| The Welsh nationalist party. It simply means Party of Wales (Welsh name Cymru) and is pronounced "plide cum-ree". Abbreviated PC.
It was formed on 5th August 1925. They seek to promote the independent identity of Wales as a separate country; but the goal of complete political independence is contentious within their ranks since they are unlikely ever to gain the consent of a majority of the Welsh people, who are happy with some sort of association in the United Kingdom. They want equality for the Welsh language, which is now fairly much assured, and a separate seat for Wales at the UN.
They have always been a democratic and parliamentary party, and are embarrassed to say the least by the action of extremists such as Meibion Glyndwr, who have burnt down English holiday homes in Wales. There has never been much real violence in the Welsh question: well, not since the days of Glendower himself, five hundred years ago.
At the time of writing PC has four MPs at Westminster, two MEPs in the European Parliament, and twelve AMs in the Welsh National Assembly. At a national (UK) level they often cooperate with the Scottish National Party, who have similar ambitions for Scotland, recognising that total independence is a goal to be worked towards carefully rather than trumpeted as a central point of a manifesto. The local equivalent in Cornwall is the Mebyon Kernow, which however is not a significant influence.
PC first contested an election in 1929, the Rev. Lewis Valentine contesting Carnarvon and polling 609 votes. They won their first seat in 1966, when their president, Gwynfor Evans (1912-2005), took Carmarthen in a by-election. In 1970 they first contested all seats in Wales. In the 1994 European elections they took 17% of the vote, and in 1995 local elections they gained 114 seats, making them second in the country to Labour.
With a 1997 referendum narrowly voting in favour of a separate Welsh Assembly, Plaid Cymru became entrenched as the second party by in 1999 winning 17 seats, on almost 30% of the vote. They continue to hold a strong position as the opposition in Wales. The leader of PC is Ieuan Wyn Jones, who took over from Dafydd Wigley (1991-2000).
The official name is "Plaid Cymru - the Party of Wales", and their emblem is three green triangles representing mountains with The Red Dragon spread across them. This emblem is called the triban.
Their official site: http://www.plaidcymru.org/
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