At conference, party stands on brink of seismic change

"THE tide is turning," one Plaid member told me, "it just depends which way

- RUTH MOSALSKI

Plaid Cymru Conference panel discussion involving Heledd Fychan and Peredur Owen Griffiths.

(MATTHEW HORWOOD)

There is no doubt about it, the overriding vibe at Plaid Cymru's conference in Swansea is one of optimism.

The polls are good, canvassing is going well, and all signs point to their electoral nemesis Labour, being in for a drubbing.

All of those I asked admitted, it is the most exciting time to be part of Plaid Cymru in a long while, not since 1999 has it had such a surge of excitement through the ranks, one told me.

But, there are plenty urging caution. They know May is seven months away, and they are up against it, or more accurately, up against Reform UK.

No-one here thinks Labour is their threat.

The data and polling is consistently showing this is a fight between Reform and Plaid, and it was Nigel Farage that party leader Rhun ap Iorwerth referenced first in his rallying speech, not current First Minister Eluned Morgan, who he never actually referenced by her name.

Rhun ap Iorwerth spoke of voters needing to choose a party of "vision" and not "division". While the signs in Plaid Cymru advertise a "new leadership for Wales" it's clear they do have to work out an answer to every one of those people who says "you're not new, you're the ones who have been helping Labour".

The party which is new is Reform UK, with ever-sprawling dominance and money - Plaid's comeback to that was party stalwart Dafydd Wigley urging people in the hall to dig deep to meet their fundraising target.

Plaid knows that defeating Reform and delivering multiple MSs in each of Wales' 16 new constituencies will be expensive.