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Plaid Cymru has urged Welsh people living in England to strongly consider voting Green in May’s election.

The Welsh party hopes to work with the SNP and the Greens in a hung parliament – and also aims to double its representation in Wales by winning Anglesey, Ceredigion and Llanelli.

Former party leader Dafydd Wigley said: “Plaid Cymru, the SNP and the Greens are separate, distinct parties with their own objectives and policies. The three parties do, however, co-operate as a single group in the House of Commons.

“Plaid Cymru MP Cynog Dafis was, in fact, elected in 1992 as MP for Ceredigion on a joint Plaid-Green ticket. Plaid Cymru and the Greens also have a strong and effective relationship in Brussels, with both parties working together in the Greens/European Free Alliance group.

“On key issues such as austerity, Trident, and moving political power away from Westminster, the three parties share a common approach; and on environmental issues there is much common ground.

“Recent polling that suggests that our parties are highly likely to hold the balance in the new House of Commons. In the coming election, the three parties offer an alternative agenda to the stale, failed policies of the Tories and Labour alike.”

The former AM and MP for Caernarfon continued: “In these circumstances, I believe that Plaid Cymru supporters – and indeed all Welsh people – living and voting in England in this election should seriously consider voting for the Green party, particularly in the 12 target constituencies and in Brighton Pavilion, where the Greens hold the seat.”

However, he added: “This proposal is made without any suggestion of a formal quid pro quo, still less a joint campaign. However, in Wales, where Green candidates may be standing in constituencies where Plaid Cymru either hold or have a realistic chance of winning the sear, voters who support the Green agenda should consider voting Plaid Cymru – in order to strengthen the joint team in the new parliament.

“This is not a call for a formal election pact as it would be arrogant for any politician to think that they can trade people’s votes. It is, however, a constructive suggestion to maximise the impact of the three parties in the new House of Commons.”

Pippa Bartolotti, the leader of the Greens in Wales, said: “I’ve a great deal of time for Dafydd Wigley. He’s telling people to vote Green because he knows that Green policies and Green politics are essential for this country to pull away from austerity and turn the agenda towards protecting and helping the next generation who will be trapped in an impoverished world of dwindling resources.

“Support for the Green Party in Wales is growing at an unprecedented rate.

“Voters in both England and Wales know that Punch and Judy politics must be consigned to the dustbin of history, and we must quickly move to a more inclusive, more thoughtful and more progressive kind of politics where the needs of everyone are properly considered.

“That means no more politics for the vested interests of the few.”

Calum Higgins, Labour’s candidate in Plaid-held Carmarthen East & Dinefwr, said: “The latest Welsh poll shows that this election is a race between Labour and the Tories with just one in 10 people in wales considering supporting Plaid. Rather than arrogantly telling people in England who they should vote for, Plaid politicians would do well to focus – as Welsh Labour are – on standing up for Wales against the Tory-led UK Government.”

A joint-meeting between the SNP, Plaid and the Greens – who have one MP – is held on Wednesdays to discuss opportunities for cooperation.

Plaid said that in the 2011 census there were more than 400,000 people living in England who have their nationality as either Welsh or Welsh/British.