Plenty to smile about
Bubble — By Heledd Fychan on September 11, 2010 7:00 am
Hip, hip, hip, hooray...
ON THE eve of the Plaid Cymru conference, well-respected journalists such as Vaughan Roderick and Tomos Livingstone were trying to lift the spirits of delegates by telling us that things aren’t quite that bad for the party and that we need to lighten up.
They must have been dreading coming to conference, expecting everyone to be down in the mouth and depressed following this year’s General Election result. But that hasn’t been the case. Since 9:30am on Thursday, Plaid Cymru members have been flocking to Aberystwyth and the mood is positive. There’s a genuine sense of excitement about next year’s referendum and Assembly elections, and it seems our members in every corner of Wales are ready for the challenges ahead.
Yes, we were disappointed earlier this year and we have been a bit miserable since. We ran some fantastic on-the-ground campaigns, and we had expected to win back Ceredigion and Ynys Mon. But c’est la vie. It was an odd election. There are some things we could have done differently, and certainly lessons have been learnt. But the important thing now is to look to the future, and ensure that past mistakes aren’t repeated.
Plaid’s main struggle recently has stemmed from its difficulty in setting itself apart from every other party. After all, it was easy pre-Assembly. We were the only party whose whole focus was centred around devolving power back to Wales. We were the only party saying that the way Wales was funded was grossly unfair, and that the Barnett formula was outdated. The other parties laughed at us and mocked us for years, but we stood our ground. It paid off. Those are common held beliefs these days, held by every single party in Wales. They have accepted that the Assembly is here to stay, and it’s amazing to think that we now have cross party support for extending the Assembly’s powers.
It hasn’t been easy for Plaid to stand out in this political climate. Obviously, we should be happy that our messages have finally gotten through and that Plaid’s vision for Wales has now been adopted as the accepted and necessary progression for the nation. But knowing that is not enough. If we’re serious about transforming Wales, we need to win more seats and it’s vital that the vision we offer the electorate from now on is centred around long terms aspirations and ideals for the nation.
What’s been refreshing about this conference is that Plaid’s vision for the future hasn’t been set in stone. Our leadership haven’t stood before us and told us what Plaid Cymru’s future direction will be. Instead, we’ve been presented with discussion papers, brimming with ideas. Ideas that are radical and different, and that have spurred great discussion among delegates well after the formal proceedings of the day. Some ideas are a bit like Marmite, but that shows great courage in the fact that the party’s not afraid to offer new ways of thinking even if it means a few heated debates internally. And that’s a healthy way to take the party forward. A natural progression of ideas, rather than policies construed by spin doctors at election time and which are completely detached from the membership’s beliefs and values.
Time will tell how that vision will progress, but here at conference, there’s certainly a sense of optimism now emerging. I’m excited to be standing for the North Wales list nomination in this kind of climate, and I hope we can now take this new found voice and confidence to the electorate next year. Yes, times are tough financially but that doesn’t mean we should stop being ambitious for our country. Wales needs to be taken in a new direction, and I’m glad to be a member of a party that’s willing to start thinking big for the future.
Tags: Assembly, conference, devolution, Plaid, Plaid Cymru
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10 Comments
John Dixon’s “Schrödinger’s Plaid” makes a perfect prelude to Heledd Fychan’s “Plenty to smile about”, the common theme seems to be “anything to anyone” … not so much a vision of the future, but a psychoemotional spiritual experience.
Typical Pravda-esque nonsense from Plaid’s number one spin doctor. This is the conference where they have voted to oppose tuition fees, despit most of their AMs voting to implemet them. This is the conference where they have stabbed their leader in the back voting to scrap Ieaun Air, his pride-and-joy transport scheme.
After failing on the Welsh language paper and delivering a toothless and miserable Welsh-langauge Measure, not even the cultural nationalists who thought Plaid would do something, anything for the language are happy.
I think the lack of substance from Plaid is summed up when Heledd says they have been presented with policy ideas which are “radical and different” without telling us what they are. Without the evidence, how are we supposed to evaluate her conclusion.
But still, Ron Davies has a little speech, so there’s that.
Rhaid cyfaddef fy mod i wedi bod braidd yn anhapus gyda Phlaid Cymru yn y gorffennol a dwi wedi bod yn ddigon uchel fy nghloch i herio’r blaid ar nifer o bethau ond mae hyn wedi newid ar ôl y gynhadledd yma. Dwi wedi gweld bod yna llygedyn o obaith ym Mhlaid Cymru, a bod y cenedlaetholdeb radical a modern sydd yn bodoli yn eu plith mor fyw ag erioed. Am gynhadledd wych, er na es i, mi gwyliais i nifer o ddadleuon ac areithiau ar y teledu ac mae’r cyfan oll wedi fy nghyffroi i am y flwyddyn nesaf. Dwi wedi llenwi’r ffurlfen a’i anfon i D? Gwynfor , Glanfa’r Iwerydd. Ac felly’n aelod o’r blaid!. Da iawn i Blaid Cymru am gynhadledd wych, ac am ddangos yr ysbryd sydd angen i arwain Cymru ymlaen.
I must admit that I have been rather unhappy with Plaid Cymru in the past and I have made enough noise about certain aspects of party policy, and have found many opportunities to debate with Party members even disgruntled a few I’m sure. But this has all changed after this conference. I have seen there is some hope in Plaid Cymru, and that their nationalism is as modern, fresh and radical and alive more so that it’s ever been. What an amazing conference full of aspiration and confidence. I didn’t go myself but I watched many debates and speeches on the T.V and it’s all excited me for next year. I have filled in the form and sent it to T? Gwynfor, Canary Warf. And therefore am now a member of Plaid Cymru!. Well done to Plaid Cymru for an amazing conference and for showing the will that is needed to lead Wales.
I hope you sent it to Atlantic Wharf, Adam! It would probably reach a whole lot of different political types in Canary Wharf.
Haha yes that’s the one, I put down Glanfa’r Iwerydd (I couldn’t think of the English translation for the purpose of my post) haha
Looseload and Gethin,
As someone who actually attended the conference, I’m sorry to disappoint you but it was a very positive experience. In terms of all things to all people, I leave such issues to the Lib Dems.
As for policies, l’ll just touch on one point. The motion passed on a new Welsh Public Service is the most radical proposed change to Welsh public services since the creation of the NHS.
Unlike Labour, we allow our members to propose policy and/or vote it down at conference – as it’s their party. So when we get criticised for having arguments at conference, I see it as a compliment and not a criticism.
Davey-sound advice.
Ian – so will Ieuan be scrapping the subsidy for the North-South airlink now? Otherwise, if members adopt policy and their ministers ignore it, what’s the point?
“Ian – so will Ieuan be scrapping the subsidy for the North-South airlink now? Otherwise, if members adopt policy and their ministers ignore it, what’s the point?”
Ieuan may not be able to make that decision alone?
It’s a One Wales policy and not a Plaid one. Therefore, it’s already tied into the two party agreement. It would not get a subsidy on any future coalition, if such a balance was the choice of Wales.
“Typical Pravda-esque nonsense from Plaid’s number one spin doctor.”
Nice emotive opening gambit. Don’t let the facts get in the way of some good allegatations, please.
And before you start bemoaning a supposed lack of substance, ask yourself if any of the other parties will in the coming weeks advance ideas beyond the point Plaid have taken their’s to. Want to know why? Three words – Comprehensive Spending Review. It is simply unrealistic to release the costing out of proposals until we know what the financial landscape will look like.
And please remember that conference is where we make policy. Call it old-fashioned or call it democracy, if you want.