I am rubbish at relationships. Ask anyone. Perform poorly in any form of double act. Enjoy spending time doing my own thing, unbothered, with little in the way of considerations and responsibilities. Too self-interested and self-absorbed for a companion.

My primary issue with partnerships is a ‘need to compromise’; a permanent drag on independent action that the intimately entwined preach as worthwhile. Travel further together, they say. Fly faster alone, say I. And perhaps this severe allergy to compromise is why I foresee nothing but frustration and misery for Plaid Cymru in their determination to slip further into bed with Welsh Labour.

For years, Plaid Cymru have been flirting with Welsh Labour. Most recently, a 2021 agreement saw the two parties cooperating on a range of policies. But their ‘Cooperation Agreement’ was never a coalition deal, more like a no-strings-attached extra-marital affair insomuch as Plaid supports Welsh Labour’s budget through the Senedd yet Plaid has no ministers in the government. I have been involved in several relationships like this; benefiting only one party, dysfunctional, doomed to failure.

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price seeks to explain the lopsided romance in terms of coalition being ‘better’ than opposition. Price argues, “when it’s not possible in one step to become the leading party, then it’s still better to be in government as a partner with others than the alternative, which is to have no influence at all in opposition”. Price also claims a coalition with Welsh Labour will broaden the base of support in all parts of Wales and suggests getting into government as the pragmatic means to independent ends: “to reach independence Plaid Cymru needs to be in government - hopefully leading the government - but certainly to be part of government because that’s how we can build the bridge towards an independent Wales.”

But Price’s promises ignore Keir Starmer’s conference speech in North Wales last week, during which the Labour leader asserted the role of Welsh Labour was to keep Welsh independence “at bay”. So, although the raison d’etre of Plaid Cymru is to work towards independence, Plaid have convinced themselves their future lies in coalition with an anti-independence Welsh Labour. Rather than highlight the shortcomings of ideological opponents, better to park their core goal and pursue the chance for minor ministerial appointments.

How brief the memory. Does Plaid not remember how quickly Liberal Democrat support haemorrhaged after going into coalition with ideological opponents? How collective cabinet responsibility forced the Lib Dems to abandon their principles, most notably student tuition fees? How the Lib Dems bit their collective lips, collectively backed, then collectively bore responsibility for unpopular Tory policies. How they lost all credibility in the unedifying process. How fast ‘I agree with Nick’ turned into political irrelevance? The reason for the Lib Dem’s spectacular failure was that they compromised. The obvious lessons for Plaid Cymru? 1: stick to principles. 2: there are no shortcuts to lasting power. 3: raise your political game.

Which is why it is concerning that Price also views coalition as a potential arrangement for Labour to stay away from Plaid seats at the next election. Price suggests that if Welsh Labour want to stop the Tories “then don’t send your leader and minibuses of canvassers to Ceredigion and Caernarfon like last time when they can be more usefully employed elsewhere”. A deeply lazy notion that infers Price views coalition as an opportunity for Plaid to reduce political choice in mid-Wales, and perhaps elsewhere. For is Price also implying that Plaid in coalition might not challenge Welsh Labour’s 30 Senedd and 21 Westminster seats?

Coalition not only invites political oblivion for Plaid Cymru but also mutes Plaid MSs’ and MPs’ criticism of Welsh Labour. It is unwise to diss the in-laws. But stifled debate is hardly what is needed right now. As such a vote for Plaid Cymru, at best, will become a vote for the status quo. A vote for a backroom deal to diminish our democracy. A vote to entrench Welsh Labour and drag our nation further away from any plausible path towards Welsh independence. But Mr Price, we would vote Labour if this were what we wanted.

Plaid Cymru’s bright idea to hook up with Welsh Labour smacks of short-term desperation. Smacks of crowbarring an unsuitable partner into one’s life in fear of becoming extraneous. Desperation perhaps intensified by persistent reports of a toxic culture and misconduct within the party that has resulted in Price telling Plaid’s conference delegates that the party “must do better”.

But the prospect of a Plaid coalition with Welsh Labour is not ‘doing better’ for the constituents of Wales. Embracing a minority role in government is a strategy that concedes defeat before the electoral battle has even begun. A strategy that results in a question for those who cannot see the point of voting for a Westminster-facing Welsh Labour - what is the point of voting for a Labour-supporting Plaid Cymru?

In the past I have voted for Plaid Cymru and would again like to row in behind Plaid (or something similar) and be represented by an uncompromising, Wales-focused, left-leaning political party. A party with the integrity to stick to core principles and the ambition to win power by embracing the daunting challenge of becoming more politically persuasive.