'Better Governance for Wales' is an insult!

Another superb article appeared yesterday in the Western Mail, this time by Martin Shipton, under the title 'Wales has less law rights than channel island.'

He compares the powers of the National Assembly with the powers of Alderney, the third biggest of the Channel Islands with a tiny population of just 2,400 people.

Martin Shipton attacks the Brit Nat Labour Party's proposals in 'Better Governance for Wales', and claims that: "the National Assembly will remain a second class body entirely at the whim of Westminster."

He quotes Neil Adsett, an Australian constitutional lawyer, who dismisses Brit Nat Peter Hain's proposals: "They are a nonsense and won't work. Why don't they just give Wales the legislative powers it needs?... Wales should be looking to get a similar deal to Scotland."

Martin Shipton also quotes Ron Davies, a strong critic of the Brit Nat Labour Party's proposals for Wales: "What we are seeing in Wales is a Government in Westminster unwilling to let go of the policy agenda and instead creating a Heath Robinson, ramshackle device for delaying, obscuring and disguising the fact that it still wants to cling on to political control."

He finishes his piece by urging the people of Wales to contact the Wales Office to respond to the 'insult' that is the White Paper 'Better Governance for Wales.' We obviously support his call, and thank him for a wonderful article.

"If you believe that the current proposals fail to put right a substantial insult to Wales, we urge you to tell the Government so. Responses to the White Paper must be made by September 16 to Zenny Saunders, Wales Office, Gwydyr House, Whitehall, London SW1A 2ER or by email to wales.office@wales.gsi.gov.uk"

Wales has less law rights than channel island - Martin Shipton, Western Mail, Aug 30 2005
Will this island provoke blue-sky thinking? - Martin Shipton, Western Mail, Aug 30 2005

Inside Swansea Council v Inside Out @ Swansea

It seems that the Brit Nats have gone blog crazy down at Swansea.

Inside Swansea Council is the LIC (Brit Nats Liberals/Independent/Conservatives) ruling coalition's propaganda machine "An unofficial insider's view of Swansea Council and related issues."

Inside Out @ Swansea on the other hand is run by the Brit Nat Labour Party "An alternative commentary on how things are run - or not - by the Liberal Democrat, Independent and Conservative (LIC) coalition on Swansea Council"

One of the main recent topics of dicussion has been the future of Swansea's education system.

Brit Nat Labour group leader David Phillips recently warned that funding for a new Swansea super-school could be illegal unless it was made clear where the money was coming from first, and threatened to launch a legal challenge against the scheme.

Brit Nats LIC hit back accusing Labour councillors of playing petty politics with the future of Swansea's education system.

Many now believe that the Lib Dems and Conservatives are making a complete mess of running Swansea Council, and risking the education of the pupils at the same time. But who's the alternative? The Brit Nat Labour Party, in neighbouring Carmarthenshire, are doing just as bad a job, with over 40 Primary Schools earmarked for closure.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the Brit Nats cannot be trusted with providing quality education for our children in any County!

'British Nationalists' anagram?

Just found this on Anagram Genius:

Rearranging the letters of 'The Welsh Nationalists' gives:

Nastiness to Whitehall

Which is fair enough considering the way Wales has been treated by Whitehall over the years. But we've found a bug in the system. Rearranging the letters of 'British Nationalists' (Conservatives, Labour + Lib Dems) doesn't give:

They don't give a toss about Wales or the Welsh Language. Only interested in the future of their own party, and their standing in that party, at the expense of Wales.

We've contacted the site, and they've promised to fix the bug as soon as possible ;-)

New Welsh Language Act? Boring, boring, boring!

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language Society, has campaigned for a New Welsh Language Act, with extending the provisions of the 1993 Welsh language Act into the private sector as one of the main aims, for many years.

Recently, a prominent member of the Welsh Language Board, Collin Williams, gave his endorsement of this aim, and Labour Lord Prys-Davies also recently argued in favour of a new Welsh language Act.

But the Labour Brit Nat with the power, Rhodri Morgan, remains sceptical. He was followed around, with placards and a loudhailer, at the National Eisteddfod Maes earlier this month by Welsh language campaigners, before admitting that the whole issue in his eyes was "boring, boring, boring!"

Back in 1993 Rhodri Morgan supported calls for a stronger Welsh language Act. These were his words:

"The Government calls this a Welsh Language Bill, but it would be better described as a Welsh Language Quango Bill. What one could call a Quango for the lingo ...... We shall be abstaining tonight because we hope to have the opportunity before long to do the job properly. That will be done when we revisit the question of a Welsh language messure when we are in Government

But Once in power, Rhodri Morgan changed his mind and has opposed the strengthening of Welsh language legistlation.

We at British Nats in Wales Watch support the Welsh Language Society, the Welsh Language Board, and the Labour Lord Prys-Davies in their call for a New Welsh Language Act.

You can also support their call by attending a Rally arranged by the Welsh Language Society, outside the Welsh Assembly Government HQ (Old Welsh Office), Cathays Park, Cardiff at 2pm on Saturday October 1st 2005.

Kirsty hits the nail on its head.

A superb article by Kirsty Buchanan appeared in the Western Mail today, under the title 'Confusion is Labour's governance theme'. This article hits the nail on its head regarding the Brit Nat Labour Party's view on devolution.

As Kirsty Buchanan so rightly points out, it's all to do with 'what the Cabinet and Welsh Labour back benchers will stomach', rather than what's best for Wales! Everyone in Wales must realise that the British Nationalists will always put their own party's future, before the future of the people of Wales! Enjoy.

Confusion is Labour's governance theme
Kirsty Buchanan, Western Mail, Aug 27 2005

ADHERING to the tried and trusted method of kicking difficult topics into the long grass, Labour has yet to reveal how another referendum would ever be held in Wales on additional powers for its hobbled National Assembly.

In its White Paper, Better Governance for Wales, Labour stresses it has "currently no plans" for a referendum, (fearing it would be lost), but insists new legislation will "specify the conditions which will trigger a referendum".

You can expect these conditions, when the Government of Wales (Amendment) Bill is published, to be either frustratingly vague or near impossible to achieve. All we know currently is the trigger rests on a demonstrable show from the public for an Assembly with full law-making powers.

If asked, I would tell you I had a strong desire to run off with Denzel Washington but it's not like I take to the streets with a placard every day to demonstrate this wish. So Wales risks being left with a confusing and compromised devolution settlement simply because Labour will not ask the question in the belief it knows the answer.

Proposals to fast-track legislation through Westminster and to give AMs more power to scrutinise Bills may be a step in the right direction but it's a very small step. It is entirely possible, of course, that the Assembly's track record owes more to the Assembly Government than the settlement itself. After all, who can forget the audacious folly of fiddling around with health board structures while hospital waiting lists grew to dangerous levels?

But surely this is a matter for the people to determine.

I think the time for debating the Assembly's abolition has passed but if it's to stay I want an explanation as to why replacing one compromised settlement with another is preferable to a clear division of power between Westminster and Cardiff.

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain argues this is an exercise in what is deliverable rather than desirable - in other words what the Cabinet and Welsh Labour back benchers will stomach. This reality leaves the prejudices of a few dictating the future for the many.

And so I leave the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats with a challenge. If Labour will not test public will, you should. If not a referendum, why not a national petition demanding a referendum?

Vouchers in newspapers, road shows, internet petitions would help demonstrate the desire for an Assembly we can all be proud of. There are 2.2m Welsh voters - aim for signatures from 500,000 of them. Would nearly one in four voters be enough to trigger a referendum?

And, having lit that blue touch paper, I am off for new adventures. I have loved writing this column.

Ta ta tan toc!

Demolishing the 'Welsh speakers switching to English in the pub' myth!

There's a popular false rumour that locals only start speaking Welsh in the pub when the English turn up. Dylan Llyr from Caernarfon thinks it's time it was exposed as a myth once and for all. I hope he doesn't mind that I republish his letter to the BBC North West Wales here:

There are only so many times one can stomach the old 'Welsh people switching to English in the pub' myth without screaming and desperately trying to resist the urge to eat one's own head in sheer frustration. There is genuinely nothing that annoys me more than seeing otherwise intelligent people parroting this claim verbatim.

For once and for all, let it be known: it is utterly utterly false, and anyone who claims to have experienced such an event first-hand is a liar. The entire premise is flawed, for a number of reasons:

1) Why does the listener assume that they were speaking English beforehand if he's only just entered the room?

2) Perhaps they are part of a group comprised of a mix of Welsh and English speakers? When I find myself in such company, when including the English speakers in the dialogue I use English (even if it feels rather uncomfortable to speak English with Welsh friends), but if speaking merely to the Welsh speakers directly then naturally I will use Welsh.

3) Much colloquial Welsh contains a smattering of lazy English borrowings (usually when perfectly fine Welsh equivalents are available) so the listener may mishear and only realise they're actually speaking Welsh as (s)he gets closer.

4) How on earth would they know you could not speak Welsh? Do you wear a large fluorescent "English-only" sign?

Point 1 should be enough to demolish the myth on its own, but it's actually interesting since it demonstrates beautifully why the myth is so potent (and dangerous) in the first place.

The underlying assumptions behind the belief are truly sinister. Obviously there is the awful paranoia, but there is also the implication that we don't "really" use Welsh all the time ("but...but...surely they don't actually speak something other than English? There must be some sort of ulterior motive"). It perpetuates the notion that it is merely something we use to exclude 'outsiders' and as some sort of handy clique-maintenance tool.

It implies that when nobody else is around, we use English like 'normal' people, as if Welsh is only really good enough for some occasional English-baiting. It's the perfect legend for undermining an entire language, since it denies the existence and viability of Welsh as a natural and everyday way of life (and therefore eases the guilty conscience of those who destroy it) and portrays its speakers as insular and unfriendly bigots.

So there you have it, the perfect all-in-one Welsh-undermining urban legend. Jackpot, eh? Please, the next time you hear this myth from some guy at the pub, just think a little bit and consider that not only is it untrue, it DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. And that even worse, it's a cunning propaganda tool with far-reaching consequences."

From the BBC North West Wales website

Wales' biggest British Nationalist speaks!

He must be having a laugh! The biggest British nationalist in Wales is at it again (does he still live in Wales? - ed).

Old, Neil, erm, sorry, Baron Kinnock of Bedwellty, is once again upon his white steed, flying the flag for British nationalism, beating his manly chest, proclaiming that he will campaign again for a 'no' vote if there was a referendum on more powers to our poxy (Brit Nat Labour run) Assembly.

By all accounts a likeable chap, his Music Hall Welshness is just about innoffensive enough to be patronised by the British establishment which he always so longed to join.

Forget the radical socialism rhetoric of his youth, like all other 'international socialists', it was all probably done to cover this British nationalism and attack any Welshness which stretched beyond the kitch.

The old boyo is now head of the British Council where many feel that he is full-enough of himself not to realise that the English have never stopped laughing at him. This great British Nationalist will do anything to stop Wales becoming a great little European nation-state.

The man who proposed in the 1980s that if Wales wanted an Assembly it should be divided into two regions (one for the north and one for the south), now complains that Britain could be divided. Good enough to divide Wales obviously.

This is the man who despite all his big talk against Thatcher and the Tories, killed off the 1979 Referendum which could have stood up to the exesses of Margaret Thatcher's policies. How much of a British Nationalist do you have to be to do that?

But then you see, when push comes to shove the Kinnock's Brit Nat Welsh Labour will always back British capitalism against Welsh communities. After all they're British nationalists first and last.

Most people now view him as a political failure - he's been wrong or changed his mind on everything he's ever stood for. His only consistent policy has been to be a British Nationalist. Does he and his wife, Glenys, still believe that we care about them?

Glenys Kinnock - the woman who thought Welsh not good enough a language to speak to her own children but is willing enough to push herself on to Welsh language tv to speak in the language 'she nearly forgot'.

Don't you get it Neilo? British is just English with a funny accent - but then, that's Neil Kinnock for you.