Galician Warning for Plaid

Sunday's election for the Galician Xunta (assembly) in the Spanish State should stand as a warning to Plaid.

Since 2005, for the first time ever, the 'regional' assembly in Galicia had been run by a Socialist - Nationalist coalition. By doing so they broke an unbroken tradition of Galicia being run by the right wing PP - heirs to Franco. However, on Sunday, the loss of one seat each by the PSdeG (Galician Socialist party alligned to Spanish Socialists, PSOE) and the BNG Gallician nationalist parties saw the PP return.

One of PP's first decision is the 'depoliticise' nursery education - Spanish nationalist New Speak for reversing a strategy of promoting the Galician language in education - promoting Spanish at the disadvantage of Galician is, obviously, not political (!).

The BNG had just 4 years to try and implement new policies to reverse the fortune of the Galician language and culture. Plaid could be in the same situation in 2011. Plaid AM's need to look at this term in government as possibly their only term in government for ten or maybe twenty years. If Plaid were to 'lose' in 2011 - which is possible even if Plaid win more seats - then what will Plaid have achieved in 4 years in government.
The message is - don't delay for 2012 what can be done now, or needs to be done now - Language LCO, referendum on further power to Wales, sort out education in Welsh, council housing, rail improvements and expansion etc. Treat every term in office as now or never!