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Plaid Cymru to publish post-Welsh assembly election review Party review proposes new English name for Plaid Cymru
(about 9 hours later)
Plaid Cymru is set to publish a review into the party that was launched after its poor result at last year's Welsh assembly election. Plaid Cymru should consider adopting the Welsh National Party as its English name, according to a party review.
It will contain recommendations on how Plaid should move on after losing seats in Cardiff Bay. Commissioned after disappointing results at last year's Welsh assembly election, the review says Plaid needs to deal with a perception that it is a party for Welsh speakers.
The review has been led by Plaid's economic policy adviser, Eurfyl ap Gwilym. It says Plaid should be clearer about its goal of Welsh independence.
He and party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones will unveil the findings at the party's Cardiff headquarters on Tuesday. There has been a "lack of clarity" over Plaid's constitutional policy, it says.
The exercise was started after Plaid fell to third place in the Senedd behind the Conservatives. The review by party grandees started after Plaid lost its status as the assembly's second-largest party and slipped behind the Conservatives at last May's election.
It comes as four candidates are in the running to succeed Mr Jones, who announced he would stand down as leader in the wake of the election. They heard feedback that Labour presented itself as the Welsh party while Plaid was seen as the Welsh speaking party.
Assembly Members Simon Thomas, Leanne Wood, Elin Jones and Lord Elis-Thomas have thrown their hats in the ring. On the potentially controversial name change, the review says: "A question that needs to be considered is whether or not the party adopts the name Welsh National Party as its English name. It is suggested that the party considers this matter."
Nominations close on 26 January and the winner will be announced on 15 March. It says Plaid needs to "clarify its understanding of what it means by decentralised socialism" and differentiate itself from what it calls the "statist approach of the other parties and in particular the Labour Party".
Independence
Plaid should set out a "route map" towards its constitutional goal of an independent Wales within the EU - an ambition formally adopted as party policy last year.
Failing to articulate the party's vision might give the impression that Plaid is not prepared to discuss its principal constitutional goal "which, in turn, can give rise both to confusion and suspicion regarding the party's constitutional agenda".
The findings of the review - led by Plaid's economic policy adviser, Eurfyl ap Gwilym - comes as four candidates bid to succeed Ieuan Wyn Jones as the party's leader. Mr Jones announced he would stand down in the wake of the election.
The review says 2011 "was a year both of achievement and disappointment" when Plaid lost seats in the Senedd, but when Wales voted in favour of direct law-making powers for the assembly.
Plaid AM Jocelyn Davies, one of the six review members, said: "While Plaid Cymru has set the political agenda in Wales over many decades it has not capitalised on the increase in Welsh identity and the growing support for the people of Wales having greater control over their own affairs."
She said Plaid was in danger of having "magnolia policies - offend no-one, excite no-one".
The lack of electoral progress has been a "major problem" with "no sustained political or organisational effort" in seats where Welsh speakers are a minority, the review says.
It makes 95 recommendations, include suggestions to improve policy formation, building coalitions with other parties, campaigning and the party's structure.