The Price Is Right For Plaid Cymru? Let's Hope So

Hello there. hope you're feeling well today.

So my gut instinct was completely wrong. There was I thinking Adam Price had no chance of winning the contest for Plaid Cymru's leadership and he does it.

I'll chat about those issues I had with him in a moment. But I do feel that Leanne Wood lost mainly because of the chipping away at her leadership which has lasted over a year mainly by people who felt impatient by the lack of power Plaid had but ignoring the position she inherited from the disastrous tenure of her successor Ieuan Wynne Jones.

I voted for her. I believe that she would have been the best candidate to lead the party forward. Ultimately though I believe she has been the victim of a deliberately slow building coup.

But Mr Price won. And he has said he will bring "New ideas and New Energy" to the post. Well he will need the new energy as he would need to bring himself to the attention of the wider Welsh public. If history has shown anything time is relatively short for leaders who take over from an incumbent through such a process. Especially as criticism of Ms Wood focused on a perceived lack of electoral success. If he cannot show improvement then his time as leader may be shorter than Ms Wood's. Even more so given that there is a clear alternative in Rhun Ap Iorweth

As for "New Ideas" well he's apparently known as "the ideas machine", but he will need a group of people to funnel the more questionable ones to the rubbish tip. After all Mr Price is the man who is leading a party that a few months back he felt should be led by joint leaders. Also his idea (which I've written about in this blog) that Plaid Cymru should change it's name should also be forgotten.

But he is highly intelligent and he has a forensic skill in dismantling Welsh Labour government proposals which will be publicised more now he is leader. If perception is any guide Adam Price would appear to be able to wipe the floor with any of the Welsh Labour wannabees for Carwyn Jones' job.He has also said that independence will be at the heart of Plaid Cymru. As it should be.

I have read criticism of his approach as "populist" well in that regard I've no problems with that. There is nothing wrong in galvanising people into politics. You can argue that an apathetic public is in fact more dangerous to democracy as they will accept anything thrown at them.

I would suspect that I am not the only person who did not vote for Adam Price but who will have my loyalty given that a split would damage not just Plaid but the cause of Welsh independence. He will though also have to face the worries and upset of people like me as well.

I hope Adam Price succeeds. For if he fails we will all regret the treatment of Leanne Woods even more than we do now.

Until the next time.