Llyr Gruffydd’s position as interim leader was confirmed on Saturday
By David Deans
BBC Wales political reporter
Plaid Cymru’s new interim leader says he is committed to its co-operation deal with the Welsh Labour government.
Llyr Gruffydd was confirmed in the job on Saturday by a meeting of the party’s National Council in Aberystwyth.
He formally takes over from Adam Price – who resigned after a report alleged the party had a culture of bullying, harassment and misogyny – on Wednesday.
The co-operation deal, which ends late next year, sees Plaid help the Labour government govern in the Senedd.
While not in a coalition Plaid backs Labour in crucial budget votes, and the two sides work together on a range of policies including free school meals, expanding the size of the Senedd and childcare.
Mr Gruffydd spoke to the first minister on Thursday: “I reiterated to Mark Drakeford my commitment and my party’s commitment to the co-operation agreement,” he told BBC Wales.
“It’s very much something that we respect and it’s something that we are committed to seeing through.”
Mr Gruffydd was formally confirmed as interim leader by a meeting of the party’s National Council in Aberystwyth on Saturday.
BBC Wales was told that he was backed unanimously.
The move was a formality and came after he was put forward by the party’s Senedd members to take over.
Candidates for his permanent replacement have a month to put their nominations forward, with a deadline set for 16 June.
No timetable has been announced for the rest of the process, although Plaid says the new leader will be in place in the summer.
Adam Price is expected to take part in his last First Minister’s Questions in the Senedd on Tuesday.
Mr Gruffydd, who was nominated by the Plaid Senedd group of politicians on Thursday, has been MS for the North Wales region since 2011.
The 52-year-old began his career as a youth worker, and had worked as a management consultant for the National Trust before heading to Cardiff Bay.
As interim leader he is ineligible to stand in the upcoming contest.p
Llyr Gruffydd (pictured centre) and Adam Price took part in the National Council meeting on Saturday
The “Prosiect Pawb” (Everyone’s Project) report said that many staff in Plaid did not feel there were “safe systems” to raise concerns about in the workplace.
Mr Gruffydd encouraged individuals to come forward if they felt they “haven’t had the opportunity” previously.
The interim leader said a “very large” number of the recommendations of the report had “already started on their journey to be implemented” and many were nearly complete.
Asked on Saturday, Mr Gruffydd said he was “not aware of any particular instances” that warranted police involvement.
But if something emerged that merited police involvement “then of course you would [involve the police],” he said.
“It is an immense honour for me to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading Plaid Cymru until a new leader is in post in the summer,” he said.
“Despite it being short, my tenure as the interim leader of Plaid Cymru comes at a critical juncture for the party. We’ve been reflecting, we are reforming, and we will renew our mission in light of the findings”.
‘Failure to act’
Dr Dewi Evans, a member of Plaid who stood to be party chair four years ago, said its national executive should have acted sooner to deal with issues highlighted in the report.
“Their failure to act has been responsible for what’s been happening over the last few weeks,” he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.
He said that “corporatism has taken over in the party, particularly at Cardiff Bay”.
“The party needs to do far more to engage with its membership… it has been ignored far too much for a long, long time.
“This is a wake-up call for the party.”
Dr Evans was a supporter of former Plaid politician Neil McEvoy, who was expelled over allegations of disruptive behaviour at a party conference.
At the time he stood for chairman Dr Evans said he wanted Mr McEvoy’s membership to be reinstated.
What is the National Council?
Plaid’s National Council between the party’s leading authority – national conference – and the national executive, which meets more regularly.
The constitution of the party says that if something extraordinary happens in the party, the executive decides what to do and seeks the approval of the council.
While Saturday’s meeting was expected to be a rubber-stamping exercise, the council is seen as a place where members – behind closed doors – feel more free to express their views out of the glare of cameras.
In theory hundreds of people are eligible to go, but BBC Wales has been told that, usually, about 100 take part.
Plaid did not say how many attended on Saturday’s meeting, which had been scheduled prior to Mr Price’s resignation.
There are representatives of local government, elected MSs and MPs, every member of the national executive and representatives of every constituency, as well as party groups such as the women’s section.
