‘Common ground for Wales’ common good’
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price on the new Senedd co-operation deal between his party and Welsh Labour
OUR nation’s spirit of co-operation runs deep.
From the Cwmbach co-op of 1859 – the seedling of a national movement – to the seemingly unlikely but later unbreakable bond between the miners and the LGBT community during the 1980s’ strike, the people of Wales have often found common ground for common good.
More recently, that spirit has been on display in communities nationwide from mask-makers to shopping for neighbours as the oxymoron of the pandemic brought us together by forcing us apart.
The Covid crisis has enabled us to take stock of what really matters and reminded us that when we are presented with an opportunity to bring about positive change, we should seize it.
It is in that spirit that Plaid Cymru enters into a co-operation agreement with the Welsh Government – to use our position of privilege as elected members to make a tangible difference to the lives of those we represent.
The Senedd election was disappointing for my party. By not winning the trust of the electorate in sufficient numbers to lead the next government, we missed the chance to put our transformational vision into practice.
But politics is not a dichotomy – it is not simply a matter of having influence or no influence, of being relevant or irrelevant. Politics is about priorities, and it is those priorities which dictate where on the spectrum of co-operation you choose to sit.
For Plaid Cymru and I, our priority has always been the communities of Wales and their people, and doing whatever we can, whenever we can to improve their lives. This includes not just the work we do from day to day as councillors, Senedd Members and Members of Parliament, but our work in forging alliances across political divides at a time when Welsh nationhood is under threat from Westminster like never before.
Therefore, when we embarked on early discussions with the Welsh Government in the summer, our objective was clear – to secure material, measurable change to the political agenda that would be felt by people in all parts of the country.
We brought many bold and ambitious ideas to the table – some accepted, some not; such is the nature of negotiation.
But it is my sincere belief that by entering into this three-year co-operation agreement, we will have achieved tangible and worthwhile gains that would not have been delivered without Plaid Cymru.
Firstly, the commitment to guarantee a free school meal for every primary school pupil in Wales will be truly transformational for thousands of families. Extensive research shows that children (particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds) benefit from free school meals, not only from a nutritional point of view but also from an educational one, improving engagement and concentration in the learning environment.
In pursuing this policy, Plaid Cymru has heeded the calls of the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition, which has long called on the Welsh Government to make expanding free school meals a priority and applied the principle of universalism to an all-important issue.
Secondly, this co-operation agreement sets out bold steps for tackling Wales’ growing housing crisis. Together, we will take immediate and radical action to address the proliferation of second homes and unaffordable housing. Actions planned include introducing a cap on the number of second and holiday homes; measures to bring more homes into common ownership; a statutory licensing scheme for holiday lets; greater powers for local authorities to charge council tax premiums and increasing taxes on second homes.
Thirdly, the co-operation agreement confronts the UK Government’s threat to Welsh nationhood with the strongest statement to date that our Senedd is here to stay.
The commitment to deliver electoral reform and consequently a larger, stronger, fit-for-purpose Parliament is a direct response to the growing responsibilities held by the Senedd.
Not only is the Welsh Parliament now a democratic body with full law-making powers, but our nation is also set to lose a quarter of its MPs, further diminishing Wales’ voice on the UK stage.
By increasing the number of Senedd Members, the people of Wales will be more effectively represented and the government of the day more rigorously scrutinised – meaningful constitutional reform at a mere fraction of the cost of the cosmetic renovation proposed for Westminster.
Fourthly, our commitment to tackling the climate crisis is reflected in the Agreement’s ambitious environmental pledges. We will commission independent advice to examine potential pathways to net zero by 2035 (the current target is 2050) as well as implement plans to plant more trees and protect biodiversity, adopt a targeted approach to addressing agricultural pollution, and support our much-valued family farms. Thanks to Plaid Cymru, work will also commence on establishing a new national energy company designed to harness Wales’ national wealth, with a strong focus on renewables.
Finally, the Agreement covers a wealth of other issues varying from educational reform to council tax reform to culture and the Welsh language.
Taken together, this represents a pioneering approach to partnership unprecedented in the recent history of devolution. It heralds a new kind of politics which transcends tribalism and puts Wales and its people first. It grants Plaid Cymru a voice in the decisions which impact citizens’ daily lives without diminishing our independence of thought where disagreement remains.
The Agreement has already secured the support of the Plaid Cymru Senedd Group and National Executive Committee.
My sincere hope is that this important development will be embraced by the party grassroots with the spirit in which it was agreed – of co-operation, of hope, and of a determination to set differences aside whenever possible in the name of a better Wales.