At last Wednesday’s national Plaid Cymru Local Government campaign launch in Pontypridd, the Plaid Cymru candidate for Pontyberem and Bancffosfelen Liam Bowen had a clear message for the people of Carmarthenshire.
Liam Bowen, 22, is the youngest Plaid Cymru candidate in Carmarthenshire as he looks to hold the ward for Plaid Cymru which has been a Plaid Seat with Joy Williams for 17 years.
Liam Bowen of Pontyberem was speaking at the national campaign launch with leader of the Party Leanne Wood, Shadow Spokesperson for Local Government Sian Gwenllian and other council candidates Heledd Fychan and Nasir Adam.
The Plaid Cymru member stated:
“It’s a privilege for me to be here today as the Plaid Cymru candidate for Pontyberem and Bancffosfelen, Carmarthenshire for the upcoming council elections.
D.J. Williams once said,
“I was born a Welsh nationalist, as I can’t remember any time in my history when the words ‘Cymru’ or ‘Wales’ didn’t mean something special and mystical to me.
And that’s how I’ve felt since a child, about my County and my home.
But, things have wavered and Wales has veered to a different direction. A disappointing and frustrating direction.
Instead of the hope and excitement of the future, we have apathy.
Instead of unchanging and independent strength, we have a dependency on the alien hand of Westminster.
Instead of patriotism and inclusive unity, we have hate, Brexit and UKIP!
This is Wales’ story.
But if Plaid Cymru councillors can prove one thing, that is, that the demise of Wales isn’t a certainty yet.
Since Emlyn Dole and Carmarthenshire’s Plaid Cymru Councillors took Control of Carmarthenshire County Council, we’ve seen what a Plaid Cymru government can do.
Under Labour, Carmarthenshire Council were sitting on large sums of money while cutting our vital services to the bone. Now? The Council have embarked on a £210million 5- year capital investment programme, with the potential to create hundreds of new jobs in both urban and rural parts of the County.
Thanks to Labour, Carmarthenshire Council’s name was being dragged through the mud by damning Ombudsman and Audit Office reports relating to poor decision making, highly questionable spending of taxpayers’ money and poor running of local services. But now? The Auditor has praised the transformation in the running of the council.
And today? Labour are actively and angrily campaigning, with UKIP, against Welsh language education in Llangennech, But Plaid-led Carmarthenshire Council have withstood the insults, stood with the local community and ensured that Carmarthenshire is on the way to giving every single child the opportunity for a bilingual future.
But this is only the beginning of what Plaid Cymru can do in Carmarthenshire. We want the opportunity to prove to you that Plaid Cymru, with a full term in office, can transform our county for the better.
Now as a young candidate I’ve heard quite a lot over the last few months, from, “Who do you think you are telling us about politics?” to “Politics is for adults, not for children”
But, I truly believe that these sentences aren’t uttered with contempt, but with fear.
A Fear that a new generation is rising, that will not be taken for granted by Labour.
A Fear that a young, pro-Europe, pro-democracy and pro-independence generation is awakening and realising that this isn’t as good as it gets.
A Fear that Labour’s monopoly on Wales is coming to an end and that Plaid Cymru is the ONLY party that will take Wales towards a brighter future.
Plaid is, and always will be a grassroots party that works tirelessly to ensure a better, more prosperous Wales for future generations. That’s why I, and so many young people are standing for Plaid Cymru, because we wholeheartedly believe that Plaid Cymru is the only party that has always, does always, and will always put the interests of Wales and her people above all else!
From Rwst to Cathays and from Treletert to Menai, there is a change afoot as young people, across Wales, are standing for Plaid Cymru this year and demanding better from the Cruel Conservatives and the Lazy Labour party.
This is our opportunity to prove that a better future is available for future generations.
So, come with us. Send a message to Westminster and Cardiff Bay that you won’t be ignored any longer, and prove once again – that there’s something special about Wales.”
