Plaid Cymru and Labour at war?

Well that is what the South Wales Echo thinks anyway. They say that a furious row is brewing between the two parties over the proposed defence traning Academy at St. Athan.

Then tensions that have existed between the Labour and Plaid Cymru ever since this project was announced have started to bubble to the surface with the news that the planning application will be lodged in the spring:

Labour councillors have taken exception to a series of statement made by Plaid politicians, including councillor Nic Hodges, a Vale councillor and leader of the Plaid group on Barry Town Council.

Labour Councillor and former RAF St Athan worker, Rob Curtis, said: “I’m sick and tired of hearing numerous Plaid Cymru politicians criticising and running down the golden opportunity of having the multi-billion-pound Defence Training Academy located in Wales.

“Numerous negative anti-academy comments were made by their president and former vice -president, Dafydd Iwan and Jill Evans MEP.

The latest attack has come from Barry Plaid Cymru Councillor Steffan Wiliam, who appeared on a recent BBC report saying that well-paid positions would go to people from outside the Vale, with local people left to do ‘menial jobs’.

Mr Curtis reserved particular criticism for Coun Hodges.

He said: “Coun Hodges has already been quoted as saying the academy would be an ‘isolated gated village’ and also added that ‘nearby towns would see an increase in squaddie rowdiness and drop-outs from the academy’.

“These are irresponsible and naive comments. The training academy will provide vital jobs for the South Wales region for generations to come.”

Of course the really interesting fact about this whole controversy is that it is Plaid Cymru Leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, who is the Minister responsible for delivering this scheme. No doubt he will want to respond concerns within his own party about a lack of detailed information coming out about it, cost overruns, and the alleged creation of a secure zone from which locals will be excluded.

Perhaps he might also explain to his Assembly Members, MEP, Party President, councillors and activists at the same time the economic realities of attracting such a big investment to Wales, not least the large number of jobs associated with it. Or does he not want to rock the boat with his colleagues?