Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones suspended talks with Labour over a political pact to govern in the Welsh Assembly.
The dramatic decision, after five hours of tense talks with Plaid's 15 AMs, left Labour's Rhodri Morgan out in the political cold. The Lib Dems have also pulled out of negotiations to keep the largest party Labour in power.
The prospect of a 'Rainbow Coalition' between Plaid the Lib Dems and Conservatves - and elevation to First Minister - burned brighter still on Mr Jones' 58th birthday.
BUT the look on the faces of some Plaid AMs showed that there could yet be trouble ahead.
UPDATE: Now Plaid vice president, Rhondda-based Welsh MEP Jill Evans, has declared her opposition.
"There will be no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow," she says.
Ms Evans said: "I have direct experience, both of negotiating to form political groups in the European Parliament and of the way coalitions are formed in other European countries.
"Successful coalitions can be formed between like minded parties with shared values and principles.
"By no stretch of the imagination are Plaid and the Tories "like minded". On the contrary, we are at opposite ends of the political spectrum.
"In the past weeks I have made my opposition known to the Executive, to Ieuan Wyn Jones and to the members of the Assembly group.
"I now feel it is important for those of us who see the dangers in this course of action to make those views known to the party members. It is the members who will decide on Saturday and I will be urging them to reject coalition."
Plaid leader Mr Jones said: “The group felt that the proposal for a Plaid-led coalition offered the best prospect of getting an agreement before the end of this week to enable us to have a robust enough document to put to the party for ratification.”
But he faced dissent from Plaid AMs in South Wales over the deal with the Tories, revealing a deep division.
Four of Plaid’s 15 AMs - Helen Mary Jones, Leanne Wood, Bethan Jenkins and Nerys Evans - said a rainbow coalition was “not the way forward“
South Wales Central AM Leanne Wood said: “It is with regret that we do not agree with the decision made in our group meeting today. We respectfully disagree.
“We fought this election on a platform to deliver a proper Parliament for our nation. A deal with the Conservatives would undermine the chance of delivering that goal.”
And Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones said: “There is a clash of values and principles between Plaid and the Conservatives.
“That is why we believe an arrangement between us would be unsustainable in the long-run and not deliver the stable government for which we all strive.
“We think it is now right that we seek to convince our members to oppose what we believe would be a mistaken decision.”
W R Williams wrote...
It is more than time that the Welsh Assenbly became MORE that a hot air talking shop and that we see real action coming from the Bay area.
Perhaps this would be a new beginning--it has been long enough already.
The state of NHS in Wales is a priority that needs tackling head on.
Where else would there be a country of Three Million people without a Liver Specialist for example?
No Liver Unit or Support Group either.
What away to run a Country??
!!
Lets see better.
Posted by: W R Williams | May 23, 2007 3:09 PM