Feeling your pain
Visit Aberystwyth, as Plaid delegates will over the next few days and you can't very well ignore Constitution Hill. Consti would be pretty hard to disguise too given its size. I climbed up it on New Year's Day (yes, the morning after the night before) so believe me, I should know.
But it'll be no surprise is Ieuan Wyn Jones and his troops do their best to disguise their focus on constitutional issues at this year's annual conference.
From what Mr Jones has been telling us, it'll go something like this:
1. The economy is a disaster area and we feel your pain.
[You're worried about the next bill that lands on the mat and talking about the price of petrol, not referendums and conventions. We're with you all the way, from Blackwood to Beaumaris.]
2. Gordon Brown has lost the plot.
[Labour is letting you down but to be fair, it's the PM who is ignoring your immediate needs. A billion pound to combat fuel poverty? Too little, too late. But there's not a lot our partner, Rhodri can do about it].
3. The Tories are going to win the next General Election but don't think for one minute that would be any better.
[You're not entirely convinced that Cameron can get you out of this mess are you? No, we thought not. Ever thought of voting Plaid? We still need strong representation in Westminster after all.]
4. And if there's not an awful lot Rhodri can do about it, the same goes for us.
[We're doing what we can to stand up for the ordinary people of Wales but ...]
5. We haven't got the tools to do quickly what needs to be done to ensure a supply of affordable homes, to come up with mortgage rescue schemes and so on [so can't you see? We need the tools to do the job.]
There - and all without mentioning the constitution once.
Off we go to put some flesh on the bones.
UPDATE: Just guess who else is heading up to Aberystwyth this weekend. Which Labour Government Minister could really do without being seen heading off in the same direction as Plaid? A leadership contender who won't want to be snapped supping in the same town, let alone the same bar as his Plaid colleagues?
Carwyn Jones must be cursing the timing of his college reunion.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
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Gosh Betsan, you DO lead an exciting life!
The (long) freedom march from Aber to "indy sunlight" with little Ieuan Wyn pointing the longer way ahead. C'Mon Ieuan! We have a dream! Zzzzzzzzzzz. C'mon Dopey/Sleepy! (Plaid Exec.)
Hey, Big Bang Day yesterday...Newport disappeared! Itza Black hole. Again. (I blame that Welsh CERN scientist with the bad (Primark) jeans.
SHAPE UP PLAID!
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Fair play i'm pleased with Plaid Cymru's performance!, they had to make tough decisions like closing local schools, but that was not there fault as they did not have enough buget from London, we all no where the labour in London are spending it on dont we.
no body is perfect and neither is Plaid
Plaid Cymru 1 year on, from what I've seen, Plaid Cymru have done verry well in the business sector, spending on making more businesses in Wales, on the agriculture side, rural afairs minister Elin Jones is doing a really great job!,keeping the Welsh farming business running, and from what I've heared from farmers, the price of lamb and beef has improved!! and yet I think it will improve more with there policy to increase local demand! and from now till 2011 we will see the only Welsh-made party doing the best for Wales! supporting agriculture, local foods, a bio-fuel factory has been open in Aberystwyth, and over a million pounds has been given to advertise Wales starting this autumn to help the tourism industry! according to Daily Post!This is a start in giving Wales a boost in the economy, just hope the weather will be better next year!
Plaid Cymru will talk about the failings of other parties, (which are all london based) a comment on the conservatives being too unionist, well Conservative party does mean unionist party, David Davies and the tories sound like they are paniking saying Wales will turn into soviet style poverty, which obviously is a load of rubbish!they include Plaid in the spending of over 14million pounds on furniture since 1999, Plaid Cymru have only been in power since 2007!!
It would be verry interesting to see the confrence,and see what's new, and I think they are doing a better and sensible effort than Labour!
my view on the best Plaid ministers would have to be Elin Jones,because she has experience in the job she does, since she lives on a farm, and has more charisma than the others, then its Adam Price, then Ieuan Wyn Jones, can anyone do better than these people? i dont think so,
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I also forgot to add, Plaid want to save the Welsh language, and create a fully bilingual Wales, the other parties are not bothered!
Conservatives--well they dont care, they want to get rid of the Welsh language group Cymdeithas yr Iaith!
everyone should have the right to speak there language, and cymdeithas yr iaith protest to give more rights!
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Gawd 'elp us all !
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What's the matter? Realised you were wrong...?
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Being in America, I watch some of Plaid's speaches and adverts on YouTube, lol. I can't wait to see some of these on there.
I think Plaid is proving themselves in Government. None of Welsh Labour's malaise seems to be effecting Plaid. Plaid is seen as the more capable party then is Labour.
But alas, it is true that they do need to concentrate more on grass roots efforts. But that is the issue with some politics, rather then electing the more capable, modern politics seems to focus on personality politics.
I currently volenteer for the Obama Campaign and wow! Talk about grass roots efforts!
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I really would love to see a list of the practical things that PC have done since being Labour's 'bestest friends' !
But beware mentioning 'free prescriptions and hospital parking'.
Though on second thoughts, go on then, mention them...make my day.
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Noah_sembly let see.....
over a million pounds has been spent on tourism,-advertising Wales on the internet and press, making leaflets and so on...
20million pounds has been agreed to take young people into farming (those who live or work on a farm and would like to make there businesses)
Bio-fuel, - A bio fuel plant has been made thanks to grants from PC!!
they are spending over 150 million pounds to help welsh busineses to grow!
want more? instead of looking at unionist website like the tories and UKIP, look at non sided news papers!
look at plaid cymru website and ask them if your so interested.
Plaid Cymru are a fine government, oppositions always look for some excuse to let them down, where they cant do anything better themselves!
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dylanrees88
You present these activities as if Plaid Cymru had achieved something.Labour could also come on here and claim the credit for this pointless expenditure. Looks to me as if a Labour led assembly have lived up to their reputation. They have wasted what appears to be a couple of hundred million pounds of Welsh and English taxpayers money on extremely dodgy flights of fancy. This money could and should have been spent on worthwhile and essential things. Like the NHS, more police, and help for pensioners, rather than producing daft leaflets that no-one looks at.
In any case, you fool no-one. This is old money, spread over several years. It's obvious that Plaid Cymru is quickly learning the tricks used so often by it's bedfellows...Labour.
The quicker the assembly house of cards collapses, the better for all of us.
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