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Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood urges Labour voters to switch | Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood urges Labour voters to switch |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Leanne Wood has urged Labour voters to "take another look at Plaid Cymru" at the 2016 assembly election. | Leanne Wood has urged Labour voters to "take another look at Plaid Cymru" at the 2016 assembly election. |
She told Plaid's annual conference in Aberystwyth they were ready to "lead on the issues that matter most", claiming Labour took people for granted. | She told Plaid's annual conference in Aberystwyth they were ready to "lead on the issues that matter most", claiming Labour took people for granted. |
Ms Wood promised NHS reform, free care for elderly people and dementia sufferers, and the option of a lower school starting age. | Ms Wood promised NHS reform, free care for elderly people and dementia sufferers, and the option of a lower school starting age. |
She also pledged a £100m fund to invest in successful start-up companies. | She also pledged a £100m fund to invest in successful start-up companies. |
A Plaid government next May would also be a mandate for a new devolution settlement from Westminster, she said, including income tax powers without a referendum. | A Plaid government next May would also be a mandate for a new devolution settlement from Westminster, she said, including income tax powers without a referendum. |
'Inaction, incompetence and indifference' | 'Inaction, incompetence and indifference' |
Ms Wood said: "I ask people in every corner of the country: take another look at Plaid Cymru. | Ms Wood said: "I ask people in every corner of the country: take another look at Plaid Cymru. |
"We have listened. We know you want a party that will lead on those issues that matter most. | "We have listened. We know you want a party that will lead on those issues that matter most. |
"Your hospital, your school, your workplace, your community." | "Your hospital, your school, your workplace, your community." |
Seeking to contrast First Minister Carwyn Jones's record with the "kinder politics" promised by Labour's new UK leader Jeremy Corbyn, she said: "There has been nothing kind about seventeen years of unbroken Labour rule in Wales. | Seeking to contrast First Minister Carwyn Jones's record with the "kinder politics" promised by Labour's new UK leader Jeremy Corbyn, she said: "There has been nothing kind about seventeen years of unbroken Labour rule in Wales. |
"They have taken people for granted here and rewarded long-term loyalty with inaction, incompetence and indifference." | "They have taken people for granted here and rewarded long-term loyalty with inaction, incompetence and indifference." |
Plaid Cymru is currently the third party in Cardiff Bay, with 11 seats compared to 30 for Labour and 14 for the Conservatives, with the Lib Dems on five. | Plaid Cymru is currently the third party in Cardiff Bay, with 11 seats compared to 30 for Labour and 14 for the Conservatives, with the Lib Dems on five. |
Earlier there was controversy when Ms Wood admitted to BBC Radio Wales she could not give a figure on the costs of Plaid's plans to merge health and social care. | Earlier there was controversy when Ms Wood admitted to BBC Radio Wales she could not give a figure on the costs of Plaid's plans to merge health and social care. |
The party is planning to publish a full alternative budget before the election. | The party is planning to publish a full alternative budget before the election. |
'Strong team' | 'Strong team' |
On the prospect of coming to power, Ms Wood told BBC Wales before her speech: "I want to see a Plaid Cymru government. | On the prospect of coming to power, Ms Wood told BBC Wales before her speech: "I want to see a Plaid Cymru government. |
"Now I accept that forming a majority is difficult, because of the system that we have, but a Plaid Cymru minority administration would have to work with other parties in order to gets its budget and its programme through." | "Now I accept that forming a majority is difficult, because of the system that we have, but a Plaid Cymru minority administration would have to work with other parties in order to gets its budget and its programme through." |
Plaid entered government for the first time in coalition with Labour in Cardiff Bay between 2007 and 2011, under Ms Wood's predecessor Ieuan Wyn Jones. | Plaid entered government for the first time in coalition with Labour in Cardiff Bay between 2007 and 2011, under Ms Wood's predecessor Ieuan Wyn Jones. |
She said she could not rule out forming another coalition with Labour, but said it was "very difficult to see" how Plaid could share power with the Conservatives. | She said she could not rule out forming another coalition with Labour, but said it was "very difficult to see" how Plaid could share power with the Conservatives. |
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also addressed the conference on Friday, saying Ms Wood was "ready and able" to lead Wales as its first minister. | Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also addressed the conference on Friday, saying Ms Wood was "ready and able" to lead Wales as its first minister. |
Analysis by Daniel Davies, BBC Wales political correspondent, at the Plaid Cymru conference | |
Leanne Wood has set her sights high. There were repeated references in her conference speech - and in the speech of warm-up act Nicola Sturgeon - about what she will do if and when she becomes Wales' first minister. | |
First, she needs to convince lots of Labour voters to switch allegiance to Plaid Cymru. | |
Opinion polls and recent election results suggest that will be an uphill task. | |
To try to turn that situation around, she's trying to build the case that Labour has failed Wales, in particular in the way it's overseen the health service since 1999. | |
Meanwhile, Labour claims Plaid's health policies don't add up, while the Conservatives ask if Ms Wood has such a low opinion of Labour, why have the two parties been happy to work together in Cardiff Bay? |