Hurdles facing Wigley's way back

He has confirmed he wants to be a candidate in the 2007 assembly election on the north Wales regional list.

The 62-year-old former Caernarfon MP and AM will stand as a candidate on the party's north Wales regional list.

But because of Plaid's commitment to promoting women candidates, he can be placed at best only second on the list.

I am glad to come back at his request in order to be part of the team to form a government - hopefully next year Dafydd Wigley

Announcing his decision in Caernarfon, he said he was "confident that Plaid can win two list seats in addition to gaining new constituency seats".

Mr Wigley, who holds the title of his party's honorary president, said there was "a new spirit of optimism" in Plaid.

"We need policies for the whole of Wales, not just the narrow belt favoured by the current failing Labour government," he said.

He left the assembly at the last election in 2003, three years after he quit as party president. He had already signalled his intention to return at the party's annual conference last month.

DAFYDD WIGLEY FACT FILE Born: Derby, 1 April 1943 Educated: Manchester University; industrial economist Married: Elinor Bennett Elected: Caernarfon MP 1974-2001 and AM 1999-2003 Sponsored: Disabled Persons Act of 1981 Plaid Cymru: president 1981 - 4 and 1991 - 2000

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales on Monday, he explained that he stepped down to give his successor as Plaid leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones, "room to grow" in the leadership role.

He said Mr Jones had now established himself, and would he believed play a leading role in the election.

Greatest success

"I am glad to come back at his request in order to be part of the team to form a government - hopefully next year," he said.

Analysts have pointed out that Mr Wigley's candidacy does not automatically guarantee he will gain a seat.

But Mr Wigley said there was "no possibility" of Mr Jones losing his Ynys Mon seat in 2007 and "our calculations are not done on that basis".

He said: "We assume that Alun Ffred Jones will also win the new Arfon seat and Gareth Jones will win the new Aberconwy seat and it is still possible for me to get the second seat on the list if we can secure that vote."

Mr Jones described Mr Wigley's decision as a "significant boost for our campaign, since his undoubted campaigning skills are a major asset for the party".

"He will also strengthen our team post-2007 in the assembly, bringing with him a wealth of experience, political acumen and an appeal across the political divide," he added.

Mr Wigley was elected MP for Caernarfon in 1974, and stood down in 2001 once the assembly was up and running. He served as party president twice, from 1981 - 1984, and again from 1991 - 2000.

In 1999 he led Plaid to its greatest success at the first Welsh assembly election, taking 17 of the 60 seats, but ill health meant he stood down from the party's top job in 2000.