Wales: Plaid Cymru Annual Conference

Delyth Isaac BBC Wales, Political Unit

Delegates from Plaid Cymru gather in Cardiff for their annual conference this weekend. It will be a chance for them to discuss the result of the party's leadership election announced on Monday.

Ieuan Wyn Jones resigned as party president in May 2003

In May 2003 Ieuan Wyn Jones, the president of Plaid Cymru, resigned after a disappointing result for his party in the Welsh Assembly elections.

It became apparent that the majority of his Assembly colleagues had expressed a lack of confidence in his leadership.

But on Monday 15 September the man who's career as party leader seemed to have been over, made a remarkable comeback.

In an internal election of party members Ieuan Wyn Jones emerged as the victor in a three way battle to become leader of the Plaid Cymru group in the Assembly.

His majority however was tiny and those people who criticised him in the Spring, including the Assembly Members he will now have to lead, have not necessarily come to admire him in the Autumn.

Spice to the annual conference?

All of which makes for an interesting party conference. It also coincides with the return of the Assembly after its Summer break.

The crucial question is whether the man who had apparently lost the confidence of his colleagues in the Assembly can now lead a credible opposition?

He undoubtedly has a lot to prove, and Welsh Labour are unsurprisingly very pleased with the result.

They may yet again be fighting like ferrets in a sack Welsh Secretary Peter Hain

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain summed up his party's reaction.

"This result shows a party that's split from top to bottom.

"They now have a Welsh Assembly group led by someone who is on record as saying that he hasn't the confidence of the group.

"It won't be long before they are yet again fighting like ferrets in a sack".

His colleagues are of course standing by him ... for now.

Plaid Cymru AM Owen John Thomas said "I'm confident Ieuan Wyn Jones will get all of our support.

"I think this election has been good for the party, and we can now go on and strengthen the party".

He has made the party look foolish David Walters from Bargoed

However, some party activists aren't quite as diplomatic.

David Walters from Bargoed said "I've been a member of the party for 47 years and I think this is it's lowest point. Ieuan Wyn Jones should never have stood again.

"He's made the party look foolish".

Dafydd Iwan was already the vice-president of the party

It may be up to Plaid Cymru's other leader, also elected on Monday, to try and calm those who are clearly unhappy with Ieuan Wyn Jones's comeback.

Dafydd Iwan is the party's former Vice President, who has filled the post of President vacated by Ieuan Wyn Jones in May.

Supporter of Ieuan Wyn Jones?

He didn't back Mr Jones' bid to become Assembly group leader, preferring to cast his vote in favour of Helen Mary Jones who narrowly missed out on victory.

So how will these two men, seen to swap telephone numbers after Monday's announcement, manage to pull together a party apparently in crisis?

A debate on Wales's constitutional objectives at the party conference may give us the first clue.

Both want a parliament for Wales, along the lines of the Scottish parliament and then full membership of the European Union for Wales.

However, they were less united when discussing 'independence' for Wales.

Dafydd Iwan said he would vote in favour of using this terminology to describe the party's long term aim, while Ieuan Wyn Jones said that he wasn't sure how he would vote.

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