A TRIO of Plaid AMs have come under fire for refusing to attend the royal opening of the Assembly tomorrow.

Neath-based South Wales West member Bethan Jenkins is among those who will be elsewhere when the Queen leads the ceremonial opening of the fourth Assembly.

She has opted to spend the day with Plaid members, talking to shop owners and others in Bridgend town centre.

But the decision taken by Ms Jenkins, along with fellow Plaid AMs Leanne Wood and Llyr Huws Grufydd, has been rapped by Swansea-based Liberal Democrat AM Peter Black.

Mr Black, who also represents South Wales West, said the ceremony marked the start of the ability of AMs to make laws in their own right.

He said: "There is no doubt that the trio are sincere and as a republican myself I understand why they do not support an unelected monarchy presiding over an elected Parliament.

"However, that did not stop them taking the oath of allegiance to the Queen, nor does it prevent them serving as a member of a body that constitutionally takes its authority from the crown and whose laws have to be approved by the monarch, no matter how academic that approval may be.

"Nor can they deny that the monarchy enjoys majority support among Welsh people, who expect their elected politicians to represent them at events such as this. Irrespective of my personal views my duty on Tuesday is to be in the Assembly representing my constituents at the official opening and celebrating the birth of a new phase of Welsh democracy."

Ms Jenkins has already explained her decision not to be there, the second time she has declined to attend the royal opening of the Senedd.

She said: "In order to progress towards becoming a modern and successful country, the most important thing we have to do is get the economy going again."

Her party colleague Leanne Wood, of South Wales Central has also been criticised.

Instead of attending at Cardiff Bay she will be in the Rhondda Valley, packing emergency boxes for people who cannot afford to buy food.

Rhondda's Labour MP Chris Bryant said: "This is just childish attention-seeking.

''With all her experience, I suspect the Queen could teach Ms Wood a thing or two."

paul.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk