Remploy Ystradgynlais

Fe es i i Remploy Ystradgynlais wythnos diwethaf gydag Alun Llewelyn, ein Cynghorydd yn Ystalyfera, i drafod dyfodol y Ffatri. Fel mae'n sefyll, mae'r ffatri yn mynd i cau, ac fe fydd rhaid i weithwyr deithio i Faglan i weithio yn y Ffatri yno. Mae yna si bod cwmniau eraill wedi dangos diddordeb mewn datblygu'r adeilad, ond yr wythnos hwn, mi roedd yn rhaid i'r gweithwyr arwyddo'r cytundeb naillau yn cytuno i symud i Baglan ai peidio. Er y newidiadau, nid yw'r gweithwyr yn sicr o hyd beth yw'r trefniadau teithio- os byddent yn derbyn lwfans teithio, ac os fyddent yn derbyn yr un cyflog gwaith ym Maglan. Mae'n anffodus iawn bod cyfathrebiaeth rhwng y gweithwyr a'r cwmni wedi dod i ben, er bod nifer o gwestiynnau eto i'w hateb. Fe wnes i godi'r mater ar lawr y Cynulliad, ac fe fydd Plaid yn yr ardal yn parhau i geisio cynrychioli'r gweithwyr.

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I visited the workers at the Remploy Ystradgynlais Factory last week alongside my colleague, Councillor Alun Llewelyn of Ystalyfera, to discuss the future of the factory. As it stands presently, the factory will be closing, and workers will have to travel to the Baglan factory. There are rumours circulating that a company is interested in developing the Ystradgynlais site, but this may be too late for the workers, who this week had to sign a contract to agree the terms of work for Baglan. Nevertheless, details of the move are still hazy, as they are unclear as to whether or not they will receive reimbursment for travel, and the same salaries as they receive presently. It is unfortunate that the communication between the workers and the company has broken down, but Plaid in the area will continue to raise this issue on a regular basis on a local level, and at the Assembly.

still waiting for regional result but great night for Neath

Excuse the tiredness......

It's 10.38am and we still haven't had the South Wales West regional vote. It's looking tight, and I hope that we can clinch the 2nd regional seat.

Very tired, and annoyed that we had to leave without a clear result today.

Neath was an exceptional result, and is definitely winnable in 2011. Well done Alun Llewelyn, you made Labour very scared. Hain looked much more orange than usual, and was trying to comfort Gwenda when she thought she had lost.

Disappointing about Swansea West, but across the region we don't look too bad. Aberavon at constituency level was heartening in second place, but Gibbons has a huge majority to try and hack in to!!!

No television to find out results until early hours of the morning when the Afan Lido put on the televisions in the gym. Bizarre hour of candidates sitting watching Huw Edwards on the screens...and sleeping on cross trainers and running machines!

BNP walking around in matcho crowds all night, while I tried to avoid catching their attention. Communists got in to a bit of a cerfuffle with them. I couldn't even think of looking at Nick Griffin. Very disconcerting that the BNP have picked up votes, that's for sure.

I am getting ready to go out for today and face the world. Our count is at Port Talbot Civic Hall at 2pm. We will learn there how we have done on the regional list.

All in all, Plaid has done exceptionally well. Not the Labour meltdown that we had hoped for, but room for development for Plaid for 2011. Helen Mary winning Llanelli was an election high for me, and my friend Aileen Campbell getting in on the list for the SNP.

See more pictures on my facebook page of the evening.

Vote Plaid to save Neurosurgery!

I've just got in after returning from the Swansea Save our Health Service rally, and from canvassing in Neath. The rally went really well I think. There were speakers from all involved in the campaign locally- nurses from Fairwood Hospital, staff at Morriston, Hill House workers, alongside all political parties. Even though Plaid was the only party to vote unanimously to keep Neurosurgery in Swansea, all the other main parties were totally defiant( as you would expect before an election) that Neurosurgery would stay at Morriston after the election. Alun Cairns was booed to high hilt( bless!), nobody seemed to believe a word Andrew Davies had to say, and Peter Black was keeping a low profile.

Surprise surprise, Brian Gibbons didn't turn up to give his opinion on why key local decisions with regards the health service has been deferred until after the election! The Socialist candidate for the election made the biggest gaff of the day, by stating something along the lines of 'The NHS should stay within the private sector'. Whoops!

One issue that I was certain would be raised was that the campaign was 'political' and that this was undermining the cause. I did an interview for BBC, therefore, stating that the Labour party had politicized this issue long ago by kicking the issue in to touch until after the election, and for showing clear lack of leadership in the process of re-organising the Health Service here in Wales.

I also thought it quite ironic that Alun Cairns accused Dai Lloyd's speech at the rally of being 'political' when he was glued to the front of the demo ( pushing a coffin along the road) for the whole time! As our candidate for Neath, Alun Llewelyn later commented- anything that they do not agree with is 'political'! If, as politicians, we cannot get involved in local campaigns to help, and to protect local services, then what is the point of standing for elections, and trying to make a difference?

Overall, I thought that the rally was well organised and effective, especially as health is a key election issue. If anything is achieved from today, let's hope that it will inspire more people to vote on May the 3rd, and vote out a failing Labour Government.

Dafydd Wigley in Neath today

Dyma lun o Alun Llewelyn, ymgeisydd Castell Nedd, Carolyn Edwards sydd ar rhestr rhanbarthol Plaid Gorllewin De Cymru, Dafydd Wigley a fi yng nghanol Castell Nedd y bore ma. Fe ddaeth Dafydd Wigley i estun ei gefnogaeth i'r ymgyrch yn yr ardal, ac fe gafodd croeso gwresog gan bobl y dre.

Here is a picture of Alun Llewelyn, Plaid's Neath candidate alongside Carolyn Edwards who is on the Regional list in the area, Dafydd Wigley, and myself in the centre of Neath this morning. Dafydd Wigley came to show his support for the campaign here locally, and the local people gave Dafydd a warm welcome.

Save our Health Service!

Dyma lun o ymgeisydd Plaid Castell Nedd, Alun Llewelyn, fi, Jean Jenkins sydd yn aelod o'r RCN, a Carolyn Edwards sydd ar rhestr rhanbarthol Gorllewin De Cymru. Fe wnaethom lansio'r poster mawr yma ar gyfer Castell Nedd Port Talbot heddiw. Ar ddiwedd y dydd, iechyd yw un o'r materion pwysicaf ym mywydau pobl pob dydd, ac mae'n hen bryd i ni ddod a rheolaeth aneffeithlon Llafur Newydd i ben yn etholiadau'r Cynulliad ar Fai y 3ydd.

Here is a picture of Alun Llewelyn, Plaid candidate for Neath, me, Jean Jenkins, a member of RCN, and Carolyn Edwards who is on Plaid's Regional list for South Wales West. We launched the billboard for Neath Port Talbot today. At the end of the day, health is one of the most important election issues for thousands of people in Wales, and we owe it to them to get Labour out on May the 3rd, after they have made a mess of our health service fo so many years.

Plaid Neath celebrate St David's Day

Dyma lun o Alun Llewelyn, ymgeisydd Plaid Castell Nedd, Carolyn Edwards, sydd yn 4ydd ar rhestr De Orllewin Cymru, fi a cwpwl o fyfyrwyr y dre heddiw. Roeddem yn rhoi daffodils i bawb yngnhanol Castell Nedd, ynghyd a thaflen yn ennyn pobl i gefnogi'r ymgyrch am ddydd o wyliau ar ddydd Gwyl Dewi.

Here is a picture of Alun Llewelyn, Plaid's Neath candidate alongside Carolyn Edwards who is 4th on the regional list for South Wales West, myself and a few College students from Neath. We were handing out daffodils to people in the centre of Neath alongside information on Plaid, and our endorsement of the idea of having a bank holiday on St. David's Day.

Dafydd Iwan in Cwmgwrach, Neath Valley

Dafydd Iwan came to Cwmgwrach today to speak with Party members, and to launch the Party's 'Change for the Better' pre-manifesto document. It was great to get Party members together locally, and to motivate them. Alun Llewelyn, Plaid's Neath Candidate is keen to get out and about now with the Assembly election looming in May.

The key to any success is active Party Members, much more so than the work of individual Politicians. I am confident that Plaid will run a successful campaign in the area.