Since the 1960's Plaid Cymru has proved itself to be the second choice of disgruntled Labour voters. From the 1960's to the 1990's Plaid has managed to get 15%, 20% even 39% swings from Labour in by-elections but without winning a seat because of the weight of the Labour vote.
The days of Labour winning a seat despite a 39% swing against it in Wales have been over for some years.
Apart from perhaps Alyn and Deeside and Monmouth Plaid would be in a strong position to win any Welsh by-election called today. Bloody hell, Plaid even won Islwyn in 1999, despite the fact that many people in the constituency claim that Islwyn, Monmouthshire, is a part of England!
The clear problems for Plaid is that today's pissed off voter doesn't switch party, he / she just doesn't vote! That is why the Tories topped the poll in Wales for the first time in 150 years in the Euro Elections !
If Plaid can persuade the peeved to vote Plaid rather than not to vote at all, Plaid could gain, 11, 12, 15 or even more constituencies in the next Westminster election. With 20-to 30 SNP members and an outside possibility of an MK member, the national group could prove pivotal to the next parliament. Being pivotal is good for Wales, good for Cornwall and good for Scotland – Vote Plaid - Vote SNP – and Vote MK to make it happen!
The best option for Wales isn't a continuation of the present Labour government, nor swapping it with a Tory Government but a hung government where the voice of Wales counts. Lets hang the bastards by voting Plaid!
Your language is colourful, myn diawl i,
ReplyDeletebut your sentiments are true. Your heart is in Wales. Plaid needs to garner all those disgruntled Labour votes and wipe the party off the map of Wales. Monmouthshire is as Welsh as Wales, so no more talk of splitting Gwent, gwlad fy nhadau. They already took Shropshire and the Long Mynd (mynydd) and those parts of Herefordshire where Welsh was spoken in the 19th Century. Make Offa's dyke the new border according to its original purpose and give Oswestry a referendum as with Berwick, so the people can decide where their allegiance lies.
Agree with just about everything you say. However please don't say "many people in the constituency claim that Islwyn, Monmouthshire, is a part of England!" It is true a very small minority put this ludicrous idea forward and the English Democrats did fight the Assembly seat on the basis it was a referendum on whether Monmouthshire is Welsh or English.
ReplyDeleteThey secured less than 2% of the available vote and rumour has it their attempt to drum up support in New Tredegar resulted in them being chased out of a local hostelry!
Whilst not condoning such actions it is indicative of the strength of feeling in this part of Wales. As the advert says " Never forget your Welsh!"
Sorry Cai and Alan, my intention wasn't to promote the myth that munmuthshyr is English, but to show that this myth was well and truly busted by Plaid winning Islwyn a part of the old Monmouthshire.
ReplyDelete"With 20-to 30 SNP members..."
ReplyDeleteNot even the ever optimistic Alex Salmond has claimed that they're going to win 30 seats! 20 on a good day...
You've changed your tune. You used to think Plaid were a bunch of tossers.
ReplyDeleteNot at all. I object to Plaid's support of the Socialist cause, I think that Plaid's support for the Evolution of Devolution rather than all out independence is wrong.
ReplyDeleteBut at the end of the day Plaid is the only Nationalist Party that we have in Wales, so I will support it and vote for it and encourage others to vote Plaid in all elections!