PLAID CYMRU’S leadership fought off a bid to oppose freeports in Wales at its weekend conference in Aberystwyth.

The nationalist party’s trade union branch, Undeb, sought to set party policy against freeports, including the one proposed for leader Rhun ap Iorwerth’s constituency.

Undeb argued that opposing freeports in Wales would support the rights of workers and communities and be consistent with the party’s goal of decentralist socialism.

The union group cited research showing that freeports displace economic activity from elsewhere as companies seek to exploit the tax advantages on offer.

Senedd member Mabon ap Gwynfor told the Morning Star that he opposes freeports “because it places a Singapore on the Celtic Sea and they have a record of being a low-tax environment for extracting wealth.”

A leading Senedd member also told the Star that the Anglesey project was linked with plans to build a new nuclear plant on the island.

According to Undeb, the evidence from international experience of freeports also shows that workers’ rights are undermined.

The Senedd and parliamentary groups succeeded in amending Undeb’s motion, substantially rewriting it in the process to save the leader's blushes.

Plaid agreed not to support extending freeports in Wales without first reviewing the impact on workers’ rights of the two at Anglesey and Milford Haven/Port Talbot.

The conference also agreed that local councils should be supported to ensure that the two freeports have robust governance regimes.

The party leadership also pushed through a further amendment to the motion seeking to have powers over employment law devolved to Wales to help strengthen workers’ rights.