Socialist Party Wales Socialism In Wales
The resignation of Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price, in response to a damning report of misogyny and sexual harassment has revealed a new crisis in the party.
The Prosiect Pawb report by Nerys Evans paints a repulsive picture of harassment, bullying and gender-based discrimination in Plaid that was unchallenged and allowed to fester for years, even before Price became party leader, but which he also failed to challenge. Women who joined Plaid Cymru were subjected to serious harassment and bullying, including sexual assaults. Although this is hardly new – the toxic sexist culture in Plaid has been a feature in all the main capitalist parties including the Welsh Tories and Labour has seen two allegations of sexual assault that have come to light recently including by a shadow minister.
Price initially responded by refusing to resign, but was forced to step down by the reaction to Prosiect Pawb. Llyr Gruffydd, the interim leader has promised to implement the report’s recommendations but it is very possible that given the widespread nature of the harassment that new allegations will arise and deepen the crisis.
The leadership crisis comes at a time when Plaid’s progress has stalled. Despite a general increase in support for independence over the last decade, Plaid has failed to capitalise on or express the dissatisfaction with the capitalist status quo in Welsh and British politics.
Despite a different cause, the wider crisis in Plaid Cymru mirrors the crisis in the SNP in Scotland. The nationalist parties have attempted to capitalise on the dissatisfaction with the social crisis in British society, but when achieving positions of power have implemented capitalist austerity and have failed to mobilise struggles for independence. Plaid councils and the SNP government have cheerfully passed on cuts to public services on the austerity conveyor belt from Westminster.
Support for independence in Wales has risen from below 10% in polls ten years ago rising as high as 25% in 2021 and, despite falling to 18% in a poll in March (55% opposed), regularly polls double the level in 2015. Significantly over 40% of Labour voters and 40% of young voters have indicated some support for independence and the highest support is no longer in the Welsh-speaking heartlands of Plaid Cymru in the north and west, but in Cardiff (with one poll showing 34% support) indicating that independence is now seen by new layers as a route out of austerity-riven Tory Britain.
But this has not boosted support for Plaid Cymru. The growing marches for independence, with 10,000 in Cardiff last October, are in stark contrast to the stalled support for Plaid. Plaid has not challenged the austerity orthodoxy of the main parties or articulated the huge desire for change. Instead it has just been one of the main establishment parties in Wales.
Despite growing support for independence in 2021 Plaid gained only one more seat in the Senedd elections, but agreed to support the Labour Welsh government in the Co-operation Agreement in exchange for concessions on free school meals and vague promises for a national care service and a small sustainable-energy company.
The huge desire for change needs to find expression with a new workers party in Wales dedicated to struggle against capitalist austerity and for genuine autonomy for Wales which would break from the inequality of Tory/Starmer Britain and fight for socialist policies.
