One of Plaid Cymru's leading politicians has said the party is facing division following allegations of a toxic culture. In an interview with BBC Radio Cymru's Bore Sul on Sunday morning, Hywel Williams MP said he praised leader, Adam Price MS, but that the party had to be led by a team rather than one person.
It comes after it was revealed there was significant discontent within the political party at the culture that critics claimed had developed under Adam Price’s leadership. In November of last year, WalesOnline spoke to several people within the party, who described an increasingly toxic atmosphere. You can read more about it here.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Williams who is set to step down as Member of Parliament for Arfon in the next election, said the disagreements were a distraction from the party's main aim, which was independence for Wales. He said: "Running a party that succeeds and that reaches its goal requires discipline - individually and as a party in general".
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He added: "It saddens me, I must say, to see that there has been some arguing recently... I think that the divisions that have appeared - and they are real divisions - there are people with conviction on both sides."
Plaid Cymru has said it is focused on "building" the party. In December last year, Plaid formed a working group in order to set out its values, and after its chief executive, Carl Harris, left his job after less than a year and a half in the position.
Mr Williams said the party needed to look at its structures constantly and that it would launch a new political strategy within weeks. "There are real things to discuss, and the topics that have caused a rift, to a degree in recent times, they're not minor things," he said.
He added: "I think that party leadership from the top to the bottom is calling for a team of more than one man, and I know that Adam thinks this himself, that we have to look at the structuring within the party continuously." Plaid Cymru said its "new political strategy" was nearing completion.
A party spokesperson told the BBC: "Plaid Cymru is entirely focused on the future and on building our party to the best of our ability. Already we have shown we can deliver from outside government through the co-operation agreement".
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