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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Lib Dems vote to revive alliance | Lib Dems vote to revive alliance |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Assembly Government is possible again after Lib Dems voted to revive a coalition plan with other opposition parties. | A Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Assembly Government is possible again after Lib Dems voted to revive a coalition plan with other opposition parties. |
| A special Liberal Democrat meeting has voted 125-77 to resume talks once more. | A special Liberal Democrat meeting has voted 125-77 to resume talks once more. |
| It came only days after an opposition "rainbow alliance" seemed to collapse, which led to Labour's Rhodri Morgan being reappointed first minister. | It came only days after an opposition "rainbow alliance" seemed to collapse, which led to Labour's Rhodri Morgan being reappointed first minister. |
| Plaid Cymru welcomed the U-turn and will meet to consider a response, and Lib Dem Mike German was "delighted". | |
| A jubilant Mr German, who leads the Lib Dem assembly group, said he was "proud" of his party. | |
| Mr German said: "The ball is firmly in Plaid Cymru's court". | |
| Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said: "This means that a range of outcomes are back on the table, including a Plaid-led government". | Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said: "This means that a range of outcomes are back on the table, including a Plaid-led government". |
| Plaid is to hold a special meeting of its national council to consider what it should do next. | Plaid is to hold a special meeting of its national council to consider what it should do next. |
| "Plaid Cymru has today put structures in place to reach a conclusion over the next few weeks," said Mr Jones. | "Plaid Cymru has today put structures in place to reach a conclusion over the next few weeks," said Mr Jones. |
| Saturday's conference in Llandrindod Wells had been cancelled, but was back on after 20 requests from grassroots Lib Dems. | Saturday's conference in Llandrindod Wells had been cancelled, but was back on after 20 requests from grassroots Lib Dems. |
| I remain of the belief that a non-Labour alternative in Cardiff is important to bring a sense of direction to government in Wales and a sense of direction to our country Nick Bourne, Conservative | I remain of the belief that a non-Labour alternative in Cardiff is important to bring a sense of direction to government in Wales and a sense of direction to our country Nick Bourne, Conservative |
| Conservative assembly group leader Nick Bourne said the Lib Dem vote was "clearly a much more accurate representation of the views of Liberal Democrat members than that of their split executive earlier this week". | Conservative assembly group leader Nick Bourne said the Lib Dem vote was "clearly a much more accurate representation of the views of Liberal Democrat members than that of their split executive earlier this week". |
| Mr Bourne said: "I congratulate them on this result and am sure that opposition parties will want to reflect on it before discussing it further. | Mr Bourne said: "I congratulate them on this result and am sure that opposition parties will want to reflect on it before discussing it further. |
| "I remain of the belief that a non-Labour alternative in Cardiff is important to bring a sense of direction to government in Wales and a sense of direction to our country." | "I remain of the belief that a non-Labour alternative in Cardiff is important to bring a sense of direction to government in Wales and a sense of direction to our country." |
| But a spokesman for Welsh Labour said it would "stick to the promise it made to the people of Wales yesterday when Rhodri Morgan was confirmed as first minister". | But a spokesman for Welsh Labour said it would "stick to the promise it made to the people of Wales yesterday when Rhodri Morgan was confirmed as first minister". |
| A Labour spokesman said: "We will reach across traditional party lines, appeal to progressives within Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats and govern in the interest of the people of Wales." | A Labour spokesman said: "We will reach across traditional party lines, appeal to progressives within Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats and govern in the interest of the people of Wales." |
| The latest Lib Dem vote followed three weeks of intense discussion after the 3 May assembly election. Labour won 26 of the 60 seats, with Plaid on 15, Conservatives 12, Lib Dems six, and one independent. | The latest Lib Dem vote followed three weeks of intense discussion after the 3 May assembly election. Labour won 26 of the 60 seats, with Plaid on 15, Conservatives 12, Lib Dems six, and one independent. |
| 'Keep your promises' | 'Keep your promises' |
| Labour was forced to seek talks with the other parties, but Lib Dems withdrew. Lib Dems then pulled out of discussions with Plaid and the Tories - until the latest twist revived the possibility of a non-Labour assembly government. | Labour was forced to seek talks with the other parties, but Lib Dems withdrew. Lib Dems then pulled out of discussions with Plaid and the Tories - until the latest twist revived the possibility of a non-Labour assembly government. |
| However, the latest Lib Dem decision came a day after Mr Morgan returned to Wales's top post on Friday for the third time at a special session in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay. | However, the latest Lib Dem decision came a day after Mr Morgan returned to Wales's top post on Friday for the third time at a special session in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay. |
| Just hours before Mr Morgan's nomination, Welsh Lib Dem assembly leader Mike German insisted it was still possible his party would join Plaid and the Tories to form a non-Labour assembly government. | Just hours before Mr Morgan's nomination, Welsh Lib Dem assembly leader Mike German insisted it was still possible his party would join Plaid and the Tories to form a non-Labour assembly government. |
| Before Saturday's yes vote, Mr German said he would be campaigning "very strongly" in favour. | Before Saturday's yes vote, Mr German said he would be campaigning "very strongly" in favour. |
| "I say to them, if you want to keep your promises to the people of Wales where we said that we would work with other parties to form a stable government, based upon a programme with a Liberal Democrat flavour, then that's what we should be doing (on Saturday)." | "I say to them, if you want to keep your promises to the people of Wales where we said that we would work with other parties to form a stable government, based upon a programme with a Liberal Democrat flavour, then that's what we should be doing (on Saturday)." |
| He said his party could not say it believed in proportional representation, but then "can't hack PR when it comes to it." | He said his party could not say it believed in proportional representation, but then "can't hack PR when it comes to it." |
| 'Progressive people' | 'Progressive people' |
| Analysts believe Mr Morgan's strategy in the coming weeks and months will be to seek to undermine links Lib Dem and Plaid politicians have established with the Tories. | Analysts believe Mr Morgan's strategy in the coming weeks and months will be to seek to undermine links Lib Dem and Plaid politicians have established with the Tories. |
| Mr Morgan hopes that those Plaid and Lib Dem AMs who fought against an alliance with Conservatives will help his plan. | Mr Morgan hopes that those Plaid and Lib Dem AMs who fought against an alliance with Conservatives will help his plan. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4 before Saturday's vote, Mr Morgan said he wanted to work with "progressive people there who want to work with Labour and want to stop the Tories from coming back in". | Speaking on BBC Radio 4 before Saturday's vote, Mr Morgan said he wanted to work with "progressive people there who want to work with Labour and want to stop the Tories from coming back in". |
| He told the Today programme that Labour would seek "early consultations" with other parties on budget matters. | He told the Today programme that Labour would seek "early consultations" with other parties on budget matters. |
| "Where your (Plaid or Lib Dem) manifesto says the same thing as ours, roughly speaking, well, let's move ahead," he said. | "Where your (Plaid or Lib Dem) manifesto says the same thing as ours, roughly speaking, well, let's move ahead," he said. |
| Mr Morgan suggested that affordable housing and the environment were issues Labour could work on with Plaid and Lib Dems, and "keep the Tories out". | Mr Morgan suggested that affordable housing and the environment were issues Labour could work on with Plaid and Lib Dems, and "keep the Tories out". |