Only a vote for Plaid Cymru will put Wales’ interests first at the UK General Election

Electing more Plaid Cymru MPs at the UK General election will keep the Tories out, put Wales’ interests first and send a message to Labour that it cannot take Wales for granted, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS will say today.

In a message of hope at the party’s Spring Conference in Caernarfon, Mr ap Iorwerth will say that Plaid Cymru “stands apart from UK establishment politics” as it “doesn’t want the future to look like the past and wants people to feel hope about politics once again.”

Addressing the record of the contemptuous Conservative government, Plaid’s Leader will say that “from Ynys Môn to Monmouth, Conservative MPs have backed a wrecking ball regime causing untold damage to the people they’re meant to serve.”

A vote for Labour at the General Election is an endorsement of ‘Tory orthodoxy’ says Mr ap Iorwerth.

Commenting on the newly elected First Minister Mr ap Iorwerth will say;

“I repeat the congratulations I extended to Vaughan Gething on his election victory last weekend.

Indeed, I do so with sincerity, knowing full well the honour and responsibility that the office of leader brings with it.

But just as Rishi Sunak ironically said he offered “change”, it’s true also that the only ‘newness’ with the new Labour leader in Wales is the literal fact that he’s only been in post for two-days.

New Leader, yes.

A palpable gasp of ‘same again’? Most certainly.

And let’s not forget that this was no ordinary campaign. Whilst we’re used to questions about dodgy donations around the Conservative party, what we’ve seen during this Labour campaign has undermined so much faith. And when we talk about the need to pay something back, we can mean that in 2 ways – it’s not just the cash, it’s trust too, and that is even more valuable.”

In his second conference speech since becoming Plaid Cymru Leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS is expected to say;

“General Elections aren’t the preserve of two parties – despite what the news beamed into living rooms and printed in the morning papers would so often have you believe.

In Wales, we can do things differently.

Keep the Tories out.

Put Wales’s interests first.

And… at the same time say we can tell Labour that we won’t let them take Wales for granted.

From Ynys Môn to Monmouth, Conservative MPs have backed a wrecking ball regime causing untold to the people they’re meant to serve.

Keir Starmer’s answer was to proclaim the need for an entirely new approach to politics.

But conference, following the Conservative orthodoxy isn’t a new approach to politics.

The sight of Rachel Reeves walking in lockstep with Jeremy Hunt only offers more austere times.

Sacking a Shadow Minister for standing on a picket line is a new Labour low.

Sunak and Starmer’s HS2 betrayal only keeps Wales in the slow lane.

And the Labour–Tory coalition on lifting the bankers’ bonus cap only goes to prove whose side they are really on.

We stand apart from UK establishment politics.

We don’t want the future to look like the past.

We want people to feel hope about politics once again.”

Setting out what the next UK Government must do for Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS is expected to say;

“Give us the funding which is rightly ours from Treasury coffers contributed into by Welsh taxpayers’ money, just like every other part of the UK.

Give us the levers we need to build a powerhouse parliament, not piecemeal devolution which can’t keep pace with the hopes of our people.

Give us the freedom to prove what all of us in this hall and many thousands beyond it already know – that this is not as good as it gets for Wales.

And we WILL thrive. Wales CAN.”