Welsh independence to take longer than hoped, admits Adam Price

Independence march in CardiffGetty Images

Plaid Cymru had said Wales would be independent by 2030

Independence for Wales will take "longer than we would hope", Plaid Cymru's leader has admitted.

The party had promised to hold a referendum within five years if it came to power in last May's Senedd elections, only to finish third.

Adam Price said supporters should not be "downhearted", but he could not say when independence would be achieved.

Instead, he told BBC Wales: "You've got to take the long view and look at the bigger picture."

Speaking to the Politics Wales programme, Mr Price said the last year had been a "rollercoaster" for the party from the "disappointment" of the May election to the "unexpected success" of a deal with Labour.

Plaid has a cooperation deal with the Welsh Labour government, which includes policies on free school meals for all primary school children and measures to tackle the housing crisis.

He said the party was on a "long road" but declined to give a date for when people could vote on independence.

"We believe independence is the only long-term sustainable solution to the challenges Wales faces," said Mr Price.

Adam Price urged supporters not to be downhearted after last year's election result

He added: "We have to accept that in learning the lesson of last year, we have to realise that some of these things will take longer than we would hope or anticipate.

"That doesn't mean we should be in anyway downhearted, because even though we didn't achieve our goal in the election, if you look at the position of Wales as a whole we could see all the parties who wanted to abolish the Assembly lose support.

"In terms of the broad position in the Senedd, we now have a super majority for self-governance.

"You've got to take the long view and look at the bigger picture."

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