Why we need a five-year strategy to win over soft unionists

A fair article, but if we look at the polling data (in detail), the next 5 years strategy should not focus on soft unionist vote but on the don't knows first. The soft unionists say no in polling which would be the next step after convincing the don't knows. This group is dominated by Plaid voters who are against/unsure about indy (about 20-25% in polling) and Lab voters. Those who say don't know (the indy curious) are overwhelmingly Welsh identifying (rather than British identifying) Lab voters. This group are overwhelmingly women rather than men, under 45 years old and predominantly based in south Wales central region (valleys). So figuring out what holds these pro Lab women back? Well lets do a big poll of this group (like Cummings did in EU ref on don't knows and won because of it) then have targeted slogans and arguments to bring them over. Having random coffee chats is fine but its not targeted and not productive. No point having strategy that's not informed with data and polling. Build and use the data/intel picture to inform tbe strategy which informs our tactics (slogans/boards/online adverts/chats/leaflets) to win them over. Diolch

The Five Pillars sounds great. Could these Pillars be put into a pamphlet? Is there one already? People like to listen but giving them something outlining the economics and the vision would be a really big help.

Adam is always one to think on matters and is ready with ideas. An "idea" is exactly what is needed to win this one ... a realistic, realisable, and hopeful idea. That idea is "what replaces the UK?". If we only talk about independence as the end of the UK, folk mainly balk at the empty space that future conjures - all the usual anxieties (too small, too poor etc) flow from it. If we talk about building a Britain in which a Democratic Welsh State is a key partner, ie a Confederal Union (I can hear John Ball's urine boiling) the "not sure's" have a far more positive reaction. In other words, if you want the electorate's consent to go on a journey towards independence, you need to show them what the destination looks like first ... why not ask folk what sort of destination they'd like and factor that into our political strategy? 🤷🏻

To me soft Unionists are more than just people who are on the fence - but also those who support Indy but easily get stuck in the mud of Unionist dogma. Plaid sitting in the Lords and Commons are some examples of this; neither house is a place a true Independence supporter - or a party of that disposition should want to attend. The commitment doesn't have any actual returns either. Between the SNP, SF and Plaid, the weakest there is still the one that sits in both houses. Its a commitment that symbolically undermines our campaign for sovereignty... and for what? I think "showing we've got the economics and not just the emotion" is off the mark; I think there's a fear of sounding like Brexiteers which has generated a need in some quarters to go out of their way to appease bad faith actors and hostile activists. That's not me saying we shouldn't talk about the economics of all this - the fact that this is being debated here and now already sets us apart from Brexiteers. You know what elses sets us apart? That this movement is about survival and dignity and how we can do better for ourselves than an afterthought of another nation. Do agree Plaid cant do it alone; but what does that even mean? Plaid wanted the UK to re-join the EU in 2019; rather than framing it as a benefit of Independence (yes, theoretically it'd solve border issues for an Indy Wales and England; but EU/SM/CU nations wont support the break up of an economy and we'll have no guarantees of any kind of continuance within any of those communities). 2021, yes Independence became centre stage - in the wake of increasing support - but Plaid couldn't match that increased support electorally because it just wasn't involved enough - it just didn't feel natural. Leanne Wood had failed to engage with the movement in its early days and then it just felt that the party was trying to ride the wave of support that had left it behind. Just feels like the party is chasing trends rather than building campaigns and connecting with real people. Ultimately the movement doesn't move forward unless Plaid does. Plaid is to busy waiting for destiny to come knocking - rather than going out and making that destiny. Which is in turn holding us back. What do we do with a party that would rather ride waves rather than make them? Because that's what we *need* from Plaid.

Four year plan for persuasion and line two says “Showing we’ve thought through the economics, not just the emotion” Great having thoughts is completely different from reality, sure to enter the unknown you should be able to answer the basics.

'It’s easy to be for independence when you already believe in it. But if we are serious about growing the movement, not just preaching to it, then we need a focused, strategic effort to reach the people who aren’t quite there yet.' I first moved to live in Wales in 1964, and, back then, the notion that over six thousand Welsh people would turn out to march in support of independence - perhaps least of all in Barry! - would have been inconceivable. I still well recall the general amazement which greeted Gwynfor Evans's wholly unexpected by-election win in the Carmarthen by-election of July 1966. Welsh politics has indeed moved on a great deal since then. But I still can't conceive of support for an independent Wales becoming general right across the country. Are the Flintshire folk who live within a mile of Chester Cross ever going to vote in support of putting their homes in a different country? Or the people of Chepstow and Monmouth who don't sound remotely Welsh, but speak with a Forest of Dean/south Herefordshire accent? Not wholly inconceivable, maybe - but unlikely! If an independent Wales does come about, I can't see its borders remaining exactly as they are at present.

Tend to be sceptical of anyone who talks about long term strategies and visions. They are ten a penny. But he is right about credible economic planning. It’s the big weak spot. What will be interesting is if Plaid jump into bed with hard unionists after the Senedd election. They are called Welsh Labour. If so, forget it.

So what have you been doing up to now. A surge in support for Independence always seems to bring out Plaid with a plan. Oh that it was the other way around.