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Plaid Cymru leader will fight next assembly election in Labour heartland Plaid Cymru leader will fight next assembly election in Labour heartland
(7 months later)
She has never fought shy of bold comments about subjects ranging from the monarchy to nuclear missiles and her attacks on the main Westminster parties are often painfully blunt.She has never fought shy of bold comments about subjects ranging from the monarchy to nuclear missiles and her attacks on the main Westminster parties are often painfully blunt.
But Leanne Wood, the leader of Plaid Cymru, marked the first year of her time in charge of the Welsh nationalists by making what might be her most dramatic political statement yet: at the next assembly election she will put her own position on the line and fight Labour in one of its heartlands – the Rhondda valley.But Leanne Wood, the leader of Plaid Cymru, marked the first year of her time in charge of the Welsh nationalists by making what might be her most dramatic political statement yet: at the next assembly election she will put her own position on the line and fight Labour in one of its heartlands – the Rhondda valley.
Wood said she planned to make Plaid the party of power in Wales. To do that Plaid needs to win in new places, and she is, she says, determined to lead from the front. "I know it's a challenge but I think that if we are to overcome our problems in Wales we are going to have to take bold and brave moves. I hope that this will prompt others to say: 'I can do this, I can win, I can be part of government.'"Wood said she planned to make Plaid the party of power in Wales. To do that Plaid needs to win in new places, and she is, she says, determined to lead from the front. "I know it's a challenge but I think that if we are to overcome our problems in Wales we are going to have to take bold and brave moves. I hope that this will prompt others to say: 'I can do this, I can win, I can be part of government.'"
At the moment Wood is one of 20 "regional" members of the Welsh assembly. But she is intending to stand as one of the 40 constituency members, elected on a first-past-the-post system.At the moment Wood is one of 20 "regional" members of the Welsh assembly. But she is intending to stand as one of the 40 constituency members, elected on a first-past-the-post system.
The current incumbent in the Rhondda is one of the Labour-controlled Welsh government's best known and respected politicians, the education minister Leighton Andrews, who has held the seat since 2003 and last time polled 63% of the votes – double the number Plaid attracted.The current incumbent in the Rhondda is one of the Labour-controlled Welsh government's best known and respected politicians, the education minister Leighton Andrews, who has held the seat since 2003 and last time polled 63% of the votes – double the number Plaid attracted.
Announcing where she is to stand in the Wonder Stuff gift shop and cafe in Treorchy in the Rhondda on Friday, Wood accepted it was a gamble.Announcing where she is to stand in the Wonder Stuff gift shop and cafe in Treorchy in the Rhondda on Friday, Wood accepted it was a gamble.
But she said: "We've got to break through into the constituencies if we are going to become the biggest party. That's the only way we can make sure we can turn around the problems the county has in terms of the economy, health and education."But she said: "We've got to break through into the constituencies if we are going to become the biggest party. That's the only way we can make sure we can turn around the problems the county has in terms of the economy, health and education."
It is no random selection. Wood has lived in the Rhondda all her life, apart from when she was away at university. She says the problems faced by people here – and the sight of closed-down pits, factories, boarded-up shops and dole queues – shaped her political thinking. "I get fired up by this place," she said. "It's natural for me to stand in the place I call my own. This is my home patch and I feel very comfortable here."It is no random selection. Wood has lived in the Rhondda all her life, apart from when she was away at university. She says the problems faced by people here – and the sight of closed-down pits, factories, boarded-up shops and dole queues – shaped her political thinking. "I get fired up by this place," she said. "It's natural for me to stand in the place I call my own. This is my home patch and I feel very comfortable here."
Wood, a former probation officer, was seen as an outsider for the Plaid leadership. Some worried that her strident views – during her campaign she described the Tory-Lib-Dem coalition at Westminster as a "hypercompetitive, imperial/militaristic climate-change-ignoring and privatising government" – might alienate voters. But she romped home and in the 12 months since has continued to raise the profile of Plaid and attract more young people, and more women, to the party.Wood, a former probation officer, was seen as an outsider for the Plaid leadership. Some worried that her strident views – during her campaign she described the Tory-Lib-Dem coalition at Westminster as a "hypercompetitive, imperial/militaristic climate-change-ignoring and privatising government" – might alienate voters. But she romped home and in the 12 months since has continued to raise the profile of Plaid and attract more young people, and more women, to the party.
She may have toned down her act in some ways. This time last year she summed herself up on Twitter as "Plaid Cymru. Welsh Socialist & Republican. Environmentalist. Anti-racist. Feminist. Valleys." Now she is simply: "Leader Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales".She may have toned down her act in some ways. This time last year she summed herself up on Twitter as "Plaid Cymru. Welsh Socialist & Republican. Environmentalist. Anti-racist. Feminist. Valleys." Now she is simply: "Leader Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales".
But she insisted her politics had not changed. "I am radical, I represent a party that has a radical tradition. The politics Wales needs has to be different. The solutions so far haven't worked. I feel the same questions and answers were being rehearsed time and time again. I hope I can bring something fresh and new to the debate."But she insisted her politics had not changed. "I am radical, I represent a party that has a radical tradition. The politics Wales needs has to be different. The solutions so far haven't worked. I feel the same questions and answers were being rehearsed time and time again. I hope I can bring something fresh and new to the debate."
Local party members are surprised at Wood's move, but impressed. Emyr Webster, a local councillor, said he thought it showed courage and leadership. "I think it's brilliant. People like her because she's different. She's not a normal politician."Local party members are surprised at Wood's move, but impressed. Emyr Webster, a local councillor, said he thought it showed courage and leadership. "I think it's brilliant. People like her because she's different. She's not a normal politician."
Cennard Davies, another Plaid councillor, said he could not imagine a Tory, Labour or Lib Dem leader making such a bold gesture. "There are too many career politicians out to get something out of the system rather than putting something in. I was surprised but I admire her guts."Cennard Davies, another Plaid councillor, said he could not imagine a Tory, Labour or Lib Dem leader making such a bold gesture. "There are too many career politicians out to get something out of the system rather than putting something in. I was surprised but I admire her guts."
Labour dominates the local council, Rhondda Cynon Taf, as it has done for most of the last century. Labour's Chris Bryant is the MP here.Labour dominates the local council, Rhondda Cynon Taf, as it has done for most of the last century. Labour's Chris Bryant is the MP here.
It is a big ask for Wood to win here and for Plaid to take power (it currently has 11 seats on the assembly to Labour's 30) but Davies said he believed his party could do very well at the assembly elections in 2016 in the Rhondda and across many parts of Wales, especially if Labour wins power at Westminster and Scotland moves towards independence: "I think politics has become very flexible. I think there could be a surprise in Wales in 2016."It is a big ask for Wood to win here and for Plaid to take power (it currently has 11 seats on the assembly to Labour's 30) but Davies said he believed his party could do very well at the assembly elections in 2016 in the Rhondda and across many parts of Wales, especially if Labour wins power at Westminster and Scotland moves towards independence: "I think politics has become very flexible. I think there could be a surprise in Wales in 2016."
Wood announced her intention to stand in a constituency last year – at which point the rules were such that she would have had to have given up the safer option of standing in the regional list. Since then the UK government has said it wants to change the rules so it is possible to stand for a constituency and in the regional list. It is not clear if Wood will do this or will risk all by only going for a constituency.Wood announced her intention to stand in a constituency last year – at which point the rules were such that she would have had to have given up the safer option of standing in the regional list. Since then the UK government has said it wants to change the rules so it is possible to stand for a constituency and in the regional list. It is not clear if Wood will do this or will risk all by only going for a constituency.
Wood has one vote in the bag. Madge Sincox, the organiser of the Rhondda Jazz Club at Treorchy, was enjoying a cup of tea in the Wonder Stuff cafe when the Plaid leader dropped by.Wood has one vote in the bag. Madge Sincox, the organiser of the Rhondda Jazz Club at Treorchy, was enjoying a cup of tea in the Wonder Stuff cafe when the Plaid leader dropped by.
"I was true Labour until just a few weeks ago," said Sincox, "But I don't think it's a socialist party any more. She's saying what I'm thinking, she seems to want to do something good for the Rhondda."I was true Labour until just a few weeks ago," said Sincox, "But I don't think it's a socialist party any more. She's saying what I'm thinking, she seems to want to do something good for the Rhondda.
"It's dreadful. There are so many problems here – unemployment, the state of the roads, housing, everything's terrible. We need something very different.""It's dreadful. There are so many problems here – unemployment, the state of the roads, housing, everything's terrible. We need something very different."
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