With Adam Price having resigned as the leader of Plaid Cymru in the wake of a damning report that found a culture of harassment, bullying, and misogyny the party is now seeking an 11th leader in its near-100-year history. In his resignation letter Mr Price said he no longer had the support of colleagues after the report was published last week.
Addressed to Plaid Cymru chair Marc Jones, Mr Price wrote: "We have driven the agenda for change in a way that no previous opposition party has dreamt of doing. The Cooperation Agreement [with the Welsh Government] was truly groundbreaking and has delivered life-changing benefits to our children, families, and friends all over Wales.
Read more: Llyr Gruffydd MS to be Plaid Cymru acting leader as Adam Price resigns
“Our core driver – independence for Wales – has broken the banks of mainstream politics and now many, from all parts and all parties, believe like we do that it is a matter of when and not if. My commitment to our vision of a nation transformed remains as strong as ever, and my energy for change undimmed. You have my personal assurance that I will continue to serve my country, my constituents and our party with determination and enthusiasm."
On Thursday it was announced that Llŷr Gruffydd MS was nominated unanimously as acting leader by the Plaid Cymru Senedd Group with his nomination subject to ratification by Plaid Cymru National Council on Saturday. Should it go through party rules mean the interim leader cannot run to take the role on a permanent basis. A spokesman for Plaid Cymru confirmed a new leader will be in place in the summer with a timetable outlining the process of electing a permanent leader communicated to party members at "the earliest possible opportunity".
It is fair to say that Plaid Cymru is facing a lot of challenges. Not only must the documented culture of harassment, bullying, and misogyny within the party be addressed but Plaid must also show existing and future voters that they are the party for Wales. With that in mind, we have looked at the party's most notable figures, those that have expressed desire to become leaders in the past, those that have been named as potential favourites online, and the obstacles they face.
Rhun ap Iorwerth
The Anglesey politician was the runner-up in the previous Plaid Cymru leadership contest that took place in 2018 with Adam Price coming in first place with 49.7% of the vote, Mr ap Iorwerth coming in second position with 28% and former Plaid leader Leanne Wood, who had been leading the party for six years, coming in third place with 22.3%. The former journalist, has been a prominent member of the party for a number of years, having been elected as the then-Assembly Member for Ynys Môn in August 2013 while he is now Member of the Senedd for the constituency.
He has also served a shadow minister for the economy and transport, health and care, and finance and as a member of the corresponding Assembly and Senedd committees. At various times he's also been a member of the Public Accounts Committee, the Petitions Committee, and the Standards Committee and has also served as a Senedd Commissioner and as deputy leader of the Plaid Cymru group during the Fifth Senedd. There’s no denying he has garnered a plethora of experiences under his belt in the 10 years he’s been serving as a Plaid Cymru politician.
However in September of last year it was announced that he had been selected by his local party to stand at the next Westminster general election meaning if successful in his bid to become a Member of Parliament he would no longer serve as a Member of the Senedd and consequently couldn't be Plaid Cymru leader.
Delyth Jewell
In 2019 Ms Jewell was sworn in as the Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for South Wales East, following the tragic death of Steffan Lewis. She was then named her party’s spokesperson on Brexit and External Affairs.
In 2021, Delyth was re-elected as a Member of the Senedd for South Wales East, and has been appointed her party’s spokesperson on climate change, transport and energy. She has campaigned for action against the climate crisis, mental health hubs and counselling for young children.
Following the announcement of Adam Price's resignation as leader, a few Plaid Cymru supporters on social media have called on her to become a potential candidate for the upcoming leadership contest. A young, charismatic politician, she may be just what the party needs moving forward.
Take our poll below or click here to open it in another window.
Elin Jones
Elin Jones is currently serving her second term as the Presiding Officer of the Senedd. She has been Llywydd of the Welsh Parliament since May 2016. In the first ever Assembly election she was elected as the AM for Ceredigion in May 1999.
The first term of the Assembly saw her becoming the shadow minister for economic development. Following the Assembly election in 2003 she managed to retain this position until 2006 when she became shadow minister for the environment, planning, and countryside. In July 2007 the One Wales Government was formed and Ms Jones was appointed minister for rural affairs.
The Ceredigion politician doesn’t shy away from a contest. In 2012 she came second in the party’s leadership contest after Ieuan Wyn Jones handed in his resignation as leader. Leanne Wood came in first place with 47.6% of the vote while Ms Jones came in second place with 31.1% of the vote. In 2016 she beat her party colleague, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, by 34 votes to 25 as the then Welsh Assembly presiding officer. She is a prominent figure within Plaid and the Senedd as a whole which makes it hard to determine whether she will leave her current important role to become the party's next leader.
Mabon ap Gwynfor
Perhaps one of the most well-known faces that came through the 2021 Senedd election, Mr ap Gwynfor has focused on a wide range of issues in Wales including calling on rent freeze and a ban on eviction during winter months, agricultural and rural affairs, as well as campaigning for the construction of the Llanbedr bypass after plans were scrapped.
He has a safe seat with Dwyfor Meirionnydd, which is a Plaid Cymru stronghold, meaning he potentially has more time and flexibility as a leader to address issues within the party that have come to light recently through the Prosiect Pawb report. But having been a Member of Senedd for only two years he may not be considered as an experienced candidate for the leadership contest.
Siân Gwenllian
Siân Gwenllian was elected to the National Assembly in 2016. She represents the Arfon constituency in Gwynedd. A popular figure in her home constituency she was re-elected to the Welsh Parliament in 2021, doubling her majority with 63.3% of the vote – the highest percentage of any Member of the Senedd.
Over the years her duties have included being the deputy leader of Plaid Cymru shadow cabinet and serving as business organiser/chief whip, shadow minister for education and the Welsh language, director of communications on Plaid Cymru's Executive, serving as a member of the Senedd's Committee for Children, Young People, and Education, the Finance Committee and the Senedd's Business Committee, as well as co-chair of the Senedd's Women's Cross-Party Group.
In late 2021 it was announced that Plaid had joined a cooperation agreement with the Welsh Labour Government with Mr Price appointing Ms Gwenllian as the lead designated member for their party. Alongside the Welsh Government their work has jointly developed and overseen the delivery of 46 policy areas including more primary school pupils benefiting from free school meals and immediate action to address the second homes crisis.
Perhaps her role as Plaid’s lead designated member in the cooperation agreement will become more important than ever for her party. It comes after Labour's ex-minister Ken Skates said the deal should come to an end following the findings of the Prosiect Pawb report.
However First Minister Drakeford has said that the deal is between the "Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru – not between individuals" but noted that discussions about the agreement will take place "in light of recent developments".
Liz Saville Roberts
Liz Saville Roberts has been the Member of Parliament for Dwyfor Meirionnydd since 2015. She was the first woman to represent the region and Plaid Cymru’s first female MP. She is now the party’s chair and the party’s Westminster leader amid other roles including the shadow Plaid Cymru spokesperson for home affairs, women and equalities, justice, business, energy and industrial strategy to name a few.
A charismatic speaker at the House of Commons, the politician has hit out at "absurd" England and Wales designation for HS2 project, called for powers over water to be devolved, proper pay increases for NHS staff, as well as recently saying that the Welsh Government should be given control of Crown properties in order to drive prosperity.
However, similar to Rhun ap Iorwerth’s position, Ms Saville Roberts would have to be an acting Member of Senedd rather than a Member of Parliament to become the next Plaid Cymru leader. This rule also applies to the other Plaid Cymru MPs Ben Lake and Hywel Williams.
READ NEXT:
- Adam Price's statement in full as he quits as leader of Plaid Cymru
Mark Drakeford emotionally defends £1,600 a month payment for young asylum seekers
Rishi Sunak deliberately dodges questions from Welsh and Scottish journalists
The full list of donations and gifts made to every MP in Wales
Questions over how the Welsh Government spends money and hires senior staff
