Leanne Wood today announces her intention to seek nomination as a candidate for the leadership of Plaid Cymru.
The campaigning AM since 2003 promised to prioritise the economy in moving towards ‘real independence’ for Wales. She received an immediate boost to her campaign with the endorsement of Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards.
Leanne’s ‘Greenprint’ document which will form the basis of the party’s local election manifesto is a ‘new deal’ style job creation plan based on placing Wales’ abundant natural resources in the control of the Welsh people, securing self-sufficiency and food sovereignty in response to the economic crisis, and the development of a native Welsh economy. Her campaign will be based on those types of practical ideas and gearing Plaid Cymru to be able to respond to the turbulent political times ahead.
Leanne Wood said:
“My politics have been shaped by the people and place I grew up in. I have always been a campaigner, an activist who became a politician to further those aims and that’s why I’m now putting my name forward as leader of the party I have been a proud member for 20 years – all my adult life. My first hand experience of recession and its impact during the 1980s gives me a determination to make sure that we do not lose yet another generation to youth unemployment. Tackling those economic challenges goes hand in hand with our journey to independence.
“We’re entering exciting times as a party. The internal review will inevitably throw up debates about the future political direction of Plaid Cymru which the leadership election could help to resolve. I have a clear vision of what our future direction should be; building the case for real independence. Over the years we have been less than clear as to what we mean by independence, why we want it or how we would get there. Now is the time to change that.”
Supporting Leanne Wood’s leadership bid, Jonathan Edwards MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr added:
“In modern politics the leader above all else defines its party. The key question in this election is which candidate can best expand the appeal of the party? Leanne has proven over the years that she is one of the party’s leading communicators. People connect to Leanne easily, they trust her, and these would place her leadership and the party in a very strong position in these very exciting times for our nation.”
Further information on Leanne’s campaign can be found on her website at www.leannewood2012.com
