Plaid Cymru launches election campaign

Tuesday, 12 April 2005 12:00 AM

Plaid Cymru president Dafydd Iwan today said that voting Plaid Cymru would ensure that Wales' interests are not ignored in any institution that governs Wales.

Launching Plaid Cymru's election campaign, Mr Iwan said British parties had a vested interest in wanting to paint Plaid Cymru as "irrelevant, pinch our seats and woo our voters".

He told a press conference in Cardiff: "The British parties will take every opportunity to push the question in this election: why vote for Plaid Cymru in a Westminster election? But they of course have a vested interest in wanting to paint us as irrelevant, pinch our seats and woo our voters. They want us to go away, but we're not and we won't."

He added that the real question was "why vote New Labour" or any London-based political party.

Mr Iwan described Plaid Cymru as "the party which plays for Wales and scores for Wales", and that the alterative for the electorate was voting for a "team with English players" with an English coach.

Joining Mr Iwan at the launch was Plaid Cymru's parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd, who said: "People who vote for Plaid Cymru want MPs who will be strong voices for Wales in Westminster."

The party opposed the Iraq war and university top up fees, and wants a proper parliament for Wales to replace the "toothless and failing" National Assembly.

Mr Llwyd added that Labour MPs in Wales were "apologists" for Tony Blair.

Tags: