First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth delivered his first speech to the Plaid Cymru party conference in Llandudno, addressing climate change, funding for Wales and Nigel Farage.
The Ynys Mon MS told the hall it was a "special privilege" to address the conference as the leader of the nation, achieved through the efforts of party members past and present.
Historic Election and Vision
Describing the morning the Senedd election result became clear in May, he said: "It became clear that being the party for the whole of Wales was no longer just something we had always strived to be, but something we had truly become. History was made, and it happened through all of us standing together."
"Together, we told a story built on the efforts of the giants and generations that went before us – the story of a more ambitious Wales, a fairer Wales, a more prosperous Wales, and a Wales more united than ever."
Visits and Firefighter Tribute
The speech included summaries of visits to the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd, the Phoenix Centre community hub in Town Hill in Swansea, Cardiff and Vale College, and Beach House day nursery in Rhyl.
He thanked firefighters for tackling flames on the Sychnant Pass in Conwy in July, noting some worked in a 30C heatwave before reaching the flames. Unlike climate change denier Donald Trump, he warned of the importance of boosting "resilience" for future extreme weather. He said he has convened a summit for fire services and other agencies this month over the issue.
Funding and Transport
On transport, Mr ap Iorwerth claimed "billions" of pounds are owed to Wales to boost its infrastructure because of the "injustice of HS2".
Ynys Mon MP Llinos Medi said in the foyer: "If you just look at the Menai crossing alone, the conversations we've had have reflected the vulnerability and the resilience issues. The conversations around funding and the model of maintenance are in a good place now."
Rhetoric and Reform
The First Minister said the election marked the "beginning of our work to give flight to a nation whose wings have been clipped for far too long." He insisted respect needed to be shown to Wales by Prime Minister Andy Burnham as well as vice versa, otherwise "it matters little whether who lives in 10 Downing Street is an Evertonian or an Old Etonian."
He was "sickened" by Nigel Farage's apparent "foot soldiers" such as masked men in recent protests in Portsmouth and Dover, and slammed Reform's "crypto billionaire" backers. He said: "They can buy you all the turquoise ties and turquoise T-shirts in the world but Wales is not for sale."
