Dafydd Wigley: Plaid needs more Westminster 'leverage'

Dafydd Wigley said Scotland was doing well out of the present settlement

Wales needs more "leverage" in Westminster to secure more funding for public services, the former Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Wigley has said.

Lord Wigley will be in charge of the party's 2015 general election campaign.

The former MP and AM led Plaid in 1999 when it came second to Labour in that year's national assembly elections.

The party has its sights set on the constituencies where it did best in May's European elections, he said.

They are Ynys Mon, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Ceredigion, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Arfon and Llanelli.

'Short-changed'

Plaid, which supported the Yes campaign in the referendum on Scottish independence, hopes to replicate the success of the SNP. The Scottish nationalists have reported a surge in new members since last week's vote.

Party leader Leanne Wood is expected to set out proposals for constitutional reform on Tuesday.

Plaid argues that the Welsh government is short-changed by the way the Treasury sets the budgets of the devolved administrations.

"The real danger is that Wales will be left behind unless there's enough political leverage and momentum," said Lord Wigley.

All parts of the UK deserved to have the same level of public services, he said.

He added: "At the moment they are not and we are missing out.

"Scotland is doing so well out of the present settlement. I don't blame them in the least. We have got to get this one sorted."