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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Plaid will continue Labour talks | Plaid will continue Labour talks |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Plaid Cymru will continue negotiating with Labour over forming a coalition government in the Welsh assembly, the party's ruling body has said. | Plaid Cymru will continue negotiating with Labour over forming a coalition government in the Welsh assembly, the party's ruling body has said. |
| The decision was taken unanimously by the party's National Executive Committee at a meeting in Aberystwyth. | The decision was taken unanimously by the party's National Executive Committee at a meeting in Aberystwyth. |
| First Minister Rhodri Morgan has offered a deal to Plaid to support his minority assembly government. | First Minister Rhodri Morgan has offered a deal to Plaid to support his minority assembly government. |
| Plaid could still opt for a rainbow coalition with the Tories and Lib Dems, but this was not discussed on Saturday. | Plaid could still opt for a rainbow coalition with the Tories and Lib Dems, but this was not discussed on Saturday. |
| A Plaid spokesman said a rainbow deal was not considered by the executive committee, as no request was made to do so by the party's group of AMs, which had met earlier in the day. | A Plaid spokesman said a rainbow deal was not considered by the executive committee, as no request was made to do so by the party's group of AMs, which had met earlier in the day. |
| When asked if the rainbow coalition was dead, Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said that it was not. | |
| HOW THE ASSEMBLY STANDS Labour - 26 seatsPlaid Cymru - 15Conservatives - 12Liberal Democrats - 6Independent - 1 | HOW THE ASSEMBLY STANDS Labour - 26 seatsPlaid Cymru - 15Conservatives - 12Liberal Democrats - 6Independent - 1 |
| Plaid will now concentrate on discussions with Labour, and Mr Jones predicted that the discussions will now take days and not weeks. | Plaid will now concentrate on discussions with Labour, and Mr Jones predicted that the discussions will now take days and not weeks. |
| Both Labour and Plaid are set to hold special conferences in July in which the wider party memberships would have their say on any coalition deals. | |
| A spokesperson for Welsh Labour leader and First Minister Rhodri Morgan said Plaid's decision to continue talks was "a positive outcome in both parties". | |
| "Meetings will now resume on Monday so that a specific fully worked-up set of proposals are available for the respective party conferences to consider," said the spokesperson. | |
| Reacting to the news, a spokesperson for the Lib Dem assembly leader Mike German said Plaid cannot "keep two balls in the air indefinitely". | Reacting to the news, a spokesperson for the Lib Dem assembly leader Mike German said Plaid cannot "keep two balls in the air indefinitely". |
| "I hope the party will move swiftly to make a firm recommendation as rapidly as possible. The people of Wales want certainty." | "I hope the party will move swiftly to make a firm recommendation as rapidly as possible. The people of Wales want certainty." |
| And Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne said he believed the rainbow alliance was still a possibility. | And Welsh Tory leader Nick Bourne said he believed the rainbow alliance was still a possibility. |
| "I remain confident that we can secure the necessary support across all three opposition parties for a non-Labour coalition government in Cardiff Bay," he said. | "I remain confident that we can secure the necessary support across all three opposition parties for a non-Labour coalition government in Cardiff Bay," he said. |
| Earlier, Plaid chair John Dixon had said Saturday's meeting was the first opportunity for the party's National Executive to look at all the options since the election. | Earlier, Plaid chair John Dixon had said Saturday's meeting was the first opportunity for the party's National Executive to look at all the options since the election. |
| "To date, the only decision that Plaid Cymru has taken since the election has been to talk to everybody and see what might be possible," he said. | "To date, the only decision that Plaid Cymru has taken since the election has been to talk to everybody and see what might be possible," he said. |
| "There has to come a point... at which you start looking at these options and start saying 'Well, which actually represents the best way forward for Wales?'" | "There has to come a point... at which you start looking at these options and start saying 'Well, which actually represents the best way forward for Wales?'" |
| Labour | Labour |
| On Friday, Welsh Labour's party national executive decided to hold a special conference on 6 July. | On Friday, Welsh Labour's party national executive decided to hold a special conference on 6 July. |
| Labour party's chairman, Tecwyn Thomas, said the executive thought it was "right and proper that the wider party be consulted in the fairest and most open way possible". | Labour party's chairman, Tecwyn Thomas, said the executive thought it was "right and proper that the wider party be consulted in the fairest and most open way possible". |
| The latest round of discussions came after Labour fell five seats short of an outright majority in last month's election. | The latest round of discussions came after Labour fell five seats short of an outright majority in last month's election. |
| Although Mr Morgan was reinstalled in the top job, he could be forced out if Plaid team up with the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. | Although Mr Morgan was reinstalled in the top job, he could be forced out if Plaid team up with the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. |