Plaid Cymru's new leader has said that he will keep Welsh independence front and centre of the party's policy.
Ynys Mon MS Rhun ap Iorwerth was announced as the replacement to Adam Price at the St David's Hotel in Cardiff Bay on Friday, June 16. No other Plaid politician put their name forward for to be leader so Mr ap Irowerth, who was previously a BBC journalist,, became leader uncontested.
In a wide-ranging interview with WalesOnline, he said the party would continue the "politics of co-operation" but acknowledged that the next General Election would be tough for the party.
WalesOnline: In what way will your leadership be different to the previous leadership?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I mean, in a way, I turned it on its head, there are some consistent values that have been central to us as a party for, for so long. Those are the values of wanting to seek that fairness, that equality of opportunity for everybody and building a better Wales and more ambitious, fairer and greener Wales. I think those values continue into my leadership, what I want to do is to make sure that we take those values and speak to as many people as we can and build trust in us as a party at what is challenging time for many.
You have said you will be leaning on previous leaders Adam Price and Llyr Gruffydd, you have said you want the cooperation agreement to keep going, independence is still front and centre of you policies. But for the last four years, the Plaid have been fairly stagnant in the polls. What's going to be different about your leadership and and how are Plaid Cymru going to make inroads now?
I will lead in the only way that I know how. In as honest a way as open and transparent away as possible. And that mean having those conversations and taking the time to go out there and speak to people throughout Wales. But I also believe deeply that we have collective leadership in our party. So it's very much not just about me, it's about getting everybody to work together in a united way, at all levels within the party, so that everybody feels they have a contribution to make that strengthens your campaigning on the ground, it's energizes your policymaking and our working in the Senedd, in Westminster, in councils, and it's bringing that unity and sense of purpose together, that will be an absolute priority to me.
Okay, so it's not really going to be a massive change, you're going to do what you were already doing but better and more invigorated?
No, this is my first time as leader of the party, and a leader does have a role in setting a tone for a party. And I do want us to in a number of ways, ensure that people see and hear us in different ways. The values are consistent, no leader that comes in changes those those values. There's a continuation, these are the strengths of Plaid that we are the party that has ambitions for Wales, this is what attracted me to Plaid Cymru in the first place. So that continuity is really, really important. But we know that we have issues, well publicized, that I'm confident that we can implement the changes necessary. And that we can change the tone by bringing all parts of the party together. That's that's really key. If we're going to persuade people to trust us we've got to be fit as as a party to do that, and that's an absolute priority for me.
What does success look like both in the upcoming general election wherever that be and in the Senedd election of 2026?
Let's be honest. The upcoming general election is a challenging one for us, isn't it? Not least with boundary changes, with the polarization of politics around the two Westminster parties, blue and red. What I want to be confident in is that in that election, whenever that comes and it can't come a second too soon, that we will have been able to do everything we can to paint ourselves as a genuine alternative for people who are fed up with the behaviour of a Conservative government that a lack of clarity on what Labour still stands for. But mine will be a positive message. You've heard me here today, I didn't talk too much about the other parties because unless we can sell the positive message of what we do, we're not going to build trust with people. That's how I do my politics, how I've done it on, on Ynys Mon.
One of the party's key aims was to try and take Ynys Mon at the next election. Do you think that is an aim for the party needs to have?
Clearly it's a very, very prominent target seat for us. In any election, whether I'm standing or anybody else, I'm confident that Plaid can win that. I also know that it's a difficult one for us to win. I'm pragmatic. And I'm honest about where I see where I see challenges. I know we'll have a brilliant candidate there because there are lots of people who will be sharing my values and our values as a party. We'll be wanting to take that to the people of Ynys Mon more next year.
You're part of the cooperation agreement and you've indicated that that is still a key policy that you're very proud of. Do you think do you think Labour are worried about what you've said today?
I think personal cooperation and the cooperation between our parties is vital in order to deliver those things that are really, really important and that we make a difference to people's lives. It's a mature politics, and it's mature politics that I think people appreciate. And it is being in opposition and showing what we can do from opposition, you know, imagine what we can do in government. I'm serious about delivering. Some of the policies and the cooperation agreement relate to some of our most important principles as as a party. So we'll see that through. But of course, we are in opposition, and we'll be gearing up towards that 2026 election with a positive vision of what Plaid Cymru offers the people of Wales.
What's your message to the people who've been victims of Plaid's culture in the past who spoke up during that report, what what would you like to say directly to them?
The first thing I said in announcing my candidacy was that the number one priority was dealing with that. We're at a junction in the party where we do not have to, but have already recognized that this is a massive issue that we cannot rest until we no other recommendations have been delivered. This isn't something that just relates to Plaid Cymru. This is something that affects all political parties and so many other different organizations. The reason I'm positive is that I think we have shown beyond any doubt how serious we are about implementing the necessary change, and that we have through that forensic report and all those recommendations a roadmap for for putting those changes in place.
What would you say Labour's biggest failing is and why it's most important that we have a Plaid Cymru Government and not a Labour Government?
I strongly believe that Plaid Cymru is the only party that embodies the ambition that I have for Wales and in Labour's reluctance to implement the changes now that we need on devolving further powers and certainly on the refusal to see that there is another way forward, this vision that I have of an independent open, go getting confident, Wales.
That Labour, in that respect, by default, holds Wales back. On top of that, of course, we have the issues of the failings of the NHS. People know when you have had a party in government for so long, it's not normal. And we need to change in itself provides an opportunity for regeneration and rebirth. My message there will be a positive message of what Plaid offers, I start today, it'll be a long journey. It's a marathon. It's not a sprint
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