Former Labour Sports Minister warns of no Olympic legacy outside London

Plaid — 2010-03-10T15:37:35+01:00

Plaid Cymru MP for Caernarfon, Hywel Williams MP, has seized upon comments by a former Labour sports minister, Kate Hoey, that the Olympic Games will have no lasting legacy for the UK outside London, and that even that was uncertain. Ms Hoey, who was Sports Minister from 1999 to 2001, was speaking in an interview with the Evening Standard. ... full story

Leaders of Plaid Cymru and SNP on election debates

Plaid — 2010-03-10T15:16:22+01:00

The leaders of the Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM and Alex Salmond MP MSP have taken the unusual step of writing to the heads of the international press bureaux to highlight how the impartiality of the British Broadcasting Company is compromised by the current proposals for the leaders debate, which cuts out three of the four countries which make up the UK and parties of government in Wales and Scotland. They have also written a joint letter to BBC Director General Mark Thompson stating that the BBC's insistence in denying fair competition of ideas could endanger the conduct of a free election. ... full story

Plaid AM disappointed by divisive Tory scaremongering on language

Plaid — 2010-03-10T09:31:52+01:00

Plaid Cymru AM and culture spokesperson, Bethan Jenkins, has said that she is disappointed and shocked by Tory comments on new Welsh language legislation which she described as divisive scaremongering. The Tory spokesperson was quoted on the web-based news service 'Golwg 360' as expressing concern that the new language measure could create 'linguistic apartheid'. Ms Jenkins said that the use of such incendiary language is not only unacceptable but also wholly inaccurate. ... full story

Plaid MP slams government's stubborn refusal to allow bilingual juries

Plaid — 2010-03-09T16:27:44+01:00

Plaid Hywel Williams MP has today (Tuesday) slammed the UK government's stubborn refusal to press ahead with plans for bilingual juries in Wales. Citing Canada which has bilingual juries when necessary, Mr Williams said that the decision showed the government's lack of ambition to even try, and compared it with the forward-thinking, inclusive approach to the Welsh language of the Welsh Assembly Government. ... full story

Historic Day for Welsh Language

Plaid — 2010-03-04T10:52:04+01:00

Welsh language to have official status and its speakers to have rights ... full story

Plaid Cymru Minister announces major transport investment for Wales

Plaid — 2010-03-03T10:36:06+01:00

Plaid Cymru Minister for Transport, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM has announced a £55m grant for local authorities aimed at improving roads, tackling regional transport issues, and encouraging safer routes in communities. ... full story

Plaid Minister launches Woodlands for Wales action plan

Plaid — 2010-03-03T17:30:27+01:00

Plaid in government has today published the Woodlands for Wales action plan which sets out how, over the next five years, the One Wales government and its partners will work towards achieving the outcomes of Woodlands for Wales, the 50 year strategy for trees and woodlands. The Woodlands for Wales strategy recognises how important woodlands and trees are in delivering social, economic and environmental benefits and tackling climate change.The action plan was developed by Forestry Commission Wales on behalf of the One Wales Government. ... full story

Plaid Support for Pensioners

Plaid — 2010-02-25T16:51:17+01:00

Plaid Cymru's leader Ieuan Wyn Jones AM today outlined the party's commitment to pensioners which would raise the basic state pension to include the value of the pension credit. The first stage would be to help those pensioners over the age of 80. ... full story

Plaid launch LGBT group

Plaid — 2010-02-19T10:15:41+01:00

Plaid Cymru this weekend launched a new affiliate organisation PlaidPride which will be the party's new group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people. The aim of the group is to Spread Plaid Cymru's message to the LGBT community; reach out to LGBT party members and to continue to ensure that Plaid Cymru policies address the needs of LGBT people across all parts of Wales. ... full story

Plaid Pre-Election Conference Opens in Cardiff

Plaid — 2010-02-18T11:00:53+01:00

Plaid Cymru's Pre-Election conference opens today in Cardiff with the message that all Welsh communities deserve strong, locally focused representation in Westminster, from a party determined to put the interests of Wales at the top of the agenda in the event of a hung Parliament. With a UK General Election a matter of weeks away, Plaid offers every voter in Wales the chance to elect an independent-minded representative who will demand that Westminster delivers fair funding for Wales, and gives the National Assembly the legislative tools it needs to defend the interests of communities across the nation. Announcing his full slate of 40 candidates, Plaid Cymru Leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said that people's faith in politicians had not just been shaken by expenses scandals but by the failure of their MPs to stand up and fight for what is best for their communities. Mr Jones said that all Plaid MPs and candidates pledge that the best interests of their communities will always be at the heart of what they do. ... full story

Disgust at charity bag dumping

Plaid — 2010-02-18T10:54:50+01:00

Plaid Cymru's Clwyd West candidate Llyr Huws Gruffydd and residents in Erw Goch, Ruthin have expressed their disgust in discovering that bags being delivered to local households on behalf of Barnardo's Cymru had instead been dumped in a wheelie bin - apparently by the person delivering them! ... full story

IT'S TIME TO FACE FACTS

Plaid — 2010-02-18T10:33:56+01:00

Wales can no longer afford to bear the brunt of Labour and Tory Economic and Fiscal Recklessness Plaid Cymru has today warned that Wales will see massive cuts in public spending as a result of Labour's mismanagement of the financial crisis and that neither Labour nor the Tories can be allowed to wreak havoc on the Welsh economy and undermine our welfare state. The party declared that it is now time to ensure that Wales has a stronger voice in Westminster with more Plaid MPs - to protect jobs and public services in Wales. Plaid's leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said that neither Labour nor the Conservatives could be trusted to put the needs of Welsh communities before the City of London. In a document released today, Plaid sets out the background to the current financial crisis and its likely impact on public spending, and how it intends to pay for its policy on providing help for pensioners. The party has today announced a series of tax and redistribution measures that should be introduced immediately, over and above those proposed by Labour in the 2009 Budget. ... full story

Plaid launch 'Developing a Welsh Jurisdiction'

Plaid — 2010-02-15T10:47:12+01:00

Plaid Cymru has today (Friday) developed its calls for the establishment of a unique Welsh legal system in order to reflect the growing body of Welsh legislation that has developed since 1999. Plaid's Elfyn Llwyd MP and Nerys Evans AM launched 'Developing a Welsh Jurisdiction', a policy discussion paper on the future of the system in Wales and suggestions for how it would operate within a devolved framework. The team explained that a Welsh legal system is already evolving as devolution matures, but stressed that now is the time to give much more discussion to its distinct development. The paper, put together with Cardiff-based lawyer Fflur Jones, sets out options for such a system. Plaid believes that as Wales is growing in confidence as a nation, the time will come for Wales to take full responsibility for the administration of justice. ... full story

Plaid launches 'Support for Veterans'

Plaid — 2010-02-15T18:49:53+01:00

Plaid Cymru has today (Monday) launched its new policy paper on supporting veterans. The paper highlights several key areas for reform in the penal system and highlights the need for a separate strategic review of expenditure spent on personnel leaving the forces. ... full story

AM hails 'new dawn' for Welsh language

Plaid — 2010-02-11T17:14:48+01:00

Bethan Jenkins AM has welcomed the handing over of law-making powers for the Welsh language to the National Assembly, saying that they are now "back where they belong". Plaid's South Wales West Assembly Member said, after the powers were passed from Westminster at midnight on Thursday (February 11), that she is now looking forward to swifter law-making that would ensure that services are available to Welsh speakers and promote the use of the language. ... full story