Plaid Cymru needs 'serious concessions' to back Labour

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood says she expects "serious concessions" to back a minority Labour government if no party wins the general election outright.

She was speaking after talks with SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and Natalie Bennett of the Green Party to discuss tactics for the election in May.

Plaid Cymru and the SNP have said they will not support the Conservatives.

Ms Wood said she would not rule out a coalition with Labour but her aim was to secure "the best deal for Wales".

Following the meeting at Westminster on Monday, she said the three smaller parties were offering "an alternative to the four shades of Westminster grey" - including UKIP - who she claimed were "arguing about politics in a very narrow remit".

'Common agreement'

Ms Wood said Wales should have parity of powers with Scotland and £1.2bn a year to correct what she claimed was the level of under-funding of Wales by the UK Treasury.

"Plaid Cymru's position is to rebalance power and wealth on these islands," she said.

"Wales has lost out financially since the beginning of devolution and now given what's happened in Scotland we run the risk of falling further behind in terms of powers as well."

Ms Wood said detailed tactics had not been agreed on, but she said: "There are clearly many areas where we've got common agreement and it makes sense for us to work together ahead of those elections and in the aftermath in the event of a hung parliament as well."

The Plaid leader added that the three parties were still unhappy at being excluded from plans for televised election debates which would include at least one appearance by UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

"People should have access to the range of political arguments and views before they cast their vote," Ms Wood said.

"It's a basic democratic question and we believe our voices deserve to be heard in those debates."

Before the meeting of the three party leaders on Monday, Ms Wood told the BBC's Daily Politics programme it was "imperative" to end Conservative rule in Wales and Scotland.