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Plaid Cymru 'cannot out-Corbyn Corbyn', says Simon Thomas Plaid Cymru 'cannot out-Corbyn Corbyn', says Simon Thomas
(35 minutes later)
Plaid Cymru cannot "out-Corbyn" Corbyn, a senior party AM has told his party's conference. Plaid Cymru cannot "out-Corbyn" Corbyn, a senior assembly member has told his party's conference.
Simon Thomas's comments will be seen as a call for Plaid, led by left-winger Leanne Wood, to reposition itself. Simon Thomas's reference to the Labour leader will be seen as a call for Plaid, led by left-winger Leanne Wood, to move towards the centre ground.
The end of Plaid Cymru's co-operation agreement with Labour was a chance for a "new start" for the party, Mr Thomas said. He said the end of Plaid's co-operation agreement with Labour was a chance for a "new start" for the party.
Earlier Rhun ap Iorwerth said the party had felt "powerless" during the general election campaign. Earlier, AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said Plaid had felt "powerless" during the general election campaign.
At the conference in Caernarfon, Mr Thomas said Plaid was right to strike a deal with Labour after last year's assembly election. The deal, known as the Compact, had brought stability to the Welsh Government, he said. Mr Thomas told the conference in Caernarfon on Friday that Plaid was right to strike a deal with Labour after the 2016 Welsh Assembly election.
But now that the agreement had ceased, the AM for Mid and West Wales said: "This can be a new start for Plaid Cymru." The deal - known as the "compact" - had brought stability to the Welsh Government, he said.
"Where do we go? There's no point out-Corbyning Corbyn. Our future is making Wales' future," Mr Thomas told the conference. But now that the agreement had ceased, the Mid and West Wales AM said: "This can be a new start for Plaid Cymru.
Mr Thomas said Plaid should "stand firm on solid nationalist ground". "Where do we go? There's no point out-Corbyning Corbyn.
In a speech, Mr ap Iorwerth told party delegates: "The snap election this year was challenging. It was difficult seeing Wales following British, or to be more specific English, voting patterns. "Our future is making Wales' future."
"Two-party politics dominating, a feeling we were under siege, powerless sometimes," said the AM for Ynys Mon. He called for Plaid Cymru to "stand firm on solid nationalist ground".
"But remember in the middle of that, a young man from Lampeter was elected, the youngest Plaid Cymru MP ever and the party again reaching its highest ever level or MPs." In his speech earlier, Mr ap Iorwerth told party delegates that the snap general election in June had been "challenging" for Plaid Cymru.
"It was difficult seeing Wales following British or - to be more specific - English, voting patterns," the Ynys Mon AM said.
"Two-party politics dominating, a feeling we were under siege, powerless sometimes.
"But remember in the middle of that, a young man from Lampeter was elected [Ben Lake in Ceredigion], the youngest Plaid Cymru MP ever and the party again reaching its highest ever level of MPs."
He added: "A newly confident Wales needs a newly confident Plaid Cymru."He added: "A newly confident Wales needs a newly confident Plaid Cymru."
Meanwhile, Ms Wood said a total of £30m should be spent protecting firms from possible damage from Brexit over the next two years. Ahead of her keynote speech to the conference on Friday, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood called for the setting up of a £30m fund over two years to protect Welsh firms from possible damage from Brexit.
The party leader, who will address the conference at 1400 BST, said the Brexit Preparedness Fund could help "mitigate any Brexit shock". Small to medium-sized firms (SMEs) in particular should get specialised help and financial assistance, she said.
Mainly small to medium-sized firms (SMEs) should get specialised help and financial assistance, she said.
Plaid have already agreed a £5m scheme in a budget deal with Labour ministers.Plaid have already agreed a £5m scheme in a budget deal with Labour ministers.
Ms Wood warned that if UK-EU trade talks failed, and Welsh ministers had "no plan" to deal with the consequences, "Welsh nationhood" was at risk.Ms Wood warned that if UK-EU trade talks failed, and Welsh ministers had "no plan" to deal with the consequences, "Welsh nationhood" was at risk.
"One such measure is a Brexit Preparedness Fund designed to help businesses evaluate their exposure to Brexit and then receive specialist advice and financial assistance," she said.
Brexit 'should be ratified'
In an interview with BBC Radio Wales, Ms Wood said the final outcome of the negotiations should be ratified by either a referendum or a vote of AMs.In an interview with BBC Radio Wales, Ms Wood said the final outcome of the negotiations should be ratified by either a referendum or a vote of AMs.
She told the Good Morning Wales programme: "Whatever deal is finally agreed, whether it is a deal or it isn't a deal, I think it should be ratified either by people in a referendum or by people's representatives in the Welsh Parliament.She told the Good Morning Wales programme: "Whatever deal is finally agreed, whether it is a deal or it isn't a deal, I think it should be ratified either by people in a referendum or by people's representatives in the Welsh Parliament.
"If there is a deal that is going to be damaging and risky then people deserve to have a say and endorse or not that deal.""If there is a deal that is going to be damaging and risky then people deserve to have a say and endorse or not that deal."
The Rhondda AM has insisted she will lead the party at the next assembly election in 2021 and that she has the backing of the membership.The Rhondda AM has insisted she will lead the party at the next assembly election in 2021 and that she has the backing of the membership.
She said she was "quite pleased with the result" of the general election, which saw the party's number of MPs rise from three to four.
Her comments follows reports of disquiet among some Plaid Cymru AMs over whether she should lead the party for another four years.Her comments follows reports of disquiet among some Plaid Cymru AMs over whether she should lead the party for another four years.
Plaid lost 14 deposits and its vote share fell in June's general election, but it won an extra parliamentary seat meaning it now has four MPs at Westminster. Suspended Plaid Cymru AM Neil McEvoy has dismissed suggestions he was planning a leadership challenge as "nonsense", saying he backed Ms Wood "100%".
He was holding a fringe meeting at the conference on Friday, setting out what he described as a "clear vision for Plaid".