91Èȱ¬

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has predicted a bounce in the polls for her party as a result of last week's televised leaders' debate.

Unlike the SNP and the Greens, Plaid have not seen any rise in support reflected in recent polls.

On Wales Today on Friday, she said: "Let us see the result of the polls that would have been taken after the TV debate that has been quite a success for Plaid Cymru."

The debate was televised on 2 April.

Ms Wood said: "The feedback I have had is that we have managed to get across a strong platform for Wales, and to convince people that Plaid Cymru is the only party that is prepared to fight for decent solutions and a decent funding settlement in particular as well as solving our powers problems.

"I think that the next polls should see an improvement in our fortunes."

She also set out in the interview why the party had only said it would do a deal with Labour in the event of a hung parliament.

She said: "I do not think people in Wales would find it very acceptable for Plaid Cymru to allow another Conservative government.

"People in Wales have never given the Conservatives a mandate.

"In many communities in Wales people feel very, very strongly against the Conservatives because of Mrs Thatcher's deliberate de-industrialisation."

She also defended her call for the Assembly to be given an extra £1.2bn from Westminster, saying: "We are trying to close the gap with our hands tied behind our backs.

"We have limited powers over natural resources for example that could be used to help to build our economy and that is why parity with Scotland, not just in terms of resources but powers as well, is a key question for us in this election."

The interview with Ms Wood was the fourth in a series of Wales Today interviews with Welsh political leaders.