Cynhadledd meddwlau (Conference thoughts)

I spent most of Friday and Saturday last week at the Plaid Cymru conference in Llandudno. A few days on, here are some thoughts about it and, as you'd expect, some selfies!

It was my second visit to Llandudno in a couple of weeks as Cathy and I had a day there on our North Wales holiday in September. I'd had a late one on Thursday night, getting back from the HU's gig in Bristol. It was an early start on Friday, leaving Cardiff at 6am with fellow delegates Ben and Jose. 

On the way up we talked politics for a bit and about Warhammer for a bit, because serendipitously we all shared both interests. We got to Llandudno before lunchtime and in time for the big afternoon speeches at Venue Cymru, the large theatre and conference centre on the sea front. It was a bit strange being back there because I remember working a large NHS conference in Venue Cymru well over a decade ago.

Lovely Llandudno

This was my second Plaid Cymru cynhadledd (after last year's in Swansea). I was asked what I thought about it by Emily, a political analyst who was doing a "vibe report", and I said that overall I thought the vibe was celebratory without being smug. It was different to last year's, with Plaid Cymru now the party of (minority) government but it felt like everyone was very conscious of meeting the electorate's expectations.

I thought Rhun ap Iorweth's leader's speech was very good - managing that line between celebrating winning the election witb a sense of purpose and acknowledging the election only being the beginning of working hard for Wales. 

My favourite moments were hearing my friend Anna give her first conference speech as Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, and then hearing my chwaer calon Sara speak in support of a motion to give the Senedd more control over justice and equalities legislation.

Sara was also involved chairing a fringe meeting about improving nursing care. There were several similar thought provoking panels. One of our local Senedd members, Kiera, chaired a great session on youth mental health which included a powerful real life story. 

There was also a main stage session about social care that included an incredibly brave testimony from a care worker about the awful exploitative employment conditions many care workers are trapped in. She got a deserved standing ovation and I hope the campaign to improve things gains traction.

I voted on some motions, including an emergency motion for the party not to accept crypto-currency donations. I also voted in the party's internal elections and was very pleased when Sara was elected Director of Equalities.

In the exhibition I met Zahid from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. A lovely man who was willing to spend time chatting.

On the Saturday there was a protest about Palestine outside. It was the only time I saw any police in Llandudno. I think they over-estimated the likelihood of trouble with over 20 officers and at least 3 vehicles deployed. There were no arrests.

The exhibition also had a display of Plaid Cymru history.

Conference also provides a chance to catch up with friends and meet new people. Along with the South Cardiff representation, I had encouraging conversations with former Grangetonian Huw, and also met Danny from the Rhondda. 

Jose, Paddy and me
repping South Cardiff with Rhun

Gyda ffrind newydd Danny

It also was a chance to meet people who were there for other reasons. I told journalist Will Hayward that I'd read his most recent book (reviewed here) and thought his summary of the problems in NHS Wales was spot on. I also met Ben (a different Ben) who was there in a lobbying capacity but who I hadn't seen in several years - a most welcome catch up.

The two days went by really fast, and soon we were saying goodbye to Venue Cymru. I took a photo of the marvellous dragon on their information desk before I left.

Book of the Month: Who Cares About Wales?

This is the second book I've reviewed on my blog by Will Hayward, who is now probably the most influential journalist covering Welsh politics and current affairs. (Read my review of Will's book on Welsh independence.)

This latest book, published earlier this year before Plaid Cymru's historic win in the Senedd election, was a birthday present from my friends Justin and Annabel. So, a big thank you to them!

The basic premise of this book is that Wales has been spectacularly let down by it's politicians in the first quarter of the 21st century. Whether they have been in Westminster or Cardiff Bay, the people making decisions for Wales have often got things wrong. 

Will thinks the people of Wales should get angry about this, and he certainly seems to be. There are plenty of swears to underline points of particular frustration. It gets his point across, but I didn't feel they were all necessary. 

However, he has also managed to produce the most readable explanation of the Barnett funding formula that I've ever read. That gets talked about a lot in politics chat in Wales and it's never entirely clear that people know how it works. 

I can't vouch how right he is on a lot of the issues he covers, but from my perspective of working in the NHS, the issues he identifies in the section on health are bang on. The section on transport, especially rail, is a neat distillation of how Wales has been woefully hard done by. 

There were some real nuggets of interest along the way. For example, the creative sector generates far more economic activity in Wales than agriculture does - and for a fraction of the government subsidies. 

Will is critical of all the political parties, although most of his anger is directed towards Labour as they were the party in government in Wales for the entirety of the devolution era up to the point this book was written. He is particularly scathing about how Labour blamed so many problems on having to work with a Tory government in Westminster, but since Labour swept to power in London in 2024, Welsh Labour was very reluctant to push for all the things they'd been saying Wales needs. 

There is a hopeful conclusion, with some ideas of what could change. Whether any of that will come to pass in the tricky terrain of the first Plaid Cymru government in the Senedd is yet to be seen. I'm sure Will is already working on a book about 2026 onwards!