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Plaid suspends Welsh Labour talks Plaid accuses Labour of arrogance
(about 12 hours later)
Plaid Cymru has suspended talks with Welsh Labour and will continue discussions for a Plaid-led coalition government. Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones has accused Welsh Labour of "arrogance" and a "luke warm approach" after pulling out of talks over a power-broking deal.
Labour is five seats short of an overall majority in the Welsh assembly and had hoped Plaid would agree to help it stay in power. Mr Jones said discussions would continue with the Conservatives and Lib Dems about an "exciting" programme for a Plaid-led assembly government.
Plaid will now continue talks on a coalition with the Tories and Lib Dems, which would leave Labour in opposition. But a statement from four of Plaid's 15 AMs said working with the Tories would be a "clash of principles and values".
Welsh Labour leader Rhodri Morgan said he was extremely disappointed.Welsh Labour leader Rhodri Morgan said he was extremely disappointed.
Plaid's decision came after a lengthy meeting on Tuesday in which the party's assembly group considered two proposals - one from Labour and the other from the Tories and the Lib Dems. Labour is five seats short of an overall majority in the Welsh assembly.
Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said that the document with the proposals for forming a coalition with the Tories and Lib Dems "offered the best prospect of getting an agreement". The party had hoped Plaid would agree to help it stay in power, but talks broke down on Tuesday.
Plaid's decision came after a five hour meeting in which the party's assembly group considered two proposals - one from Labour and the other from the Tories and the Lib Dems.
Ieuan Wyn Jones said he was "absolutely confident" of getting an agreement on the document with proposals for forming a coalition with the Tories and Lib Dems.
He said that Labour's proposal was "very late and had a number of questions that remained unanswered".He said that Labour's proposal was "very late and had a number of questions that remained unanswered".
We are committed to continuing talks with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats Nick Bourne, Tory AMWe are committed to continuing talks with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats Nick Bourne, Tory AM
He also said that because Labour had not succeeded, he felt that it was now his responsibility to try and form a government. Mr Jones said a Plaid-led government would deliver an "exciting and radical programme for government" that would make a real difference to the lives of people in Wales.
"A Plaid-led government will deliver an exciting and radical programme for government and will make a real difference to the lives of the people of Wales," he said. "People will really be excited by it because it will do enormous things for the health service, for education.. and for the environment," he said. "This is a new way of doing things. We want to face this in a mature, responsible way and I am confident that when people see the programme that we have got together they will be able to support it. "I would not be in these discussions unless I felt that a very progressive programme could be agreed between the parties."
If the agreed programme gets passed in crucial meetings of each of the Welsh parties over the next few days, it would see Ieuan Wyn Jones elected as the new First Minister for Wales at a special session of the Welsh assembly next week. But four Plaid AMs, Leanne Wood, Bethan Jenkins, Helen Mary Jones and Nerys Evans, issued a statement opposing any deal with the Conservatives.
This would put nationalist First Ministers in charge of both Wales and Scotland for the first time since the devolution of power across the UK in 1999. Ms Jones, a senior party figure and the party's health spokeswoman before the May election, said she had not met one person in her Llanelli constituency who was in favour and said it would cause "electoral damage".
She said: "This clash of principles and values makes any plan of government we put in place very vunerable."
HOW THE ASSEMBLY STANDS Labour - 26 seatsPlaid Cymru - 15Conservatives - 12Liberal Democrats - 6Independent - 1
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, Ms Jones said Plaid did not have "enough in common" with the Conservatives in terms of long-term principles and values to be able to put together a "truly sustainable prgramme of government".
"We also believe that in many of the communities... the legacy of what happened in the '80s and '90s is still very sharply felt by people and that there would be electoral damage to Plaid Cymru if we came to this agreement."
Ms Jones added that others in the party who she would not name agreed with them.
If the agreed programme gets passed in crucial meetings of each of the Welsh parties over the next few days, it would see Mr Jones elected as the new first minister for Wales at a special session of the Welsh assembly next week.
This would put nationalist first ministers in charge of both Wales and Scotland for the first time since the devolution of power across the UK in 1999.
Good faith
It would also result in the first Conservative ministers anywhere in Britain since 1997.It would also result in the first Conservative ministers anywhere in Britain since 1997.
Reaction
Rhodri Morgan said he was extremely surprised at Plaid and said allegations Labour had been "tardy" in responding to Plaid were not true.Rhodri Morgan said he was extremely surprised at Plaid and said allegations Labour had been "tardy" in responding to Plaid were not true.
"We have been negotiating in good faith," he said."We have been negotiating in good faith," he said.
HOW THE ASSEMBLY STANDS Labour - 26 seatsPlaid Cymru - 15Conservatives - 12Liberal Democrats - 6Independent - 1
"But really it goes deeper than that - it is about Plaid allowing or even encouraging Tory ministers back into running public services.""But really it goes deeper than that - it is about Plaid allowing or even encouraging Tory ministers back into running public services."
He added that if Plaid worked with Labour, it would be more likely to see its policies progress.He added that if Plaid worked with Labour, it would be more likely to see its policies progress.
"We are a channel to Westminster where you need a bit of help from the Westminster end and obviously, if we are in opposition, we are not in a position to do that.""We are a channel to Westminster where you need a bit of help from the Westminster end and obviously, if we are in opposition, we are not in a position to do that."
The Plaid group met for several hours on Tuesday afternoon
Nick Bourne, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said Mr Jones's decision to suspend talks with Labour, was "a significant development which makes a non-Labour administration governing Wales a real possibility".Nick Bourne, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said Mr Jones's decision to suspend talks with Labour, was "a significant development which makes a non-Labour administration governing Wales a real possibility".
"Welsh Conservatives have always argued for the need to establish stable, lasting government in the National Assembly."Welsh Conservatives have always argued for the need to establish stable, lasting government in the National Assembly.
"We are committed to continuing talks with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats to achieve that.""We are committed to continuing talks with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats to achieve that."
Lib Dem leader Mike German said he also welcomed the announcement. Lib Dem leader Mike German also welcomed the announcement.
It is with regret that we do not agree with the decision made in our group meeting Leanne Wood AM
"Now we are all focused on a single outcome, I hope we can hammer out the remaining issues both on what we will do together, and how we will achieve it, in order to put forward a plan to each of our parties to consider," he said."Now we are all focused on a single outcome, I hope we can hammer out the remaining issues both on what we will do together, and how we will achieve it, in order to put forward a plan to each of our parties to consider," he said.
"Each of us is committed to giving Wales a fresh start. This announcement has taken us another step in that direction.""Each of us is committed to giving Wales a fresh start. This announcement has taken us another step in that direction."
Opposition .
However, within minutes of Plaid's announcement on Tuesday night, a group of Plaid AMs released a statement issuing their opposition to a rainbow coalition.
Leanne Wood, Bethan Jenkins, Helen Mary Jones and Nerys Evans said they were against a coalition with the Tories.
The Plaid group met for several hours on Tuesday afternoon
Ms Wood said: "It is with regret that we do not agree with the decision made in our group meeting. We respectfully disagree.
"We fought this election on a platform to deliver a proper Parliament for our nation. A deal with the Conservatives would undermine the chance of delivering that goal."
Helen Mary Jones added there was a clash of values and principles between Plaid and the Tories, and that the AMs who opposed the move had thought "long and hard about making a public statement".
"But, we think it is now right that we seek to convince our members to oppose what we believe would be a mistaken decision," she said.
Discussions
On Monday, Ieuan Wyn Jones had warned he could halt talks with Welsh Labour saying he was "disappointed" at the party's "lack of enthusiasm" for an agreement.
He gave Welsh Labour leader Rhodri Morgan a deadline of Tuesday afternoon to move on certain issues.
Mr Jones and Mr Morgan held further talks at lunchtime to try to strike a deal, before Mr Jones entered separate negotiations with Mr Bourne and Mr German.
The Conservative AMs also met on met on Tuesday afternoon and will meet again on Wednesday morning.
Five key meetings over the next four days must all approve any deal between Plaid, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats' assembly group and national executive meet in Llandrindod Wells on Wednesday evening, before a special party conference in the town on Saturday.
The Welsh Conservatives' management board approval would be needed when it also meets in Llandrindod Wells on Wednesday evening.
And there are two key Plaid Cymru meetings - the party executive in Cardiff on Thursday and national council in Aberystwyth on Saturday.
A new first minister must be nominated by 30 May to avoid another election.