The Green Party and Plaid Cymru have made it clear that despite their common policy to oppose fracking, a coalition of the two parties is not likely to happen.
A public meeting organised by Plaid Cymru in Penarth to discuss the dangers of fracking with Lord Dafydd Wigley, former leader and president of Plaid Cymru and currently sitting in the House of Lords, has revived suggestions a coalition between Plaid Cymru and the Green Party is possible in Wales.
The meeting which is organised by prospective Plaid candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth aims to raise the profile of the anti-fracking campaign across Wales.
But Anthony Slaughter, prospective Green candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth, welcomes Plaid’s position on fracking, denounced the rumour that talks between the two parties could lead to a coalition.
He said: “The anti-fracking campaign is a perfect example of how members of different parties can and must work together on issues where they share a common goal.
“While there may be some members of Plaid, and indeed Labour or the Lib Dems, who share some of our concerns on social and environmental justice only the Green Party offers a coherent and unwavering policy of opposition. We are totally opposed to fracking anywhere in Wales and England.
“We want Wales to have its own devolved power to implement that ban in Wales, but we are not a nationalist party – we are not fighting on the behalf of the Welsh nation.
“We need to make the case that we are a very different from Plaid Cymru, in most parts of Wales, Green party voters seem themselves in opposition to Plaid especially around issues like nuclear energy and fox and badger hunting. We are careful to protect our own identity.”
Ben Foday, prospective Plaid Cymru candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth, responded there has never been talks of an alliance between Plaid Cymru and the Green Party neither in Cardiff nor at a national level, despite them sharing some views on environmental policies.
Fairwater councillor Neil McEvoy said: “I think the policies of the Plaid are probably greener than the Green’s. The Greens are an English party operating in Wales and they are not very active, they hardly exist here.”
The debate about a potential coalition between the two parties in Wales ahead of May’s General Election came about following a meeting between the SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, the Green party leader, Natalie Bennett, and the Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, in London at the end of last year. The three party leaders discussed ways to maximise their positions as anti-austerity parties and the possibility of a post-election coalition.
