MP attacks leadership 'vultures'

Mr Jones' critics within Plaid 'were not doing the party any good'

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A senior Plaid Cymru MP has criticised party members who want Ieuan Wyn Jones to stand down immediately as party leader.

But Elfyn Llwyd said "to start rounding on him in this way is unseemly".

He told BBC Wales Politics Show "the vultures...are people who were his greatest cheer leaders when he took the party into government."

Mr Jones faced criticisim by other parties for being on holiday when the assembly was officially opened.

Elfyn Llwyd said it was "unseemly" to call for Ieuan Wyn Jones to stand down immediately

Mr Jones has already indicated he planned to stand down in the first half of the assembly's five-year term after Plaid's poor election results.

But his absence from the assembly's official opening by The Queen last week, and First Minister's questions the following day, proved a target for opponents.

First Minister Carwyn Jones said "as far as Plaid Cymru is concerned, attendance in this chamber appears to be optional".

The Conservatives said the Plaid Cymru leader not being present for the Queen's visit was "disrespectful".

Although his personal view is that Mr Jones should be allowed to stand down in his own time, Mr Llwyd, who leads the party group at Westminster, said he felt he will have gone long before the two year deadline.

In his interview with BBC Wales political reporter John Stevenson, Dwyfor Meirionydd MP Mr Llwyd said: "I have no truck with these vultures as you describe them.

"They're not doing anybody any good; they're not doing the party any good and they're not doing themselves any good."

Last month, Mr Jones announced he would stand down as Plaid Cymru leader in the first half of the assembly's five-year term.

He said it had always been his intention to leave the role at some point before the next assembly election in 2016.

This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-wales-13742159

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