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Plaid's 'biggest party' challenge Iwan's Plaid doorstep challenge
(about 2 hours later)
The president of Plaid Cymru is to challenge his party to achieve the largest membership of any political party in Wales. Plaid Cymru's president Dafydd Iwan has set out his vision of connecting with voters on a local level in the run-up to next May's assembly elections.
Dafydd Iwan is expected to reveal his vision for more inclusive governance on the third day of the Plaid conference. Mr Iwan said Plaid would concentrate on local campaigning "because your doorstep is where it matters".
He will outline a choice for the people of Wales at the assembly elections next year - between a Cardiff-centred Labour and Plaid's "Wales-wide vision". Addressing the Swansea conference, Mr Iwan set out a programme attacking the government on Iraq, nuclear weapons and its abandoned police service reform.
On Friday, Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said party needed to "inspire people". He said he wanted them to create "a better community...and a fairer world".
In a speech delivered bilingually, the president outlined his party's vision of connecting with local communities.
He said: "Politics has become a remote pastime, practised by the chosen few in far away places.
If the powers of the assembly are insufficient we will not rest until Wales has its own proper parliament so that we can complete the work, Dafydd Iwan
"Plaid Cymru believes that politics belongs to the people, healthy politics is about you, your family, your friends and your community and your nation."
Mr Iwan also said Plaid Cymru has "great ambitions for Wales".
"We believe in creating in Wales a new patriotism that brings us together in a common mission - a new bargain between the people and their country - a social contract to equip us for the 21st Century.
He said the party wants to "create a new, inclusive, progressive, civic-based and outward looking nationalism".
The president also appealed for individual donations to the party's election fighting fund, saying the party could not depend on the sponsorship of big business or trade unions but it could depend on the people of Wales.
'Inspire people'
"If the powers of the assembly are insufficient we will not rest until Wales has its own proper parliament so that we can complete the work," said Mr Iwan.
On Friday, Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said the party needed to "inspire people".
Mr Jones also told delegates that the "time had come" for the party to be in government.Mr Jones also told delegates that the "time had come" for the party to be in government.
The conference is the last chance for members to gather en masse before the assembly elections next spring. The party's honorary president Dafydd Wigley is also expected to tell the conference that Plaid is a party for the whole of Wales.
I think there's a feeling throughout Wales that we should have an assembly government that is relevant to the whole of Wales. Dafydd Wigley
Mr Iwan is expected to attack the "rudderless assembly administration" that he will describe as being fixed on centralising power in Cardiff Bay.
He will call on the party to offer an alternative government that seeks to empower local communities and take the politics back to the people.
The Plaid president will tell delegates the test of whether they have succeeded will come at the assembly elections in 2007.
The party's honorary president Dafydd Wigley will also tell the conference that Plaid is a party for the whole of Wales.
He told BBC Wales he would mainly be speaking about the development of jobs and boosting the country's economy.He told BBC Wales he would mainly be speaking about the development of jobs and boosting the country's economy.
Raft of areasRaft of areas
He said: "I think there's a feeling throughout Wales that we should have an assembly government that is relevant to the whole of Wales.He said: "I think there's a feeling throughout Wales that we should have an assembly government that is relevant to the whole of Wales.
"In this conference we've rolled out programmes in a whole raft of areas... but policies that are relevant to people in their communities, and that's what matters.""In this conference we've rolled out programmes in a whole raft of areas... but policies that are relevant to people in their communities, and that's what matters."
Ieuan Wyn Jones told the Swansea conference on Friday: ""We need a fresh start for Wales and inspire our people that things can be different on their doorsteps." Ieuan Wyn Jones told the Swansea conference on Friday: "We need a fresh start for Wales and inspire our people that things can be different on their doorsteps."
His 35-minute speech was in contrast to Plaid's troubles after the 2003 election when he resigned from the party's presidency after a poor assembly election.His 35-minute speech was in contrast to Plaid's troubles after the 2003 election when he resigned from the party's presidency after a poor assembly election.
His address was followed by a five-minute ovation.