Thursday, 29 March 2012

Ymlaen!




The last week-and-a-half has been busy and in many ways, life-changing. What an honour it has been to be elected as leader of Plaid Cymru. That I am the first woman leader in our history makes it all the more special. I can't miss this opportunity to thank everybody who helped my campaign in whatever way they could – you are too numerous to mention by name, but you all know who you are. I would also like to thank all of the Plaid members who placed their faith in me. I have undertaken do my utmost to represent the core beliefs that have made Plaid what it is; the only political party to put Wales first. Participation in the leadership election was very high at 76%. This impressive turn-out, allied to 1500 extra party members that have joined Plaid Cymru in recent months, bodes well for our future.

There has barely been any time to pause and reflect on the election since the result was announced on the afternoon of March 15th. My first official function as Plaid leader came the following Monday when the Grand Slam-winning Welsh rugby team and coaches came to the Senedd. As a Welsh rugby fan it was fantastic to be involved in some small way in the celebrations and to meet some of the players. Their dedication and willingness has made Wales proud and provides inspiration to so many.

A trip to Ysgol Erw'r Delyn Special School earlier that day may have been much lower profile but it was, nonetheless, more important. I was invited to listen to a presentation of the problems encountered by the pupils’ during what should have been routine shopping trips to Cardiff. It was shocking to see and hear how difficult it is for disabled people to access the kind of areas in clothes stores and fast-food restaurants that most able-bodied people take for granted. The lack of disabled parking in multi-storey car parks is another issue that needs looking at, as does access to public transport. I have argued that we should strive to create a nation that leaves no one behind. This will be a guiding principle during my tenure as Plaid Cymru leader.

In my first full week, we had our annual spring conference at the Ffos Las race course at Trimsaran which helped to maintain the momentum that the leadership contest has generated in recent months. The overwhelming mood at conference was very positive and members are energised as we approach the local elections on May 3rd. There was plenty of lively debate on a range of issues that provided plenty of food for thought.

During my first conference speech I highlighted the need to extricate our country from an economic system that favours London and the South East of England at the expense of the areas on the periphery of this overheated haven for multi-millionaires.

Here is an extract from my speech:

“We want an economy that is built on equity, on fairness, on balance between the needs of the present and future generations, and on the twin spirits of creativity and generosity.
“So, what is our most urgent priority?
“Over the last twenty years we have seen the gap in wealth in Wales growing ever wider.
“On current trends within a generation Wales will no longer belong in the club of high-income countries.
“But predictions only come true if we accept their inevitability.
“If we shift course then our future changes with us.
“What is this path to a better future?
“I think there are three giant goals we need to set ourselves in the coming decade.
“We must build the green economy, invest in our knowledge base and create the infrastructure for success in the 21st century.
“We need a green-print not just for the valleys but for the whole of Wales,retrofitting every home and every building until every last one is fit for the future – starting with those that need the help most, the homes of those on low-incomes.
“Through this one programme we can create thousands of jobs, hundreds of apprenticeships and save millions in energy usage which can be used to fund the project.
“We should have done this nearly twenty years ago when Dafydd Wigley first suggested it in his ground-breaking 100,000 answers job creation strategy.
“But this time we have the Parliament with the power to do it.
“Let’s build up our renewable industry.
“As a nation we have been given a truly amazing legacy.
“Our country is infused with energy.
“First it was coal – now it is wind and wave.
“But let us not repeat the mistakes of our history.
“Let us make sure that people here reap the benefit from this second industrial revolution.
“The German renewable sector employs 40,000 people in wind energy alone.
“If turbines are to be built then let them be built by Welsh hands and minds and with Welsh steel.”

Over the coming weeks I intend to visit as many parts of Wales as possible to spread the positive message we have to deliver. I hope to see you on the way.

ENDS

Mae'r wythnos a hanner diwethaf wedi bod yn brysur ac, mewn sawl ffordd, yn newid llwyr ar fyd. Mae wedi bod yn fraint aruthrol i mi gael fy ethol yn arweinydd ar Blaid Cymru ac mae’r ffaith mai fi yw'r arweinydd fenywaidd gyntaf yn ein hanes yn ei wneud hyd yn oed yn fwy arbennig. Rhaid i mi achub ar y cyfle hwn i ddiolch i bawb a fu'n helpu fy ymgyrch ym mha bynnag ffordd y gallent – rych chi’n rhy niferus i'ch enwi i gyd, ond rych chi’n gwybod pwy ydych chi. Hoffwn hefyd ddiolch i holl aelodau Plaid Cymru sydd wedi ymddiried ynof fi. Rwyf wedi ymrwymo i wneud fy ngorau glas i gynrychioli'r egwyddorion craidd hynny sydd wedi creu Plaid Cymru’r presennol: yr unig blaid wleidyddol sy’n rhoi Cymru yn gyntaf. Roedd y niferoedd a bleidleisiodd yn yr etholiad arweinyddol yn uchel iawn – 76%. Mae’r ffigwr trawiadol hyn, ynghyd â’r 1500 o aelodau ychwanegol sydd wedi ymuno â Phlaid Cymru yn y misoedd diwethaf, yn argoeli'n dda ar gyfer ein dyfodol.

Prin fu unrhyw amser am seibiant i fyfyrio ar yr etholiad ers i’r canlyniad gael ei gyhoeddi ar Fawrth 15fed. Daeth fy ngwaith swyddogol cyntaf fel arweinydd Plaid Cymru y dydd Llun canlynol ar ymweliad tîm rygbi Cymru – enillwyr y Gamp Lawn – a’u hyfforddwyr â’r Senedd. Fel rhywun sy’n cefnogi rygbi Cymreig roedd hi’n wych i chwarae rhan fechan yn y dathliadau, ac i gwrdd â rhai o'r chwaraewyr. Mae eu hymroddiad a'u parodrwydd yn destun balchder i Gymru ac yn ysbrydoliaeth i gynifer o bobl.

Efallai bod ymweliad ag Ysgol Anghenion Arbennig Erw'r Delyn yn gynharach y diwrnod hwnnw wedi mwynhau proffil llawer is ond mi oedd, serch hynny, yn fwy pwysig. Cefais wahoddiad i wrando ar gyflwyniad o'r problemau sy’n wynebu’r disgyblion yn ystod teithiau siopa arferol i Gaerdydd. Roedd yn frawychus i weld a chlywed pa mor anodd yw hi i bobl anabl gael mynediad i'r math o ardaloedd mewn siopau dillad a bwytai bwyd parod y mae’r rhan fwyaf o bobl abl eu cyrff yn eu cymryd yn ganiataol. Mae angen edrych ar y diffyg parcio anabl mewn meysydd parcio aml-lawr, ac ar fynediad i gludiant cyhoeddus. Rwyf wedi dadlau y dylem ymdrechu i greu cenedl sy'n gadael neb ar ôl. Bydd hyn yn egwyddor arweiniol yn ystod fy nghyfnod fel arweinydd Plaid Cymru.

Yn fy wythnos lawn gyntaf, cawsom ein cynhadledd wanwyn flynyddol yng nghwrs rasio Ffos Las yn Nhrimsaran – digwyddiad a helpodd gynnal y momentwm a grewyd gan y ras arweinyddol dros y misoedd diwethaf. Roedd teimlad cadarnhaol iawn yn y gynhadledd drwyddi draw, gydag aelodau’n llawn brwdfrydedd wrth i ni nesáu at yr etholiadau lleol ar Fai’r 3ydd. Cafwyd trafodaeth fywiog ar ystod o bynciau a digon i gnoi cil drosto.

Yn ystod fy araith gynadleddol gyntaf tynnais sylw at yr angen i ryddhau’n gwlad o system economaidd sy'n ffafrio Llundain a De Ddwyrain Lloegr ar draul yr ardaloedd hynny sydd ar ymylon y lloches or-boeth hon i luosfiliwnyddion.

Dyma ran o’m haraith:

“Rydym am weld economi sy'n cael ei hadeiladu ar gyfartaledd, ar degwch, ar gydbwysedd rhwng anghenion cenedlaethau’r presennol a'r dyfodol, ac ar greadigrwydd a haelioni ill dau.
"Felly, beth yw ein prif flaenoriaeth?
"Dros yr ugain mlynedd diwethaf rydym wedi gweld y bwlch cyfoeth yng Nghymru yn cynyddu fwyfwy.
"O barhau’r tueddiadau presennol, ni fydd Cymru o fewn cenhedlaeth bellach yn perthyn i glwb y gwledydd incwm uchel.
"Ond dim ond os y derbyniwn ni eu natur anochel y daw proffwydoliaethau’n wir.
"Os ydym yn newid ein llwybr, yna fe fydd ein dyfodol yn newid gyda ni.
"Beth yw’r llwybr hwn i greu gwell dyfodol?
"Rwy'n meddwl bod angen i ni osod tair prif nôd i’n hunain yn y degawd nesaf.
"Rhaid i ni adeiladu economi werdd, buddsoddi yn ein sylfaen wybodaeth a chreu seilwaith ar gyfer llwyddiant yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain.
"Mae angen cynllun gwyrdd – nid yn unig ar gyfer y cymoedd, ond ar gyfer Cymru gyfan, yn ôl-ffitio pob cartref a phob adeilad hyd nes bod pob un yn addas ar gyfer y dyfodol – gan ddechrau gyda'r rhai sydd fwyaf angen y cymorth mwyaf, cartrefi’r rheiny ar incwm isel.
"Drwy'r un raglen hon gallwn greu miloedd o swyddi, cannoedd o brentisiaethau ac arbed miliynau o ran defnydd ynni, y gellir ei ddefnyddio i ariannu'r prosiect.
"Dylem fod wedi gwneud hyn bron i ugain mlynedd yn ôl pan awgrymodd Dafydd Wigley ei strategaeth ‘100,000 o atebion’ arloesol i greu swyddi.
"Ond y tro hwn mae gennym y Senedd â'r pŵer i wneud hynny.
"Gadewch i ni ddatblygu ein diwydiant adnewyddadwy.
"Fel cenedl rydym wedi derbyn etifeddiaeth anhygoel.
"Mae ein gwlad wedi ei thrwytho ag ynni.
"Yn gyntaf roedd glo – ac yn awr mae gennym y gwynt a'r tonnau.
"Ond gadewch i ni beidio ag ailadrodd camgymeriadau ein hanes.
"Gadewch i ni wneud yn siŵr mai pobl yma sy’n elwa ar yr ail chwyldro diwydiannol hwn.
"Mae sector ynni adnewyddadwy yr Almaen yn cyflogi 40,000 o bobl ym maes ynni gwynt yn unig.
"Os yw tyrbinau i gael eu hadeiladu, yna gadewch iddyn nhw gael eu hadeiladu gan ddwylo a meddyliau Cymreig a gyda dur Cymru."


Dros yr wythnosau nesaf yr wyf yn bwriadu ymweld â sawl rhan o Gymru ag sy'n bosibl i ledaenu'r neges gadarnhaol mae'n rhaid i ni gyflawni. Rwy'n gobeithio’ch gweld yn ystod y daith.

DIWEDD

2 comments:

Meic Alger said...

Swt wy i'n cysylltu'r fersiwn yn Gymaeg?

lionel said...

lovely and we're all glad that we voted for you Leanne, but could we start laying the blame for hospital downgrades and ward closures firmly at Labour's door like we should be doing. They would be ramming it home every second, if the Tories were god forbid running the Welsh Government and driving through downgrades. So far we have Labour AMs and MPs (wtf has it to do with the MPs?, campaigning against their own government's reforms, whilst blaming their own appointed Health chiefs. Time to get moving here. We need to start telling people that Labour run health and Labour are responsible end of!