y Blaid.

Hoffwn gyfle i ymateb i rai o’i sylwadau:

1.) Annibyniaeth – dyma fater sydd bellach wedi’i hen roi yn ei wely fel petai gan y Blaid. Mae’r ddadl yn gryf dros Annibyniaeth a does neb yn y blaid yn anghytuno gyda hyn. Dyna pam yr ymunais â’r Blaid gyda llaw dros hanner canrif yn ôl. Does dim yn newydd dan y nefoedd!

2.) Cyfathrebu: mae cyfle i bob aelod gymryd rhan yng ngweithgaredd y Blaid ar lawr gwlad. Mae POB aelod yn derbyn hysbysiad o gyfafodydd cangen ac etholaeth. Mater bersonol i aelodau ydy dewis mynychu ai peidio.

Dim ond drwy fynychu cyfarfodydd eich cangen leol y gallwch wybod beth sydd yn digwydd a sut i fynd ati i weithio yn lleol, pa ohebiaeth a dderbynnir gan y Blaid yn ganolog (ac fe allaf sicrhau Heledd bod yr ohebiaeth honno ar adegau yn swmpus dros ben!).

3.) Cydweithio gyda’r Cadeirydd: yn anffodus, darllenais erthygl Dewi Evans yn Nation Cymru lle roedd yn sôn am fod yn ‘gymodlon’. Digon teg, ond yn anffodus, doedd dim yn ‘gymodlon’ yn ei sylwadau. Tybiwn y bydd yn eithriadol o anodd i unrhyw gadeirydd greu cytgord ar ôl sylwadau digon deifiol ac ar adegau digon angharedig tuag at gynghorau ac aelodau neilltuol.

Er enghraifft, ei sylwadau ynghylch Cai Larsen – roedd yn taro’n chwithig iawn imi ei weld yn cyfeirio at y Bonwr Larsen, fel Larsen yn unig. Fuaswn i fyth yn cyfeirio at Dewi Evans fel ‘Evans’ – mae’n anghwrtais ac yn fychanol.

Annheg

Mae’r holl drafodaeth ar ran cefnogwyr Dewi Evans yn awgrymu bod rhyw fath o ‘gynllwyn’ ar droed yn rhengoedd y Blaid. Hoffwn wybod o ble mae’r syniad yma wedi deillio? Mae rhyw deimlad o ‘mae pawb yn ein herbyn ni’, a ‘dydan ni ddim wedi gwneud dim o’i le’. Mae pawb yn cael cam yn y garfan neilltuol yma hyd y gwela’i!

Pob lwc ddweda’i i unrhyw berson sydd yn meddwl y gall berswadio aelodau cyffredin ledled Cymru i gerdded strydoedd ym mhob tywydd dros ymgeiswyr ar gyfer pa bnnag etholiad. Realiti’r sefyllfa ydy bod gennym filoedd o aelodau sydd yn gwbl fodlon i roi pleidlais i’r Blaid ond nad oes ganddyn nhw’r awydd lleiaf i fod yn weithredol, yn actifyddion.

A dwi ddim yn beirniadu neb am hynny. Ond dwi ddim yn fodlon gwrando ar feirniadaeth annheg sydd yn honni mai diffyg Cadeirydd presennol y Blaid ydy diffyg diddordeb mwyafrif yr aelodau mewn bod yn actifyddion.

Mae cyfathrebu yn cychwyn wrth ein traed, pob un ohonom. Drwy fynychu cyfarfodydd, drwy siarad gyda phobl yn lleol, drwy gynnal gweithgareddau codi arian a denu pobl na fydden nhw fel arall yn gwneud dim gyda’r Blaid.

Dydy beirniadu a chodi sen ddim yn mynd i ennill cefnogwyr. Dydy beirniadu un o gynghorau mwyaf Cymreig a Phleidiol Cymru ddim yn mynd i ennill ffrindiau.

Mae’r sefyllfa yma yng Ngorllewin Caerdydd wedi cyrraedd penllanw. Fe fydd fy mhleidlais i yn mynd i Alun Ffred.

Ac os na fydd Alun Ffred yn ennill, gallaf eich sicrhau na fyddaf yn ‘pwdu’ ac yn honni bod cynllwyn. Na chwaith yn gadael fy Mhlaid gan ddweud fy mod wedi ‘cael cam’.

Fe fyddaf yn torchi fy llewys I frwydro dros Gymru Rydd Annibynnol. Fyddwch chi?


Heledd Gwyndaf. Llun gan Gymdeithas yr Iaith

Elin Tudur

Heledd Gwyndaf’s appeal to elect her as Plaid Cymru’s Communication Officer and Dewi Evans as Chair at this weekend’s Plaid Cymru conference was very interesting.

Her opening gambit is a list of Dewi Evans’ strengths as a candidate for the Chair of Plaid Cymru NEC.

Here are a few comments:

1.) Independence: It is a matter which has by now been settled in Plaid. The argument for Independence is strong and growing and no-one in Plaid disagrees with this. That is why incidentally I joined Plaid Cymru fifty years ago. Nothing has changed in the interim!

2.) Communication: Every member has an opportunity to participate in Plaid’s activity at a grassroots level. EVERY member receives notification of branch and constituency meetings. It is a member’s personal decision to attend meetings or not.

By attending local branch meetings you are informed about local activities, how to support local activities, what correspondence is received from Plaid centrally (and I can assure Heledd that the said correspondence is extremely bulky!).

3.) Co-operating with the Chairperson: I read Dewi Evans’ article in Nation Cymru where he emphasised the necessity to be ‘conciliatory’. The only problem is that I saw nothing ‘conciliatory’ in his comments. I would imagine that it would be extremely difficult for any Chairperson to create harmony following quite scathing and at times unkind comments directed at specific councils and members.

For example his comments regarding Cai Larsen – the references to the said gentleman as ‘Larsen’ struck me as very undignified. I would never refer to Dewi Evans in Welsh as ‘Evans’ – it is discourteous and disparaging.

Unfair

The whole argument from Dewi Evans’ supporters suggest that there is some sort of ‘conspiracy’ afoot amongst a section of Plaid Cymru. I would like to know where this idea has originated?

There is a feeling of ‘everyone is against us’ and ‘we have done nothing wrong’. This particular faction is hard done by according to their narrative.

I wish any person who believes that he/she can think that he/she can persuade members across Wales to spend their leisure time walking streets in all weather for candidates in whatever election. In reality we have thousands of members who do not have any interest or desire to be activists.

And I would not criticise anyone for that. But I am not willing to listen to unfair criticism alleging that the reason for the majority of member’s lack of interest in being activists is the weakness/deficiency of the current Chair.

Communication should start with ourselves, each one of us. By attending meetings, talking with people on a local level, fundraising and attracting people who would otherwise do nothing with Plaid Cymru. If people don’t feel they have a contribution as activists, then we can encourage them to be partners in the work of raising much-needed funds! And make them feel appreciated and a part of our campaign for a Free Wales.

Criticism and censure will not gain supporters. Criticising one of the most Welsh and Plaid Cymru council in Wales is not going to gain friends.

The situation here in Cardiff West has reached a climax. I will be voting for Alun Ffred. And if Alun Ffred doesn’t win, I can assure you that I will not sulk, I will not allege there has been a conspiracy. I will not leave Plaid Cymru either.

I will continue to fight for an independent Wales. Will you?


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Benjiman Angwin
Benjiman Angwin
4 years ago

Oes, mae pam gadawais y Blaid i’r Dem Rhydd yng Ngorllewin Caerdydd. Dwi wedi cael llawn bol o ymgecru a dwi eisiau plaid sy’n mynd a gnweud pethau. Gwna’r Dem Rhydd that.

Yes, this is the reason why I left Plaid Cymru in Cardiff West for the LIb Dems. I am fed up with petty bickering and want a party that goes and does stuff. The Lib Dems do that.

Richard Jenkins
Richard Jenkins
4 years ago

Respectfully, I don’t believe you! Given the many comments you have made in support of the villainous free & unrestrained free market it’s obvious you left Plaid because you are an ardent capitalist! Plaid is far too left wing for your taste.

Richard Jenkins
Richard Jenkins
4 years ago

Erthygl bendigedig ! Diolch yn Fawr .
It’s great to be able to read a thoughtful article like this that actually made me think and reconsider. I’m deeply grateful to Elin for this clarity. I understand an emotional reaction to misguided populists being allowed to return to the party, is not the best response. Elin is right of course and despite my deep regret if Alun Ffred loses and Plaid follows a path towards allowing misogyny, homophobia to re-infiltrate the membership by offering an amnesty, I will retain my membership of 50 yrs and continue the fight against hate!

Gaynor
Gaynor
4 years ago

What do you mean by misogyny and homophobia?

Alwyn Evans
Alwyn Evans
4 years ago

Erthygl synhwyrol a chytbwys gan ymgyrchydd cyson a diflino dros yr hanner canrif diwethaf. Fydda i’n cefnogi Alun Ffred hefyd; wedi canfasio gydag ef ar strydoedd Llandudno a gallaf eich sicrhau ei fod yn deg a diffuant. Os digwydd mai Dewi Evans sy’n llwyddiannus ( a dydi hynny ddim yn lleihau oedan y cadeirydd dim llychyn!) fyddai’n derbyn y canlyniad, ac yn aros yn y Blaid – ond yn sicrhau ei fod ef, ac unrhyw un a benodir gydag ef, yn cael eu dal yn atebol am weithredu bob dim o’u haddewidion. A sensible and balanced article by a well-balanced… Read more »

Alwyn Evans
Alwyn Evans
4 years ago
Reply to  Alwyn Evans

Last but one line – Scrutinised

Penderyn
Penderyn
4 years ago

We should welcome questioning minds and dissent…….. What happened to free speech?

Gweirydd ap Gwyndaf
Gweirydd ap Gwyndaf
4 years ago

Elin’s first words to me when I was elected Chair of the local branch was that she would no longer campaign for Plaid. A disingenuous article, at best.

Huw Davies
Huw Davies
4 years ago

Fel’na mae llawer ohonynt. ‘Dyw “dwy-wynebog” ddim yn ddigonol i’w disgrifio. Amlwynebog efalle ?

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