Plaid rejection of coalition deal is hypocrisy, says Davies

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has said Plaid Cymru's ruling out of any kind of deal with his party at the assembly is "hypocrisy".

Plaid leader Leanne Wood has claimed the Tories lack any mandate in Wales.

After Labour's poor general election results there is speculation opposition parties could have a role in government following the 2016 assembly election.

On Thursday, Plaid said no party wished to work with Conservatives as they want to "run down" the NHS and cut services.

Labour currently holds 30 of the 60 seats in Cardiff Bay.

In criticising Plaid, Mr Davies told BBC Wales: "There is an element of hypocrisy there.

"In one breath they are saying we need to get rid of Labour and in the another breath they are saying their offer in May next year in the assembly election will be 'vote for us and we will prop up Welsh Labour'."

Mr Davies has previously responded to Ms Wood's criticism of the Conservatives by accusing Plaid of fantasy politics, but this is the furthest he has gone in attacking the party.

Leanne Wood has described the Conservatives as being 'not relevant' in the assembly

Earlier in the summer, Ms Wood was quoted as saying she had no intention of propping up another party, instead claiming she was working flat out to be an alternative first minister.

On Thursday, Mr Davies refused to give details of what kind of deal he would consider with the other opposition parties in an attempt to remove Labour in 2016, except to say that he would not rule anything out.

'Fresh alternative'

Plaid Cymru's lead assembly candidate for the South Wales East region, Steffan Lewis, said his party was "ready to provide the leadership and future government Wales needs".

"No party wants to work with the Tories because they want to run down our NHS and cut public services," he added.

The Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats came close to reaching a deal in talks to create a "rainbow coalition" at the assembly in 2007, before it collapsed and Plaid formed a coalition with Labour.

In March, Tory Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb called for such a rainbow deal to be looked at again, saying the three parties could provide a fresh alternative to Labour.