LABOUR’S Welsh leadership has exploded with indignation at the suggestion that they are considering a post-election deal with Plaid Cymru. (See earlier post Pants on Fire)
BBC Wales today reported ‘prominent Labour figures’ were behind the idea that Labour might be prepared to make policy concessions in exchange for Plaid backing in the Assembly.
Welsh Labour leader Rhodri Morgan described the story as ‘rubbish’ while confirmed Nat-basher Welsh secretary Peter Hain preferred ‘trumped up’.
Is the prospect of such a deal so outrageous?
Noon update: Plaid repeat it would not prop-up a failing Labour administration and that it would not back a Tory-led coalition.
The trouble for Labour is that this story accepts as fact that the party will lose its bid to win overall control of the Assembly on May 3 by some margin.
‘Prominent Labour figures’ might well seek to impress upon the Liberal Democrats that they are not the only show in town for coalition dealing come May 4.
But to flag up talks with Plaid blows a giant hole in Labour’s bogeyman strategy, which warns that a vote for any other party would let in a Tory-led rainbow coalition.
For the record:
Rhodri Morgan said in a statement: “This story is rubbish from start to finish. A formal complaint being made to BBC Wales about their decision to run such a story at such a critical point in the election, despite the story being comprehensively denied by Welsh Labour official sources.
“Neither I nor anyone else acting with my authority has been engaged in any such considerations or discussions.
“The obsession of the media and the minor parties is with coalition speculation.
“As previously stated on scores of occasions, Welsh Labour is aiming to form a government based on a mandate from the people of Wales.”
Mr Hain said: “As I’ve made clear in the past, Labour Party members simply wouldn’t wear a coalition with Plaid Cymru.
“The fact is that Plaid Cymru and their media sympathisers are desperate to divert attention from the real story, which is the backdoor deal Plaid Cymru have done to put the Tories back in charge of Welsh schools and hospitals.”
Plaid leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, said: “If no party gets an overall majority, we will talk to all the other parties if it is in the interest of Wales.
"However, we will not support a failing Labour Government on an informal basis, propping up the shambles that we’ve seen over the past eight years.
"Neither will we allow a Tory to become First Minister.
"We will only enter into a formal agreement.
"Such an agreement has to be based on our positive policy agenda.
“We will never sell Wales short, and any agreement is to be made after the election, with any party, it will be on our terms.”
