Plaid Should Go It Alone

Ieuan Wyn Jones steps down as Plaid Cymru leader

Posted on May 13, 2011 by ITV Wales

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Ieuan Wyn Jones has stepped down as leader, saying he 'takes his share of the responsibility' for Plaid's poor election results

Ieuan Wyn Jones has announced his intention to step down as leader of Plaid Cymru.

The former deputy first minister said he would step down as leader of the party sometime during the first half of the new assembly term.

The news comes after disappointing election results which saw Plaid Cymru slip behind the Conservatives to be the third biggest party in the Senedd.

Announcing his decision to step down today Mr. Jones said:

“The results of the 2011 election were a disappointment for Plaid Cymru. As leader I take my share of the responsibility for those results.

“The party obviously needs time to reflect on the results, look long and hard at our message, our party structures and campaigning abilities”

The AM, who will soon have served as party leader for eleven years, told party members and constituents that it had always been his intention to step down some time during this assembly term but that it was now time to make that decision clear:

“As I did not intent to lead the party into the 2016 election, it had always been my intention to step down as party leader sometime during the course of this Assembly, whatever the result of the election.

“The time is now right for me to make that clear and to say that I will be standing down as leader sometime within the first half of this Assembly term.”

He added: “I am equally clear that an immediate leadership election would not serve the party’s best interests given the need for the review which needs to take place.

“I will need to discuss with colleagues and the wider party the appropriate time for a leadership election to take place within the time frame I have announced. There also needs to be sufficient time for a new Leader to establish him/herself well before 2016.”

Speaking in Beaumaris, Gwynedd, he said it had been a “great honour” to lead the party over the last 11 years.

Comment

• 
  
• As this blog has commented:
  
  

  Plaid Should Go It Alone

  A MESSAGE TO PLAID CYMRU
  
  
  It is time for Plaid to re-evaluate its whole approach to Welsh politics as well as the leadership of the party. More than a year ago this blog warned against Plaid continuing its association with Labour in the One Wales Agreement. It has served its purpose by delivering the Referendum. Now there is no benefit in associating with unionist parties. They do not share the vision of Cymru Fydd. They rigidly adhere to the status quo and the perpetuation of the Union
  .
  
  

  It happened in Scotland but not in Wales.

  Even the Conservatives in Wales have overtaken Plaid.

  There needs to be a thorough examination of the reasons for the decline in votes and loss of Assembly members, and a shake-up needs to take place, in terms of:

  
  

  1) Direction

  2) Strategy

  3) Policy

  4) Leadership

  
  

  This blog suggests that Jill Evans be brought over from Brussels to take charge of the party, and the whole party machinery be overhauled.