"Let's be clear, he told his audience: We're not here to act as Labour's conscience. We are not here to repair Labour. We are here to replace them. For most of the 100 years in which the Labour party has been the overwhelmingly dominant force in Wales, such talk would have been for the birds."
"Soon after Mr ap Iorwerth spoke, his party won the Caerphilly byelection from Labour with a 19-point increase in its vote share, depriving Nigel Farage of a post-industrial seat he had expected to win. That result confirmed that Plaid's progressive nationalism had cut through as the Welsh antidote to the far right."
"In both Westminster and Cardiff, Labour only has itself to blame. As in Scotland, Sir Keir Starmer's administration has profoundly alienated voters who hoped a robustly social democratic government would take the reins in London after 14 years of Conservative rule. Welsh Labour's attempts to distance itself from the mess have been undermined by poor outcomes in health and education."
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth declared the party's intention to replace Labour rather than serve as its conscience, marking a significant shift in Welsh politics. This ambition reflects changing electoral dynamics, evidenced by Plaid's victory in the Caerphilly byelection with a 19-point vote share increase, positioning the party as a progressive nationalist alternative to the far right. Labour's dominance in Wales for 100 years has weakened due to voter alienation from Sir Keir Starmer's administration, combined with Welsh Labour's poor performance in health and education, internal scandals, and devolution disputes. Business leaders increasingly engage with Plaid's platform. Polls suggest sustained momentum from autumn, presenting Plaid with a historic opportunity in May's election, echoing its aspirations from the 1960s to penetrate mainstream politics.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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