Cymru/Wales - local elections - Plaid Cymru increase vote share

Two weeks after the elections in Cymru/Wales, a number of councils
are still to officially decide how they will be run. With political
parties not in overall control of many council seats, it looks likely
that coalition deals will have to be signed, with the Welsh nationalist
party, Plaid Cymru looking likely to gain from the situation.

Plaid, who did not gain overall control of any one council and even
losing their only council seat of Gwynedd, nevertheless increased
their share of the vote across Cymru. Consequently, they have been
in a position to strike a deal with other parties to share control.
One significant agreement that Plaid negotiated last week was with
the Liberal Democrats for control of the capital city, Caerdydd/Cardiff.
Plaid's Neil McEvoy will now be the Deputy Leader of that Council
and will remain so until 2012. McEvoy said:

"This is a ground breaking day for Plaid in Cardiff. Plaid will help
shape the future of our capital and its people for the first time
in history… This accord resolves for a generation the issue of Welsh
Language education in Cardiff without undermining English medium education."

Another gain has been Conwy Council were Plaid will also join Labour,
Liberal Democrat and independent Councillors in a cabinet that has
effectively squeezed the Conservative Party out, even though they
were the largest group of elected Councillors.

Plaid are also likely to still play a role in Gwynedd Council, even
though they lost overall control, because of the large number of Councillors
they still have there. However, as Welsh Branch Secretary, Robat ap
Tomos, commented:

"When considering Plaid performance in the Bro Gymraeg it is important
to remember that the Plaid candidates are not the only nationalist
/ pro-Welsh ones. Many of the independents are just as pro-Welsh,
or more so, than many of the Plaid people and the issues in these
elections are quite different. For example many of the Llais Gwynedd
group, formed to oppose school closures, which did much damage to
Plaid, are no less Welsh than Plaid Cymru and the competition between
these groups can be thought of as a domestic issue within the Welsh-speaking
community."

Overall, Independent Councillors make up the biggest portion of Welsh
led Councils with approximately one third. After the Independents
are the Liberal Democrats with 13 administrations, Labour with 9,
Plaid Cymru with 8 and the Conservative Party with 7. However, further
negotiations will be taking place over the next couple of weeks.

(Report prepared for Celtic News by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)

J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League

19/05/08


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