COUNCIL ELECTIONS: Ryder Cup jobs spin was a con, says Plaid leader

Leanne Wood, who was elected leader of Plaid Cymru just last month, made the comments while she was on the campaign trail for the May 3 election.

The party is fielding ten candidates in Newport.

She said creating jobs and turning around communities was her party’s priority – and that a handful of councillors could make up the balance of power in the city.

She told the Argus: “I don’t think the Ryder Cup brought the jobs to Newport that they said it would.”

Although she didn’t think the Ryder Cup itself was a con, she said: “I think the spin around it was.

“It’s always the same with big projects.

“They often promise huge numbers of jobs.

“They rarely seem to materialise.”

Ms Wood was on the streets of the city centre handing out leaflets with Newport candidates – having earlier visited Maindee, and later heading to Caldicot and Monmouth.

She said Plaid Cymru candidates would be pushing “job creation” projects such as the “Usk hydroelectric project that was around 20 years ago”.

She said: “Many people don’t realise how much councils can do to help stimulate local economies and create jobs.”

She said Plaid c o u n c i l l o r s would work as “community champions” on projects “to start the rebuilding and regeneration we need in this economic crisis”.

The party is currently in a coalition with three independents in Caerphilly council, and Ms Wood said the party there is “defending a good record” having managed to keep council tax down.

When asked whether a vote for Plaid in Newport was a wasted vote, she said: “We don’t know what the outcome of the election is going to be.

“Ahandful of Plaid Cymru councillors could make up the balance of power, so every vote counts.”