Jane Dodds criticises party leaders for not mentioning Plaid Cymru report in Senedd

Jane Dodds MS said she "expect more" from the party leaders. Credit: PA

The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats has said she is “disappointed” that no group leader in the Senedd acknowledged the damning report into Plaid Cymru’s culture as Adam Price addressed members on Tuesday.

Mr Price, who led Plaid Cymru since 2018, made his final appearance in the Senedd as leader on Tuesday, and bid farewell in an eight minute speech that made no reference to allegations of bullying, harassment and misogyny within the party. 

In his final First Minister’s Questions, Adam Price dwelt on his own background, saying that:

“It took a long while for this gay council house boy from Tumble to have pride in himself. 

  • Adam Price speaking for the last time as Plaid Cymru leader in the Senedd

“I never would have believed back then that I would get to sit in this chair.

"I want the youth of our country, women and men in equal number, every race, every creed, LGBTQ+ and disabled, the working class especially, to feel as if this place belongs to them, represents them, speaks for them as much as it does for anyone.

“I want them to see people like them, occupying my chair, your chair, every chair.”

First Minister Mark Drakeford and Senedd Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies both paid tribute to Mr Price, but made no reference to the Prosiect Pawb report on Plaid Cymru.  

Speaking on S4C’s Y Byd yn ei Le programme, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said “I expect more to be honest. I expect more men to defend women in politics.

Alun Davies MS also said he found it “odd” that Adam Price MS hadn’t mentioned the report at all. 

“It’s a problem in every party, but it’s a responsibility on each and every one of us, especially men, to speak out against the things that happen to people like me.

"That’s why it was disappointing that Adam Price didn’t discuss it, nor Mark Drakeford nor Andrew RT Davies - not one of them. I expect more to be honest, I expect more men to defend women in politics.”

Welsh Labour MS Alun Davies also told the programme he found it “odd” that Adam Price MS hadn’t mentioned the report at all. 

“He didn’t say anything about it and that is odd that he did that. But he did speak well and he did - I think - look forward to the future, his future as an individual more than the future of the party.”

But the interim leader for Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd MS, defended his predecessor saying Mr Price had apologised previously, to the media and to the party’s ruling body.

“Adam has spoken about what has happened. He spoke eloquently to the National Council about many of these issues.”

Asked how those who have experienced a toxic culture within Plaid Cymru would feel, Mr Gruffydd said he was “not going to answer on behalf of anyone else, just that I’m comfortable about what happened on Tuesday", making reference to Adam Price's final speech.

Y Byd yn ei Le is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and S4C/Clic.