EXPELLED Plaid Cymru AM Neil McEvoy visited Gwent this week to met supporters and talk about his plans to set up a new group within the party.

The South Wales Central AM was expelled from Plaid Cymru for 18 months last month following allegations of misconduct at the party's 2017 spring conference.

He has vowed to appeal against the decision and, in the meantime, has said he will set up a new group within Plaid aimed at empowering communities and stamping out corruption.

And he visited Pontnewynydd on Monday evening to meet supporters and tell them more about the group, which is due to be officially unveiled next month.

Saying he believed the Welsh and UK Governments had shown "huge disrespect" for former industrial areas such as Torfaen, the outspoken AM said: "We can either sit back and take it and let them do what they've always done, or we can draw a line and start a fight".

He also said Plaid Cymru was not acting as an effective opposition, saying it was seeking to "influence" Labour rather than oppose, and ultimately replace, it.

Saying he would like to see more power handed down to communities, he added: "Politics is to important to be left to politicians.

"It's too important to be left to the great and the good. These decisions affect us, the people who live in these communities."

He added: "I don't want to see all the power left in Cardiff, I want to see it put into our communities. Basic decentralisation."

The meeting was attended by around 20 people, with topics discussed including rising house prices and the impact of Brexit.

Ideas put forward by Mr McEvoy included setting up a Welsh stock exchange, more education around Welsh history and establishing a royal palace celebrating historic Welsh royalty.

Closing the meeting, he said: "We don't have to put up with this.

"We can shape our country. Get involved and make Plaid Cymru the real party of Wales."