Why I joined Plaid Cymru after 25 years with Labour

Rachel Garrick

Last week, I took the step of forming a new Plaid Cymru group on Monmouthshire Council with my colleague, Sue Riley. For me, this came after almost 25 years of Labour Party membership.

The move felt long overdue and was something I had held off doing for quite some time for fear of being perceived as opportunistic on the back of electoral success. There does, however, come a point when you have to admit you’re fooling no one with your political allegiances.

I have been an open and vocal supporter of Welsh independence for years. I’ve spoken alongside Adam Price at a Melin Drafod event, addressed a YesCymru rally and chaired Labour for an Independent Wales.

All of this I did with the message that the Labour movement was the best hope for a successful drive for independence. This is no longer the case.

There once was a time when Welsh Labour had an opportunity to push for successful independence or a better devolution package. The internal network of supporters was strong, elected representatives felt safe quietly admitting they supported further devolution and, let’s face it, with the worst devolution setup in the UK, who could blame them?

The message that Labour in Westminster supporting Welsh Labour would build a stronger Wales turned out to be an empty promise. This was underlined by a Westminster government doing unto Wales rather than facilitating a Senedd delivering for Wales.

I could talk at length about multiple missed opportunities: failure to strengthen Welsh Labour’s autonomy and reluctance to support extended legislative powers. Most importantly, I and the public saw a failure simply to stand up for Wales to Labour’s own government in Westminster.

I have always maintained that you can do more by being inside an organisation than protesting at its gates. This is the approach that got me into politics.

For the longest time, I had felt more and more disengaged from my former party. It was clear that my interests and the politics that I believed in for Wales were better represented by Plaid Cymru, and that is not just on Welsh independence.

NHS

I completely agree with Plaid’s understanding that the NHS in Wales needs reform: something that Welsh Labour emotionally could not seem to come to terms with. I agree wholeheartedly with Plaid’s understanding that our economy and country need better infrastructure to develop and prosper.

Our policies on developing connectivity and infrastructure align fully with my own politics: from public transport between north and south to the repositioning of Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru as a single entity that truly and efficiently pushes forward energy infrastructure in Wales.

More and more, Plaid has moved to represent and inhabit the political space that I believe in. Its manifesto commitments to investment in young people, education and childcare, supporting our next generation while helping working families give our youth the best start in life, are fundamental to my personal beliefs.

Social justice

And finally, Plaid is strong where Welsh Labour was weakening on social justice, planning a human rights act for Wales, including equality for trans people and gender equality. To me, at a time when Reform brings right-wing “us and them” politics to our Senedd, this is truly needed.

It has been a relief to be welcomed into the party, and it is an honour to be able to represent it. I am looking forward to representing the best interests of our residents in Monmouthshire and doing so in alignment with the party that I represent.