Plaid Cymru on the road to defeat, says AM Adam Price

Adam Price and Rhun ap Iorwerth are challenging Leanne Wood to be the next Plaid Cymru leader

The road that Plaid Cymru is on will end in defeat, a party leadership hopeful has said.

Adam Price told party members the party is "at a crossroads" and there was no option but to be candid.

He was speaking at the party's leadership election launch on Tuesday, along with rival candidates Leanne Wood and Rhun ap Iorwerth.

Ms Wood and Mr ap Iorwerth dismissed his proposal to rename Plaid as the New Wales Party .

His idea was dubbed "superficial" by Ms Wood, while Mr ap Iorwerth said he would concentrate on "more fundamental things" if he became leader.

Mr Price, who represents Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, promised a "new independent state with a new state of mind" if he was elected as leader.

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Ms Wood, party leader since 2012, said members should not bet against her winning, saying the party needs to be "better at campaigning and stop trying to please everyone".

Mr ap Iorwerth, who previously said he had no plans to enter the race, added that the party needed to sharpen its focus.

The Ynys Mon AM said there was "no point having ideas and vision unless it is communicated".

Plaid Cymru said it expected to announce the winner of the leadership contest on 28 September, one week before the party's autumn conference.