Plaid Cymru only party putting Wales first - leader

Rhun ap Iorwerth launched Plaid's general election campaign alongside Liz Saville Roberts

Plaid Cymru is the only party putting Wales first, the party's leader has told its general election campaign launch.

Speaking at the event in Bangor, north Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth said it was "time to kick the Conservatives out of power".

And he said people had enough of Labour "taking Wales for granted".

Meanwhile Mr ap Iorwerth told the BBC that the party will back a no confidence vote against the first minister of Wales, Vaughan Gething, in the Senedd next week.

He said the election will be "challenging" for the party.

At the last general election in 2019, Plaid won four of Wales' 40 constituencies.

Following the boundary re-organisation to 32 seats it could be difficult for the party to repeat that performance.

Plaid Cymru was in a co-operation deal with Labour's Welsh government until Plaid pulled out on 17 May - seven months early.

Mr ap Iorwerth represents Ynys Môn in the Welsh Parliament and this seat is one of their key targets for the UK general election on 4 July.

He told BBC Wales News it was a "challenging election" and said changes to boundaries had not been "kind to Plaid Cymru".

"Our job is to show people in Wales there is a genuine alternative in Plaid Cymru," he said.

"Plaid Cymru has a long and proud track record of punching well above our weight at Westminster

"We're making it very clear in this election that voting for Plaid Cymru is a way to get rid of the Conservatives", he said, "but it's also a vote to keep Labour in check.

"Labour time and time again show they are taking Wales for granted.

"They are trying to pretend somehow now they haven't been running health and education in Wales for the last 25 years."

At the launch, Plaid's Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said the party is coming up with "new ideas", such as devolving the Crown Estate to create a new sovereign wealth fund, in order to increase funding for Wales and invest in communities.

The Crown Estate is an independent company which belongs to the monarch for the duration of their reign, though the revenue from its £16bn property portfolio flows directly to the UK government's Treasury.

Devolving the Crown Estate to Wales is something Plaid Cymru - and others - have long called for.

Ms Saville Roberts also said that Plaid were not scared to address the "elephant in the room", Brexit, calling for the UK to rejoin the single market and customs union.

Additional reporting by David Deans

Analysis

By Cemlyn Davies, BBC Wales News political correspondent

General election campaigns are traditionally difficult for parties like Plaid Cymru, who often find themselves squeezed out by the two main parties vying for the keys to Number 10.

The boundary changes coming in at this election will also make life more difficult for Plaid, with one of the seats it currently holds - Arfon - disappearing completely.

Rhun ap Iorwerth acknowledges the changes have been "unkind" to Plaid.

Nevertheless, they're confident of winning Ceredigion Preseli and Dwyfor Meirionnydd - two constituencies largely based on areas they already represent.

They have their sights on Caerfyrddin too. But the top target is Ynys Môn, where the party will face stiff competition from the Conservatives and Labour.