Plaid Cymru: Rhun ap Iorwerth would like cannabis decriminalised and tax rises back on the table

Rhun ap Iorwerth answers quick-fire questions from Sharp End Presenter Rob Osborne

Plaid Cymru's new leader would like to see cannabis decriminalised and would put increasing taxes back on the table.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, former deputy leader of the party, was elected unopposed. His appointment follows the resignation of former leader Adam Price after a report alleged serious failings over a period of years to deal with allegations of bullying, misogyny and harassment.

Appearing on ITV Cymru Wales' Sharp End programme, Mr ap Iorwerth answered quick fire questions on a range of topics - including whether or not he'd like to see Wales rejoin the European Union.

He said: "I would want to, yes, but there's something I would want to do before that - which is to join the Single Market again."

Rhun ap Iorwerth gives a speech at his leadership coronation. Credit: ITV Wales

On whether cannabis should be decriminalised, he said: "Yes - I think we need a rethink with how we deal with drugs across the board."

And on whether assisted suicide should be legal for the terminally ill, he answered: "I think it's a very, very personal one - I believe yes, we should be having that debate."

Rhun ap Iorwerth hopes his party can provide an alternative to the other main parties which are answerable to their counterparts in London.

He said: "The purpose of Plaid Cymru is to be an ambitious political party with no boundaries to our ambition for Wales."

Question marks appeared over the future of Plaid Cymru’s co-operation agreement with the Welsh Government following the report which set out failures to tackle bullying and sexual harassment within the party.

But Mr ap Iorwerth thinks the co-op agreement is "mature".

"When I went into politics I wanted to be able to use influence, to use the fact that I was elected to make life better for people in my community.

"We didn't get the numbers (in the Senedd) that we wanted to form a government but we made an opportunity for ourselves to be able to influence decisions that affect people's lives."

Adam Price quit as Plaid Cymru leader after a report into ‘toxic’ culture in the party was published. Credit: PA

During Adam Price's leadership, his party proposed to increase the basic rate of income tax in a budget debate in the Senedd. He'd also previously said he would slash income tax.

Mr ap Iorwerth refused to confirm if tax rises would form part of his party's manifesto but "wants that debate".

He added: "It's not easy for a party to say, right, we're going to put taxes up because you're in a competition where there's a race to the bottom.

"We need to be leading that debate in Wales so that we make the case for that deal between Government and people where yes we say there needs to be more tax paid but we can prove that something's going to come instead of it."

You can catch up with the latest episode of Sharp End - including the full interview with Rhun ap Iorwerth - here.