Prominent Plaid group boosts Price campaign
ADAM Price has received a significant boost to his Plaid Cymru leadership campaign, with 50 prominent members, activists and councillors urging their fellow members to transform Plaid’s prospects by electing him as the party’s leader.
Tomorrow evening a series of hustings meetings will take place at which Mr Price and his rivals Leanne Wood, the party’s current leader, and Rhun ap Iorwerth will set out their stalls.
The message of support for Mr Price is contained in a declaration which was sponsored by businessman Eurfyl ap Gwilym, the party’s senior economic adviser; actress Sharon Morgan; chaired bard Catrin Dafydd; former MP and AM Cynog Dafis; and John Osmond, former director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs. Signatories include county council leaders Gareth Jones of Conwy, a former AM; Emlyn Dole of Carmarthenshire; Llyr Hughes Gruffydd AM; Jonathan Edwards MP; Dyfed-Powys Police Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn; author and academic Simon Brooks; prize-winning novelist and TV author Fflur Dafydd; and Professor Nigel Copner, who came close to capturing Blaenau Gwent at the 2016 Assembly election.
Cynog Dafis said: “It is clear that Adam Price has the momentum in this race but very many members are undecided as the September hustings begin.
“That is why we have issued this declaration urging our fellow members to seize the moment and elect a person of exceptional political ability as leader of Plaid Cymru.”
The declaration reads: “We believe that Adam Price has a unique range of qualities that would make him an ideal leader of Plaid Cymru at this crucial juncture. He has a dynamic vision for the future of Wales and the ability to inspire and convince people of differing persuasions. Along with this, he is a person of exceptional ability, a master of practical policy, able to articulate a political message effectively and appealingly, an impressive orator, a brilliant debater, a sympathetic listener and a warm and likeable personality.
“He has a sense of urgency about the need to change direction after two decades of lacklustre Labour government. He is determined to lead Plaid to victory in 2021.
“We urge our fellow members to seize this exciting opportunity to transform Plaid Cymru’s prospects and open a new chapter in Welsh history by electing Adam Price as leader.”
Mr Price was elected as the AM for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in 2016, having previously served as MP for the seat from 2001-10.
He has been a close friend of Ms Wood’s for decades, and is understood to have agonised over whether to stand against her.
Before confirming that he would do so, he suggested that Plaid Cymru should change its leadership model so that a female AM and a male AM shared the role, but the idea was rejected by Ms Wood, who said she thought the idea was unworkable. Mr Price then accepted nomination to stand as a leadership candidate.
Ms Wood has been the party’s leader since 2012, gaining UK-wide exposure during the 2015 General Election campaign through her participation in the leaders’ debates.
A regional AM for South Wales Central from 2002, she gained Rhondda from Labour cabinet minister Leighton Andrews in 2016.
Rhun ap Iorwerth was a BBC journalist before being elected AM for Ynys Mon at a by-election in 2013. He has been endorsed for the Plaid leadership by former party president Lord Dafydd Wigley.
The result will be announced before the end of September.