Thursday, September 07, 2006

British v Welsh

Despite the propaganda of the Brit Nat parties, centuries of denigrating Welsh identity, and the attractions of the global mass culture (or maybe because of it), 57% of young people in Wales felt Welsh as compared to 27% who felt British.

Britain is dying!


People will continue to cross the border for work and love. English people will continue to move here. We'll continue to watch Eastenders and Coronation Street, but when it comes to identity, then Welsh comes first.


Some may see the 50+ as a small percentage. But when one considers that some 25% of the Welsh public were born outside of Wales, when one considers the opposition held by many Brit Nats to symbols of Welsh nationhood, lack of Welsh history in schools, availability of the British media, lack of status to Welsh identity in many spheres where 'Britishness' is the norm and default, then this figure is quite remarkable.


It shows a tenacity in the appeal of Wales and Welshness which has wrong-footed the class jingoist Brit Nats like Neil Kinnock, the socialist realists of so-called 'international socialism' which saw no need for (small) nations.


And, this has all been achieved with no bloodshed or murder as compared to many other aspirant nations, which surprisingly (or not) are supported by Brit Nat left.


Maybe the Welsh aren't so divided as we sometimes think?

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