27/01/2012    Four in running to lead Plaid and move Wales forward

Three in running to lead Plaid and move Wales forward

(Note: Simon Thomas has withdrawn from the election)

Three candidates will be standing for the leadership of Plaid Cymru. Assembly Members Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Elin Jones and Leanne Wood have all accepted nominations to stand in the election to succeed Ieuan Wyn Jones as Leader of the Party of Wales.

Nominations opened for the post of Leader on 3 January and closed at midnight last night (Thursday 26th). Hustings meetings will take place across the nation during February before ballot papers are sent to every member at the end of the month. The result of the ballot will be announced at a special event in Cardiff on 15 March, one week before Plaid’s spring conference.

27/01/2012    Plaid membership up 23%

Wave of new members pledge to play part in making Wales better

Plaid Cymru has revealed that its membership has increased 23% in the past 4 months.

As nominations closed at midnight last night, the party said that its recent membership drive had been a big success and bodes well for the future as the party continues the process of renewal. The party will be confirming the exact rise in membership later today.

Since October the party has been undertaking one of its biggest ever membership drives, encouraging people to be part of Plaid at this crucial time in the nation’s development.

The membership drive used traditional and new media to communicate Plaid’s message to tens of thousands of people over the last four months - using online advertising, facebook, text messaging as well as other innovative techniques to communicate with the thousand of potential members who share in its vision for a better Wales. A letter was send to thousands of known supporters and branches, constituencies and members across Wales have all participated in the campaign to reach out to new supporters.