For the majority of voters up and down this region, Plaid Cymru seems to be the go-to party to support at the ballot box. While it is not for this publication to question the choice of voters, perhaps the party’s own investigation into its culture will provide at least some food for thought for those who place their ‘X’ beside Plaid candidates.

Whatever your personal sentiments may be about Wales being a self-governing and independent nation in or out of what would, by necessity, be a new constitutional arrangement with the rest of a United Kingdom — there are far more pressing issues of governance that need to be addressed in the immediate future by Plaid.

While the Coronation of King Charles III and Plaid’s reaction to it one way or another might make headlines, before the party gets carried away with its preference for self-government, it should deal with the basics of its very own organisation first.

A review into Plaid Cymru has found that it is sinking in a toxic culture of harassment, bullying and misogyny.

The report, which was chaired by former Plaid Cymru politician Nerys Evans, found that the party has failed to implement a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and that there needs to be a system to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace and within its membership

The report adds that staff say ‘they’ve seen too many instances of bad behaviour by elected members be tolerated and feel that there is little point in raising concerns’.­

The Prosiect Pawb report goes on to say that ‘inaction over many years, from those with positions of power to challenge bad behaviour has made a bad situation even worse’.

This seems to be more than a case of a few bad apples spoiling the barrel, and while party leader Adam Price has apologised for the shortcomings and promised to change (Editor's note: Mr Price has since stepped down as leader), that is a promise that needs to be fulfilled too at councils and other bodies where Plaid’s elected representatives are in a majority.

If the party is serious about wanting an independent Wales at some stage, it needs to very quickly prove that it can govern itself.

And if Plaid Cymru can’t run a county, how can it be expected to run a country?