Leanne Wood today outlined her ambition for Plaid Cymru to be the biggest party in the National Assembly as part of the drive for independence if she becomes party leader.
Speaking before the first leadership candidates’ hustings in Pontypridd tomorrow, Leanne Wood said: “I want to see a Plaid Cymru First Minister and to do that we need to win seats in the former industrial and highly populated areas across the south of Wales and north-east and become the biggest party.
“Ruling out a coalition with the Tories would help us to convince those people who currently vote Labour that we are serious about their concerns. Unless we break new ground in areas where Labour currently polls well, we will not be able to become Wales’s largest party. Labour has overseen decades of decline across huge swathes of Wales and they have taken the voters for granted for far too long. That has to change.
“Persuading more people that Plaid is as relevant to them as people in the more traditional Welsh speaking areas and that Plaid will always stand up for all of them is key.
“Successfully appealing to those voters outside Plaid Cymru’s strong areas is crucial for Plaid Cymru to achieve its goal of real independence and, I believe, I’m in a good position to do that,” added Leanne, who is a Welsh learner.
Among high profile party members that have declared their support for Leanne Wood are former Plaid President Dafydd Iwan, MP Jonathan Edwards, ex- MP Adam Price. Assembly Members Bethan Jenkins and Lindsay Whittle, former Plaid chief executive Gwenllian Lansdown Davies and Allan Pritchard, the Plaid leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, have also backed the Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales Central’s leadership bid.
Leanne Wood also received the most nominations – 14 – from constituencies and branches across Wales for her leadership bid.
Further information on Leanne’s campaign can be found on her website at www.leannewood2012.com
