'Change in the air' as Plaid look to future after election victory

AS PLAID Cymru activists gathered beneath the historic walls of Caerphilly Castle to cheer their party’s first ever MS for the constituency, after lifetimes of Labour dominance, they were in no doubt that the years and months of work had been worth it.

- ABBIE WIGHTWICK

Lifelong Plaid Cymru activist Huw Jackson first leafleted for the party in his home town as a teenager in 1966. Over the last six decades the 72 yearold retired teacher has never doubted the party, despite losses in Westminster and Senedd elections.

‘The party's poll standing, with surveys putting it neck and neck with Reform in the battle to win control of the Senedd in next May’s election, combined with this historic trouncing of the party that has been dominant in Wales for more than a century has given activists like him the chance to dream.

Huw has campaigned for Plaid through many social and political changes, the most historic being Thursday night's by-election win trouncing Labour into third place after a century of control of the seat at Westminster elections and every Senedd poll since devolution.

Now secretary of Plaid’s Caerphilly branch, Huw has been working hard for the last few weeks on the by-election trail and says winning was not a foregone conclusion.

He says that down the years it has not been easy campaigning through multiple losses for the party in general elections and Senedd elections. But he never lost hope and now the party's time has come.