When Rhun met WRN-ers
- Aug 15
- 7 min read
by Cristiana E, NE Wales
Like the SNP in Scotland, Plaid Cymru is an important part of our political system and, even though they have never held a majority, their policies in the Senedd are influential. Depending on whichever polls you believe, they could end up the biggest party in Wales in the Senedd elections in 2026.
However, like the SNP, they don’t have the rosiest record when it comes to representing, or listening to women, despite their boasts of ‘tolerance’. Plaid’s approach can be summed up by Fyodor Dostoevsky’s famous reflection:
“Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be forbidden to think so as not to offend idiots”.
Let me demonstrate. In December 2022 Nerys Evans, a former Senedd member for Plaid Cymru, was asked to chair a working group to examine the culture within the party. The Project Pawb Report made over 80 recommendations with many addressing sexual harassment. The working group found that most discrimination was sex based and concluded that Plaid,
“needed [to] detoxify a culture of harassment bullying and misogyny and to make Plaid truly and visibly welcoming to women” [emphasis added].
So much for ‘tolerance’.
After this damning indictment of a toxic culture within the party, Rhun ap Iorwerth was elected Leader of Plaid Cymru, unopposed on 16 June 2023. Celebrating his election, Mr ap Iorwerth said;
"… I'm determined that we will be, and I will be uncompromising in making this a welcoming party where everyone feels safe and supported and empowered to play their parts" [emphasis added]
Did his speech signal new beginnings for Plaid Cymru, particularly for women? In a word, no.
FiLiA, the largest annual grassroot feminist conference in Europe, booked a stand at Plaid Cymru’s annual conference in March 2024. With less than 48 hours to go, FiLiA was told that they would not be welcome, and their stall booking was revoked. In their statement, Plaid said:
“While there are many issues and campaigns on which I expect we would agree, it has come to my attention that some of FiLiA’s positions are potentially contrary to the party’s values – for instance on trans rights."
Fast forward then to 31 July 2025, and an event organised by Plaid Cymru in Wrexham kick starting their campaign for the Senedd elections.
I did not hesitate to join my fellow WRN-ers of all political persuasions who wanted to raise awareness about the party’s lackadaisical, and now unlawful stance on women’s rights (see their website for their ‘values’ on Trans Equality and Inclusion - The Party of Wales), and engage in a constructive dialogue with its representatives.
Rhun ap Iorwerth started his campaign in Wrexham with a bang and plenty of energy, posting on social media:
“Looking forward to being in Wrexham next Thursday to hear your ideas for a fairer, more ambitious Wales – and how we can deliver that change together” [emphasis added]
And he marked the end of the day on the same high energy note, posting again:
“What a way to kick off Plaid Cymru’s tour of Wales – diolch Wrecsam. Great day. Great people. Great conversations about the future of Wales. It’s time to give Wales the fresh start it needs with Plaid Cymru” [emphasis added].
Unfortunately, the carefully polished photographs accompanying his post do not tell the full story. I feel it is upon me to present the missing detail from Maesgwyn, Wrexham, where the Leader of Plaid Cymru met his followers and local residents to have those ‘great conversations’ about the ‘future of Wales’ to be forged with his party at the helm.
Our small group of WRN members were eagerly awaiting his arrival at that venue, hoping that we would get to engage with him on matters where his party is still reeling from concerns about embedded misogyny in its ranks and a deafening silence on how it is going to protect women’s rights in the light of the Supreme Court judgement (Hallelujah!)
We came prepared with placards and informative bilingual leaflets for all attendees. We even made ourselves more distinguishable by wearing our campaigning regalia of ‘XX’ hats and ‘adult human female’ (oedolyn dynol benywaidd) T-shirts.
Rhun arrived in his SUV which he parked opposite us. Judging by his parking spot, he would certainly have been able to see us in his rear mirror. He spent a considerable amount of time in his car which could have been for a variety of reasons. Perhaps, like us, he was watching the attendees, wondering why the number of women attending was so disproportionately low compared to that of men? Or was he wishing that he had an underground tunnel from his car into the venue?
Our little group effectively engaged outside and most people we stopped and talked to were courteous, some showing a genuine interest in our cause, with many looking rather surprised at what they were hearing. But many attendees in their 30s or younger refused to engage with us at all.
One woman brushed passed us, dismissing a welcoming greeting from one of our members. As a rule, we do not pressure people to engage with us and politely thank them and wish them well.
But on this occasion, I made an exception, because the woman in question was none other than Becca Martin, a Plaid Cymru councillor for Wrexham County Borough Council and Plaid Cymru’s prospective candidate for the Wrexham constituency in the 2024 general election. Ms Martin would do well to remember that under Nolan’s Seven Principles of Public Life – which form the basis of her professional Code of Conduct - she must uphold several standards of behaviour, notably ‘Objectivity’ which requires holders of public office to act impartially, without discrimination or bias.
I asked her: “do you believe that women deserve single sex-based spaces, Becca?”. Upon hearing her name and realising that she had been recognised, Cllr Martin stopped in the entrance and responded with an emphatic “No”. I responded with the only phrase that she and her Party deserved: “We will remember your answer next year”, in reference to the upcoming Senedd elections in May 2026.
Then Mr ap Iorwerth finally emerged from his car! Despite his professional background in media and journalism, he did not look at all confident having to walk past a group of ‘old fashioned’ women… you know the ones with wombs, those old dinosaurs (thanks, Ricky Gervais).
His supporters praise his communication skills, “his ability to get his chosen message to the rest of us”. Judging by the way he walked towards our little group on that day, I thought that the only communication skill he excels at, is sign language. His height did come in handy, as his legs helped him fly past us even quicker than Becca Martin! With a robotic smile frozen on his face and hardly any eye contact, he barely muttered ‘You are alright?’. Unsurprisingly he refused to take any of our leaflets or even attempt the most basic small talk.
Making his way to safety inside the venue, Rhun ap Iorwerth opened up the meeting by saying how popular Plaid Cymru have become under his leadership. At this point, it’s worth noting that Plaid Cymru have also consistently voted alongside Welsh Labour on anything infringing women’s sex-based rights, including championing self ID for the purposes of the failed Gender Quotas Bill, and many of their leading representatives openly advocate for self ID, this also being their most recent manifesto position.
When the Q&A session came, our members inside the venue finally got their chance. Our area coordinator Beth spoke up and referred to the findings of the Project Pawb and their discrimination against the gender-critical FiLiA organisation just ten months ago. As a prospective candidate for the top position in the Senedd, Beth asked him what he would do to ensure that the Supreme Court ruling would be respected and enacted in all policies across Wales to ensure the provision of single-sex spaces for women and girls.
The Plaid Leader started by saying that Plaid had not discriminated against FiLiA. For the benefit of readers, here is the link to an article dated 20 September 2024 whose opening line is,
“Plaid Cymru has admitted unlawfully discriminating against a grassroots feminist charity by barring it from the party’s Spring Conference” [emphasis added].
The First Minister hopeful appears to have a different relationship with the truth. Having provided a blatantly misleading answer, he went on to tell our members that he would comply with the ruling of the highest court in the land. However, he emphasised the importance of balancing this ruling against the rights of vulnerable groups (the inference being “trans” groups).
Such a caveated answer showed again that Plaid’s stance on women’s sex-based rights remains dubious.
Barrister Naomi Cunningham’s description of this party’s sneering attitudes to the law protecting women is still valid a year on:
“Plaid Cymru’s tight-lipped and grudging concession implies that it thinks ‘the law as it stands’ is unsatisfactory, and it is hoping for a change of law that will enable it to discriminate on grounds of ‘gender-critical’ belief in future” [emphasis added].
Plaid Cymru members have confided in us that they are still being shouted down, harassed and disrespected for expressing gender-critical views and seeking fair debates about the protection of women’s rights to privacy, dignity and safety. These women will not let their rights be erased, diluted or their presence in public life be just tolerated. Nor will they be silenced or treated with contempt!
