Plaid Cymru rejects Tory calls to join together to keep Labour from power

Plaid Cymru has rejected calls from a senior Westminster Conservative politician for the parties to do a deal to keep Labour out of power.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies’ suggestion that Plaid enter into an agreement with his party at the next Senedd election in 2026 has been dismissed.

A Plaid spokeswoman has branded Mr TC Davies’ suggestion that there was “no reason in principle” the two parties could not work together a “scramble for relevance”.

Speaking with the BBC, Mr TC Davies, a cabinet minister in the UK government, said there were two strands of Plaid, one that sees itself as socialist and another that is more “conservative with a small ‘c’.”

He said: “I don’t see why you couldn’t work with them.

“I don’t think the party in the Senedd should rule out a coalition.

“I would have no issue with that at all.”

In response, a Plaid Cymru spokeswoman said: “Ever since Vaughan Gething was confirmed as Wales’ First Minister, the Conservatives in Wales have been offering him their votes.

“This is the latest scramble for relevance in the face of impending electoral oblivion.”

When Mr Gething was selected as the leader of the Welsh government last month, Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd said he was willing to work with him to scrap Labour policies established under Mark Drakeford.

This included a 20mph speed limit for built-up areas and a proposed farming subsidy scheme.

Mr RT Davies ruled out working with Plaid during the 2021 election.

Labour has controlled the Senedd, formerly the National Assembly, since it was established in 1999.

However, the party has never had outright control of the government, relying on agreements with other parties, including one with Plaid which will expire at the end of 2024.

The Welsh Conservatives were contacted for comment.