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Plaid Cymru is in danger of “political oblivion” if it responds to the challenge of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party by basing its strategy on “socialist theory”, one of the party’s four MP’s will warn today.

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards will call for Plaid to take the opportunity to capture the political centre ground.

Mr Edwards will issue his plea at the party’s spring conference in Llangollen, telling the audience there is “serious thinking” to do and “uncomfortable decisions” to be made.

He will say: “I’d like to close by pleading with the party not to respond to the electoral challenges we face from Corbyn’s Labour by basing our political strategy on the intricacies of socialist theory. I fear that road leads to political oblivion. In the face of an increasingly insular, hostile, right wing centralist Tory party and a hard left statist command and control Labour party – we have to aim for the gaping void in the middle.

“This does not mean abandoning our principles as a party but prioritising our pro-business, environmental, internationalist and law and justice credentials.”

Expert's view: 'Plaid’s best results tend to be when Labour is struggling'

(Image: Cardiff University)

Professor Roger Awan-Scully of Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre responded to the call for Plaid to target the centre ground, saying: “In many respects I think that makes a lot of sense.”

He argued there was a “pretty major gap” between a “socially conservative Brexit-seeking Conservative party” and a “Corbynite-led” Labour party.

The professor said that “Plaid’s best results tend to be when Labour is struggling”, adding: “There are some fairly obvious contradictions within the politics of the Labour party at the moment. At some point they may lead to very serious internal problems.

“If they do, then that creates clearly more of an opportunity for Labour’s opponents, and Plaid are the most obvious opponent to Labour on the centre-left of politics.”

Leanne Wood remains one of Plaid's 'few assets with the electorate'

(Image: Rob Browne)

The election of Leanne Wood as Plaid leader in 2012 was widely seen as moving the party to the left, but Prof Awan-Scully cautioned against any move to replace her.

He said: “I think it would be very probably a mistake, for instance, to try and kick out Leanne Wood unless she wants to go because she is, alongside Carwyn Jones the most popular politician in Wales. She is at present one of their few assets with the electorate.”

Prof Awan-Scully noted that the 2016 vote to leave the EU has created a particular challenge for Plaid, which has been committed to “independence for Wales in Europe”.

He said: “The Brexit vote was quite important in a sense because that’s left rather a void for Plaid’s long-term vision... That vision of an independent Wales within Europe...

“That’s been comprehensively demolished and not really effectively yet replaced. And I think some of the other problems we see in Plaid are partly a reflection of this sort of existential floundering.”

Where does Plaid go post-Brexit?

Mr Edwards will describe Brexit as the “political equivalent of an incendiary device” and use his conference speech to describe possible future scenarios.

He will ask: “Do we position ourselves as a reformist force within the British state fighting for a confederal structure of a partnership of equals between the four governments of the state and join forces with pro-Europeans to secure and win a new referendum...

“Do we stand on a position whereby we make the case that independence for Wales is the only way of achieving a future for our country within the European Union...

“Is our position post-Brexit that we would forget our European aspirations and campaign for Welsh independence from the British state but create a joint internal market and customs union – a mini EU for the UK?”

(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Mr Edwards will also raise the prospect of Brexit leading to another general election.

He will say: “The Labour party is using the current situation for one purpose only – and that is to force an early general election... Their only aim to their shame is to create the political space that could lead to an early election by enabling them to vote down any deal...

“The real point of crisis will come on Parliamentary approval for the final deal. I cannot currently see any circumstances in which the Prime Minister can win that vote because whatever is contained in the final deal will be voted down by pro-European parties...

“If the final deal was not endorsed by the House of Commons then I cannot see how the British Government could survive a confidence vote, meaning that unless an alternative government is set up within 14 days we are in general election territory.”