CRIS Tomos has launched his campaign to be the Plaid Cymru candidate in Preseli Pembrokeshire for the Assembly election in 2021 with support from party leader Adam Price.

Speaking to supporters at a meeting at Caffi Beca, Efailwen, Mr Price said he believed great opportunities lay ahead for Wales despite the turmoil surrounding Brexit and that Plaid Cymru was in a strong position to take full advantage.

“If there is a silver lining out of all the terrible tragic-comedy that is Brexit, I think it is that we can hear the penny dropping all over Wales that there is a need for change,” said Mr Price, as he endorsed Cris as the party’s candidate.

“People are realising that there has to be a better way than the mess at Westminster among both remain and leave supporters. There is a growing call for change and a strong, independent Wales.

“Wales is a rich country living in poverty but there is nothing inevitable about that poverty and it is now up to us to change the status quo.

“The long-term solution is to be an independent nation but while in the UK we need a fair crack of the whip. At the moment, all the investment tends to go to one corner of the UK.

“We have massive infrastructure problems in Wales. For example, we have 11 per cent of the railway tracks in the UK in Wales but how much investment do we get? Just one per cent.

“That is repeated throughout the country’s infrastructure.”

Mr Price said Wales was the perfect size to encourage innovation and to tap into the country’s core values of community and enterprise.

“Cris epitomises that approach,” added Mr Price. “We have a real opportunity to take the model and values that Cris stands for and take them to the next level, encouraging our social entrepreneurs. Cris can be a voice for Pembrokeshire in a wider world.”

Cris – who will also stand for Plaid in any snap general election – is a familiar face to many in the Tivyside area.

He is cabinet member for the environment and Welsh language on Pembrokeshire County Council, business manager for PLANED which develops and encourages social enterprises and a director at 4CG, the community co-operative in Cardigan.

“My position has always been about micro-economics while Adam is talking about the national and international stage,” said Cris.

“But there is no reason why we cannot take those values throughout the whole country and look to the long-term and plan for the next generation. We now have to persuade people we have a workable solution for Wales and our destiny lies in our own hands.”