1,500 Conversations

Plaid Cymru`s Caerffili Constituency has been hard at it the last couple of months knocking on doors across the constituency in preparation for next years Assembly Elections and have so far knocked up almost 1,500 people.  Not all support  us of course.    However, at a national level, what people frequently raise with us is the failure of Labour, despite their time in power in Cardiff to get to grips with the NHS in Wales.  They want someone to take control, to get a grip and come up with solutions which will improve the situation.  This applies to other areas of the Assembly`s responsibilities of course. 
What then surprises people is that Plaid has many of the answers they are looking for such as a more joined up approach to social services and health..... they just haven't heard our proposals before.   In spite of this information heavy electronic world, the good old knock on the door is still a weapon to be reckoned with.

Younger voters turning back on Corbyn

The recent poll showing that Jeremy Corbyn is failing to inspire traditional Labour voters in Wales comes as no surprise.  Knocking on doors from Nelson to Bedwas, we have found a similar pattern where older more traditional voters have been turning away from the politics of Mr Corbyn.  However where our experience is different is the  attitude of younger voters, who appear to be more likely to support Corbyn according to the poll.  To the contrary, we have  seen a number of young people who have already become disillusioned with the way Corbyn is performing as a leader and failed to take the whole Labour party with him on a range of issues such .as the bombing of Syria. 

Bilingual Signs

Good news about the letter I sent about the new signage at Trehir amenity site which was English only.  Council has apologised and said they will rectify as soon as possible along with the incorrect spelling of the access sign on the junction St Margarets Road and Lon y Llyn.  If only the council would follow their own policy on signage then this extra expense would be un-necessary

Plaid back on winning trail

It was great to be in Penyrheol last night.  After three weeks of footslogging we were rewarded with emphatic wins for Steve Skivens and Michelle Britton.  Labour`s faces were a picture.  Celebrations continued with the fantastic news from Ynys Mon.  One of the more lasting images of the day was the former Labour Club in Penyrheol plastered with Plaid posters, which seemed to sum up Labour`s day. Great stuff

Labours Bryncenydd Councillor stands in Penyrheol!

Many will be aware that there is a Borough and Community Council By Election in Penyrheol on August 1st due to the untimely death of Plaids Anne Collins.  Plaid is fielding two excellent local candidates in Steve Skivens for the Borough and Michelle Britton for the Community.  Interesting to see Labour are fielding a candidate called Gareth Pratt who is currently a Labour Community Councillor for Bryncenydd in Caerffili.  Is it his ambition or Labour`s desperation?  It is worth taking a look at the comments in the Caerffili Observer about his candidature, which suggest that he will even be on holiday during  election week.  

http://www.caerphillyobserver.co.uk/news/893847/labour-choose-candidate-for-penyrheol-by-election/

YNYS MON SUCCESS

What a fantastic result for Plaid on Ynys Mon.  Winning 12 seats and becoming the largest party group is a tremendous boost to party morale and we look forward to taking control of the council with a coalition partner.   Labour managed only three seats in a constituency they hold at Westminster level, while the big news in the UK at the moment, UKIP, only got 5% of the vote despite standing in every seat.

Labour Loses three out four Police Commissioners in Wales

Its always good to see Labour lose.  They had such high hopes in our police area and then an Independent nicks Gwent from under their noses and thus their barrister candidate flees back to London.  While the turn out vindicated Plaids stance on the subject that there was little enthusiasm for the posts, the vote confirmed our view that people feel that the police should not be politicised. We will have to wait and see what impact the new commissioners will have, but in the meantime we can feel happy that a nice well paid job has been denied to a Labour hack.