Welsh assembly drama as Plaid Cymru leader seeks election as First Minister

Members of the Welsh Assembly have failed to elect a First Minister after Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood gathered as much support for Labour leader Carwyn Jones.

Wood, a close friend and ally of Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, launched a bid to be First minister after Labour failed to win enough seats for a majority.

Labour had decided not to pursue a coalition deal, instead choosing a minority administration, but Plaid said Welsh voters had shown they didn’t want to be governed by a single party.

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Wood won the backing of the Conservatives and UKIP, which led to a tie in the vote at 29 – 29.

Jones, who had expected to be re-appointed, won the support of solitary Welsh Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams.

Plaid Cymru they will continue to talk to Labour about reaching a consensus.

Plaid AM Rhun ap Iorwerth, who nominated Wood for first minister, said: "The people of Wales decided by a narrow margin in terms of the number of seats, but by a hefty margin in terms of the popular vote, that they didn't want Labour to have majority control in the National Assembly for Wales.

"We of course respected the right of Labour to have a first crack at forming a stable government, if you like, of seeking a majority.”

Labour Alun Davies hot out at the Welsh nationalists for dealing with the Conservatives and UKIP.

"People expected us to be given the right to form a government, and for the other parties to hold us to account on the way we perform in office," he said.