Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru (literally meaning, "Party of Wales") is a left-of-centre political party advocating Welsh independence and the promotion of Welsh culture. The name was used from the late 1920s until it was formally changed to Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales in the late 1990s, partly due to new electoral requirements that a party have an English name. In Wales, the party is often known as simply Plaid or, in Welsh y Blaid.

History

The party was founded on 5 August 1925 by members of Byddin Ymreolwyr Cymru, a nationalist party of north Wales and Y Mudiad Cymreig, an underground nationalist movement of south Wales as Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru ("National Party of Wales"), but soon changed to the more familiar name. It is still sometimes nicknamed the 'Welsh nationalist party' by some commentators, particularly those who do not wish to use the Welsh name.

Related Topics:
5 August - 1925 - Byddin Ymreolwyr Cymru - Y Mudiad Cymreig

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Nationalism in Wales remains divided over the centrality of the question of national independence as against the survival of the Welsh language. Many individual members of Plaid Cymru are also leading figures in organisations such as Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the "Welsh Language Society") and at any given time many who would describe themselves as nationalists will not be members of Plaid Cymru, arguing that the question of independence is secondary to that of the language - on the other hand many nationalists regard independence as central to the defence of the language. Understanding the tensions between the questions of language and nation is central to understanding the party's ups and downs over the last 50 years.

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Plaid Cymru has traditionally been strongest in the Welsh-speaking areas of Wales, particularly the north; but it was at Carmarthen in west Wales that the party gained its first MP, Gwynfor Evans (then the party's President) being elected to Parliament in a by-election in 1966. He lost the seat to Labour in 1970, but regained it in 1974, during a period when Plaid Cymru was increasingly being seen as an alternative for Labour voters even in the industrial, mainly English-speaking southern half of Wales.

Related Topics:
Welsh - Carmarthen - Gwynfor Evans - Parliament - By-election - 1966 - 1974 - Labour

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Carmarthen was lost again in 1979, and the campaign to win self-government for Wales, towards which Plaid Cymru had been somewhat ambivalent, was temporarily abandoned after the referendum on devolution was heavily lost.

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After this setback, Plaid Cymru continued to make inroads. Two younger men, Dafydd Wigley and Dafydd Elis-Thomas, won Parliamentary seats in 1974, inheriting the mantle of leadership in turn, and the party gained ground until the successful devolution referendum of 1997, following which the Welsh Assembly was set up. Plaid Cymru became the main opposition to the ruling Labour group in this new body. Following medical advice, Wigley stood down as leader in 2000, to be succeeded by Ieuan Wyn Jones.

Related Topics:
Dafydd Wigley - Dafydd Elis-Thomas - 1997 - Welsh Assembly - 2000 - Ieuan Wyn Jones

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