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| Plaid Cymru: Rhun ap Iorwerth elected leader unopposed | Plaid Cymru: Rhun ap Iorwerth elected leader unopposed |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rhun ap Iorwerth has been elected unopposed as leader of Plaid Cymru | Rhun ap Iorwerth has been elected unopposed as leader of Plaid Cymru |
| Rhun ap Iorwerth has been elected unopposed as the new leader of Plaid Cymru, a month after the dramatic resignation of Adam Price. | |
| He was the only candidate for the vacancy triggered by a damning report alleging bullying, harassment and misogyny. | He was the only candidate for the vacancy triggered by a damning report alleging bullying, harassment and misogyny. |
| The new leader vowed to make Plaid a "welcoming party where everyone feels safe". | The new leader vowed to make Plaid a "welcoming party where everyone feels safe". |
| The former BBC journalist represents Ynys Môn in the Senedd. | The former BBC journalist represents Ynys Môn in the Senedd. |
| Plaid is the Welsh Parliament's third largest party with 12 seats. It also has three MPs in Westminster. | |
| Plaid is in a co-operation deal with the Welsh government, where Labour ministers have agreed to implement some of Plaid's policies in return for votes in the Senedd. | |
| The announcement follows months of problems in the party and claims of a toxic culture, while last November an allegation of sexual assault was made against a senior member of staff. | The announcement follows months of problems in the party and claims of a toxic culture, while last November an allegation of sexual assault was made against a senior member of staff. |
| It led to the Project Pawb report by former Senedd member Nerys Evans, which found "too many instances of bad behaviour in the party". | It led to the Project Pawb report by former Senedd member Nerys Evans, which found "too many instances of bad behaviour in the party". |
| A Plaid Cymru Senedd member was separately suspended last year - pending an investigation - following a serious allegation about his conduct. | A Plaid Cymru Senedd member was separately suspended last year - pending an investigation - following a serious allegation about his conduct. |
| Who is Rhun ap Iorwerth? | Who is Rhun ap Iorwerth? |
| Plaid Cymru leader quits after damning report | Plaid Cymru leader quits after damning report |
| Probe finds bullying and misogyny culture in Plaid | Probe finds bullying and misogyny culture in Plaid |
| Plaid Cymru: Who is Rhun ap Iorwerth? | Plaid Cymru: Who is Rhun ap Iorwerth? |
| Plaid Cymru: Who is Rhun ap Iorwerth? | Plaid Cymru: Who is Rhun ap Iorwerth? |
| Speaking at the St David's Hotel in Cardiff Bay, Rhun ap Iorwerth committed to the co-operation agreement and said it showed "a glimpse from opposition of what we could achieve in government". | |
| "But to be the champions that Wales needs, we have to be fit as a party and ready to face the challenges ahead," he said. | "But to be the champions that Wales needs, we have to be fit as a party and ready to face the challenges ahead," he said. |
| "And I'm determined that we will be, and I will be uncompromising in making this a welcoming party where everyone feels safe and supported and empowered to play their parts." | "And I'm determined that we will be, and I will be uncompromising in making this a welcoming party where everyone feels safe and supported and empowered to play their parts." |
| The Anglesey politician was the only candidate for the role. | The Anglesey politician was the only candidate for the role. |
| That was despite former leader Leanne Wood saying the new leader should be a woman. | That was despite former leader Leanne Wood saying the new leader should be a woman. |
| Shortly after her intervention on BBC Wales Live, the two remaining potential candidates ruled themselves out. | Shortly after her intervention on BBC Wales Live, the two remaining potential candidates ruled themselves out. |
| Earlier, former Plaid Cymru Senedd member Bethan Sayed said not enough was done in the party to make women feel confident about standing. | |
| She told BBC Radio Wales: "Sometimes we need other people to approach certain candidates - or as Leanne Wood would like to have seen in this case, a woman - to say 'what can we do to help you?', 'how can we nurture you, put a team around you to put yourself forward in this contest?'" | |
| Rhun ap Iorwerth has represented Ynys Mon in the Senedd since 2013 | Rhun ap Iorwerth has represented Ynys Mon in the Senedd since 2013 |
| First Minister Mark Drakeford welcomed the announcement and said he looked forward "to a constructive working relationship". | First Minister Mark Drakeford welcomed the announcement and said he looked forward "to a constructive working relationship". |
| Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, mocked the new leader in his statement welcoming the announcement. | Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, mocked the new leader in his statement welcoming the announcement. |
| "I'd like to congratulate Rhun on his appointment as leader of the third largest party in Wales," he said. | "I'd like to congratulate Rhun on his appointment as leader of the third largest party in Wales," he said. |
| "Although the reason the change of leadership came about was because of the previous Plaid leadership's inability to tackle issues within their party. As Rhun was the deputy leader in that team, what's changed?" | "Although the reason the change of leadership came about was because of the previous Plaid leadership's inability to tackle issues within their party. As Rhun was the deputy leader in that team, what's changed?" |
| Rhun ap Iorwerth has represented the constituency of Ynys Môn - which covers the Island of Anglesey - since 2013. | |
| The former BBC Wales political correspondent had previously attempted to become party leader in 2018, when he was beaten by Adam Price. | |
| As the party leader has to be a member of the Senedd, it is expected that Rhun ap Iorwerth will give up his Westminster candidacy in the seat of Ynys Mon. | As the party leader has to be a member of the Senedd, it is expected that Rhun ap Iorwerth will give up his Westminster candidacy in the seat of Ynys Mon. |
| Analysis by David Deans - BBC Wales political reporter | Analysis by David Deans - BBC Wales political reporter |
| Rhun ap Iorwerth is taking over Plaid Cymru in the absence of a public debate about the party's future and after weeks of near-radio silence from his colleagues. | Rhun ap Iorwerth is taking over Plaid Cymru in the absence of a public debate about the party's future and after weeks of near-radio silence from his colleagues. |
| He becomes leader with no detailed plans for what he will do - his campaign amounting to a short social media video issued a few weeks ago. | He becomes leader with no detailed plans for what he will do - his campaign amounting to a short social media video issued a few weeks ago. |
| And apart from a tweet here and there, there have been few big interventions from party figures. | And apart from a tweet here and there, there have been few big interventions from party figures. |
| It all gives the impression of a party that did not have the appetite for the theatre of a leadership campaign, given everything that has happened. | It all gives the impression of a party that did not have the appetite for the theatre of a leadership campaign, given everything that has happened. |
| The task facing Rhun ap Iorwerth is enormous. Plaid remains vexed by the question of how to break out of its heartlands in north and west Wales. | The task facing Rhun ap Iorwerth is enormous. Plaid remains vexed by the question of how to break out of its heartlands in north and west Wales. |
| To ever have a chance of unseating Labour in Wales it has to win seats in urban Wales. | To ever have a chance of unseating Labour in Wales it has to win seats in urban Wales. |
| But with the party's internal problems out in the open, the hard politics of the ballot box are taking a backseat. | But with the party's internal problems out in the open, the hard politics of the ballot box are taking a backseat. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Wales | Wales |
| Plaid Cymru | Plaid Cymru |