Labour Mess - Labour Trap

The present economic crisis seems to be a god-send to the Labour party. Never mind the fact that they're partly to blame for encouraging a culture of greed, irresponsibility and lacks government, Labour seem almost to gleefully welcome every new calamity on their watch. The same goes for Welsh Labour.

The big question is, is Plaid going to be caught out? Every thing put on the altar of schoolsandhospitals.

For every initiative which Plaid have brought to the table or have shown support for, especially ones based on the promotion of the Welsh language or an international Welsh identity - Welsh Federal College, Welsh Language Act, .cym, National English Language Theatre, Labour will turn around and say; 'hey, we'd love to see these happening, but er, you know guys, credit crunch and all that, we've got to support schoolsandhospitals.'

If Plaid aren't careful, come next year's conference or the 2011 election and they'll have nothing to show for. Not only will they have supported a Labour agenda they will have actively supported the shelving of their own agenda. By doing so, devo-sceptic Labour will have had what they want and will have denied what Plaid want... with Plaid paying through the loss of disillusioned voters. Of course, the Brit Olympics will still go on and be funded by Welsh tax-payers!

The credit crunch, Labour's credit crunch, will be used by the devosceptics to halt Wales's progress as a nation.

So-called Prince of Wales

Dafydd El's comments on the non-need of an Investiture for the (so-called) Prince of Wales is one of the most sensible and courageous things he's said in a while. The Investiture was used by George Thomas in 1969 to further his own ego and to keep Welsh identity in it's place i.e. subservient to the imperial centre.

However, Dafydd Elis Thomas's suggestion that people don't like 'stunts' or 'gimmicks' isn't quite true. Welsh people love a pageant and pomp - from the Gorsedd of the Bards at the Eisteddfod to a rugby international, the St David's Day annual parade or the recent Olympic celebrations outside the Senedd.

And if Welsh people can't release that need to celebrate, dress up, recognise nationality and other people's success within a Welsh context they'll look for it within an English or British one.

So, 'No' to another sycophantic, forelock tugging Investiture but 'Yes' to pageant and ceremony on Welsh terms, celebrating Welsh achievements. Being Welsh doesn't mean wearing woolsack.