Plaid Cymru Llundain London: AV and WESTMINSTER : SOME THOUGHTS

Thursday, 14 April 2011

AV and WESTMINSTER : SOME THOUGHTS

What to do? That AV is not a truly proportional system and has only been offered as a bone to Clegg suggests that we should vote no. Apart from contributing to giving Clegg a kicking and putting the Con Dem coalition under strain, voting no will put the likelihood of a truly proportional representation back a generation if not more. Voting Yes is a marginal improvement and may actually harm Plaids prospects in Westminster elections. On the other hand do the Westminster elections matter so much to Plaid? The 25 % cut in MPs plus the YES vote are radically altering and reducing the influence of MPs from Wales. Obviously Wales needs a strong voice at Westminster, but will that voice ever come from a group of MPs from Wales, most of whom are more concerned about their parties` prospects than Wales, not to mention the pointless job of Secretary State for Wales. Perhaps its time for Plaid Cymru to re-assess its electoral strategy and focus on the Assembly as the primary vehicle for pushing the Independence agenda forward.

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Elfyn Llwyd : Root and Branch Review

Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid's Westminster leader, said there were benefits in not joining a coalition government and called for a root and branch look at the party's structure.
He told BBC Radio Wales: "If, as I understand it, that Labour later today will be saying that they will go it alone then it's possible that Plaid in opposition would be in a far stronger position to regroup than otherwise. Everybody knows that when parties need to regroup, you're normally in a better position in opposition”
"There are benefits to not going into government]. Without the distraction of having to govern we're in a position to look at everything and regroup in opposition."

Wales says YES!

The Plaid Cymru leader and Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones AM has said that today's Yes vote will open a new chapter in the history of Wales, and will give the people of our great country the chance to create a better Wales.
Speaking after the result was announced, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM said that Wales has shown tremendous confidence and commitment by taking responsibility for its own decision making in key areas. The Ynys Mon AM said that returning a Yes vote was essential to Wales's ability to meet its challenges head on.
Ieuan Wyn Jones AM said:
"Today's Yes vote marks the beginning of a new period of Welsh devolution.
"Over a decade ago, the Assembly was established. We can now welcome the beginning of a new era of Welsh devolution – the decade to deliver for Wales.
"The people of Wales have today told us that they share our ambitions for a better Wales. They want to see our nation succeed and they want our Assembly to take responsibility and to change Wales for the better. I can promise you, this is what we are now determined to do.
"This yes vote finally gives us the tools to do the job. Now it's time to get on with the job of delivering for Wales.

Plaid. For a Better Wales

07/03/2011
Plaid Cymru have launched their Welsh general election slogan by targeting contact with over half a million people through newspaper distributions, street advertising at the Wales v Ireland international game and online twitter and facebook activity over the next week.
The slogan, ‘For a Better Wales,’ will contrast the Westminster dominated positioning of other political parties in Wales. Plaid Cymru aim to ensure that the focus of their Welsh general election campaign is rooted in Wales.
Plaid Cymru will be the only party focused solely on creating a better Wales. Whilst other political parties will be continuing to treat May 5th as nothing more than a UK election mid-term, Plaid Cymru will be focused on delivering improvements to the health, education and the economy of Wales.
Plaid Cymru leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, said:
"The referendum result last week was a fantastic achievement for Plaid Cymru in government and for Wales as a nation. However instead of it being the end of a campaign, it marks, for us, the start of something greater. The overwhelming Yes vote is the beginning of the decade of delivery for devolution, and a decade that we want to begin with an ambitious, exciting and focused Plaid government after May’s poll.
"As we speak, the first quarter of a million copies of our national newspaper are being printed and distributed to teams across Wales. Starting today we're back out campaigning across Wales, telling people how the coming election is their chance to realise the ambition they expressed in last week's referendum.

Plaid celebrates successes as final term of One Wales Government begins

12 January 2011
Elin Jones AM, the party’s Director of Communications, said that Plaid has delivered a range of improvements in Wales by putting a definitive stamp on policy decisions.
With significant delivery including, over 225,000 new attendances at hospitals in Wales that were due to close until Plaid came into government, and achieving the ambitious 6,500 target for affordable homes people across Wales have benefitted from Plaid’s input.
The Ceredigion AM specifically highlighted the work during the recession including over 10,000 people saved from redundancy due to Ieuan Wyn Jones AM’s ProAct scheme, and helping 765 adults and 379 children to stay in their own homes as part of the Mortgage Rescue Scheme.
Elin Jones AM said:
“The decision to take Plaid Cymru into government was historic and has changed the political landscape in Wales forever. There is little doubt that Plaid Cymru has had a significant impact. Through our drive in government we have made our key priorities of fair funding for Wales and improved democracy through a parliament with greater law making powers mainstream issues.
“Having Plaid in government has meant that over 200,000 people in Aberystwyth, Llandudno, Pembrokeshire and Llanelli have been able to get treatment in hospitals in their own communities. This would not have been the case had Plaid not put a stop to the previous Labour government’s hospital centralisation programme. With Plaid in government, measures were put in place to protect the people of Wales from the worst of the recession. Over 1,000 people were saved from the terrifying prospect of losing their homes thanks to our mortgage rescue scheme and over 10,000 avoided losing their jobs due to the ProAct scheme.”

TUITION FEES DEBATE SHOWS WHY WALES NEEDS THE YES VOTE

01 December 2010
Plaid Cymru’s Jonathan Edwards MP has today said that the debate over tuition fees would add fuel to the campaign for a Yes vote in the Welsh referendum next March.
Mr Edwards said that the decision of the Welsh Government over the future of tuition fees showed the value of devolution and the benefits of being able to create Welsh solutions for the benefit of Wales – rather than just copying Westminster.
Plaid Cymru have pledged to do all they can to campaign against the unfair hikes in tuition fees being made by the ConDem government and have urged MPs from all parties to vote against them.
Mr Edwards said:
“What this whole situation shows us is that we can do things differently for Wales. We do not have to be dictated to be Westminster – and by a Government that has shown how much distain it holds for the many students whose votes put them there in the first place.
“90% of MPs have benefited from university education and the overwhelming majority will also have benefited from free education.
“Having benefited from that, it is outrageous that MPs should pull up the drawbridge behind them and leave others to pay for their own education.
“Labour MPs who are now so keenly complaining about an increase in tuition fees, were the party which first broke the compact with our young people and undermined the concept of free higher education for all.
“In One Wales, Plaid Cymru committed to do whatever possible to mitigate the effects on Welsh-domiciled students if the Westminster government lifts the cap on fees. Access to higher education should be on the basis of the individual’s potential to benefit and not on the basis of what they can afford to pay.
“This really shows why it is so important that the Welsh Assembly even exists and has the powers that it has.
“It is also why I believe that Wales will vote next March to confirm further powers for the Assembly so that we can end the ridiculous and time-consuming LCO system.”

PLAID UNVEIL 2011 CAMPAIGN TEAM

01 December 2010
Ambition and innovation to be at heart of Party’s election campaign
Plaid Cymru has unveiled its team to run the party's 2011 Welsh General Election campaign. The party says it will be using innovative technology alongside door-to-door campaigning over the coming months to reach more people that in any previous election in Wales.
Ceredigion AM Elin Jones will oversee the party's communications while Director of Policy Nerys Evans will oversee Plaid manifesto. The party have also appointed experienced campaigner Ian Titherington as Director of Elections to lead the 2011 ground campaign.
In 2006, Plaid established its National Campaigns Unit to professionalise its election campaigns on a local and national level. The move helped the party increase the number of seats it held in the Assembly in the 2007 election from 12 to 15. With an experienced full time staff of fourteen now at its Cardiff HQ, Plaid's Director of Elections believes that the party's campaign will be even stronger in the coming election."
Director of Communications Elin Jones AM said:
"We will enter 2011 in a strong position. Being a party of Government in Wales has shown people that we have the experience, ambition and drive to be trusted to lead Wales in the challenging years ahead.
"Our 2011 campaign will build upon the considerable capacity we have developed since 2006.
"We're aiming to run the most innovative and ambitious campaign of all the parties in Wales this election, making use of modern technology to assist our grassroots campaigning across the nation.
"We will be putting the people of Wales at the heart of the our manifesto and campaign - going door to door over the next five months to talk about the ideas and plans we have to move Wales forward in the coming decade."
Plaid's Director of Policy Nerys Evans AM added:
"Our manifesto will concentrate on the key issues of importance to people - protecting frontline services in these difficult times, creating good quality jobs in our communities by developing Wales' economy, and meeting the aspirations that we all have for our young people by improving education for all."
"In these challenging times, we're determined to provide people in Wales with an ambitious and achievable plan to transform our nation over the coming decade."

TIME TO END THE BILLION POUND SWINDLE

10 November 2010
Plaid MP calls debate on Housing Revenue Scheme
Plaid Cymru’s Treasury spokesperson Jonathan Edwards MP has secured a Westminster Hall debate on the future of the Housing Revenue Subsidy Scheme (HRAS) in Wales.
The scheme currently forces Welsh councils to pay back millions each year from their housing budgets to the Treasury.
Mr Edwards, a longstanding critic of the scheme, has called for the debate to address what he describes as a severe injustice. Information gathered by the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP showed that Wales has lost out on over £2bn in cash terms since the scheme was introduced in England and Wales.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have always been exempt. In previous parliamentary questions Mr Edwards has secured concessions from the Housing Minister in Westminster that the present system is unfair.
The system is set to be scrapped in England, something that Mr Edwards believes should be extended to Wales.
Jonathan Edwards MP said:
“This system has stripped Wales of a staggering amount of money for too long. The Tories crippled Wales by placing us in the scheme whilst Scotland and Northern Ireland were excluded. Scandalously, under Labour, absolutely nothing was done to change the system, ensuring that we lost out on £1billion between 1999 and 2010.

BACK TO WORK REGIME WILL NOT WORK IF JOBS AREN’T THERE

15 November 2010
PLAID CYMRU COMMENT ON WELFARE WHITE PAPER
Plaid Cymru’s Work and Pensions spokesperson Hywel Williams MP has today warned that the UK Government’s proposals for benefits reform do not reflect the realities of the unemployment crisis facing Wales, and has said that changes to the system must not demonise those struggling to find work.
Commenting on the publication of the White Paper on welfare reform, Mr Williams said:
“The best way of getting people into work is actually having jobs for them to go to.
“This week in Wales a phenomenal total of 2,500 people applied for 350 jobs at a new Tescos in Gwent.
“People want to work and I see this problem time and time again in my constituency surgeries.
“The ConDem assumption appears to be that everybody on benefits is somehow cheating the system or work-shy.
“In many parts of Wales there are very large numbers of people looking for work but few jobs up for grabs.
“The fact is that the government is about to make this worse by throwing thousands more Welsh public sector workers out of their jobs.

Tory fantasy economics show lack of credibility on health

10 November 2010
Helen Mary Jones said:
“The debate really showed how out of touch Conservative Assembly Members are. The British Medical Association’s chairman in Wales has publicly criticised the Tory proposals for health, highlighting how they would effectively wipe out other budgets in Wales. They are clearly far more concerned with making headlines than they are with tackling the causes of ill-health.
This debate was utter hypocrisy from start to finish. I am appalled that the Tories have continually attempted to treat the Welsh public as fools.
It is staggering that the ConDems in Westminster would cut the Welsh budget by around £5bn in real terms over 4 years, on top of the £300m per year Wales has been losing out on because of the unfair way in which it is funded, and then have the audacity to try and pretend that they are in any way concerned about front line services in Wales.
What Wales needs is not fantasy economics but a real evaluation of how we can improve the health of the nation. Prevention is always better than a cure and the health service in Wales needs to be focussed on that. Our health is determined by where we live, what we do in our free time, what we learn in school, if we work, where we work and what work we do.”

CSR CUTS TO HOUSING BENEFIT WILL INCREASE HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY

20 October 2010
PLAID HOUSING MINISTER HITS OUT AT CONDEM PLANS
Plaid Cymru AM and the Welsh Housing Minister Jocelyn Davies has today expressed disappointment as the reality of ConDem plans to cut housing benefit were outlined in the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). The plans were recently criticised by six leading Welsh charities that joined forces to demand a rethink by the ConDem government on the plans. Jocelyn Davies, the Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East said that the ConDem’s own findings show that their plans will have dire consequences leading to an increase in poverty and homelessness. An assessment by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has shown that over 99% of claimants will be affected, that the private rented sector will shrink by 20% and that homelessness is likely to increase.
Jocelyn Davies AM said that the Welsh government has been working hard to tackle homelessness and poverty. She warned that the ConDem plans threaten to undo that work and would hit Wales particularly hard.
Plaid Cymru AM and Welsh Housing Minister Jocelyn Davies said:
"I am bitterly disappointed that following the CSR today, these ConDem plans to cut housing benefit will become a reality for many families across Wales and the UK as a whole. The Tories and Lib Dems clearly chose to ignore the advice of leading charities and indeed the findings of their own assessment.
“The ConDem government’s plans show a complete lack of understanding of the situation here in Wales. The lack of affordable housing has long been an issue in many communities across Wales and since Plaid went into government we have been working hard to tackle this problem. The ConDems’ proposals would price even more people out of the market and exacerbate the problem further.
“What’s more the plans are likely to lead to people being pushed out of bigger cities and into areas with lower house prices, leading to even greater pressure on services in those areas. If the ConDem government wants to spend less on housing benefits then they need to increase the provision of affordable housing, as we have been doing in Wales. The question is, if more affordable housing is not made available, but housing benefits are reduced, where are people expected to go? It is clearly going to lead to more homelessness and poverty. This is an attack on the most vulnerable in our society and it will cause huge problems for our communities as a whole in the long term.”

Comprehensive Spending Review – Too Deep and Too Fast

20 October 2010
Plaid attack settlement which leaves Welsh recovery vulnerable
Wales faces a devastating blow from the UK governments spending review. Ieuan Wyn Jones AM and Helen Mary Jones AM have criticised the decision to cut the Welsh budgets capital spending by 41% over the next four years. The cuts seriously restrict the opportunity to stimulate the Welsh economy and will severely restrict the Government’s ability to stimulate private sector activity.
Ieuan Wyn Jones AM said:
“This announcement is a devastating blow to the Welsh economy. Plaid has consistently argued that the Conservative-Lib Dem cuts were too soon and too deep.
It is especially concerning the way the Conservative government have attacked welfare payments, targeting sickness and housing benefits in particular. There is little doubt that Welsh jobs, Welsh businesses and the Welsh people will feel the pain of these mistakes.”

Future of Welsh language broadcasting put at serious risk

20 October 2010
Plaid leader attacks back room deals in London
Plaid Cymru’s leader has called for an urgent rethink by the UK government following the publication of their plans to put S4C under the control of the BBC. Wales’ Deputy First Minister has consistently called for a full review of S4C before any announcements on its future are made.
Mr Jones was joined by the grandson of Gwynfor Evans, whose hunger strike brought about the establishment of S4C, who attacking the backroom deal in London that has led to the current plans coming to light.
Ieuan Wyn Jones AM and Mabon ap Gwynfor both criticised the action saying it calls into question the very future of the independent TV production in Wales.
Plaid Leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, said:
“These plans have come to light completely unacceptable way – and are the result of severely limited and hasty discussions in London. The last thing we need at the moment is action that has not been thoroughly thought through and is not focused on achieving properly identified strategic outcomes. Anything other than a careful review of S4C’s future is likely to bring about changes that benefit nobody.
The UK government needs to reconsider this issue urgently and hold a proper discussion which involved interested parties here in Wales. That means speaking to the Welsh government and the wider broadcasting industry in Wales.”
Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid’s Assembly candidate for Clwyd South, said:
“This proposal and the way it has come about is an insult to everyone who fought for the establishment of a Welsh language channel. It is a massive blow to the Welsh language, to the Welsh broadcasting industry and the direct and indirect employment of so many people. It is deeply upsetting to think of what people like my grandfather went through to realise a dream of a Welsh language TV channel, only to have its independence put into question by someone in London who has no comprehension of the cultural and economic role it plays.”

WHY WALES NEEDS A SAY

19 October 2010

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP has welcomed the decision to scrap the Severn Barrage but has criticised the ConDem government for their failure to invest in other renewable energies in the Severn Estuary.

Mr Llwyd has repeated Plaid’s calls for powers over large scale energy projects such as this, and Welsh offshore lands of the Crown Estate, to be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales.

Mr Llwyd said:

“The Severn Barrage was always an expensive ‘silver bullet’ pushed by the Labour Party to show their supposedly green credentials.

“But while they had the opportunity to invest in smaller, sustainable and more credible renewable energy schemes in the area, such as tidal lagoons and a tidal reef which would have generated significant energy but with less environmental damage, the Labour Government failed to do so.

“The ConDem government however is following an equally unimaginative route which lacks any aspirational vision for future energy development.

“The failure to invest in renewable energy in the Severn Estuary shows why it is so important that energy powers be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales.

“In Wales, we have huge natural resources and we would prioritise the development of sustainable, renewable energy.

“The lands of the Crown Estate off the Welsh shoreline and powers to develop major energy infrastructure must also be devolved immediately to the Welsh Assembly if we are to make any realistic progress on these important issues.”

Plaid AM Joins Fight To Save Passport Office

18 October 2010
Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood was among hundreds of protestors marching through Newport on the weekend to save the city’s passport office.
The AM for South Wales Central, who chairs the cross-party Public and Commercial Services union group at the Welsh Assembly, also spoke during a rally at John Frost square on Saturday afternoon. Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales West, Bethan Jenkins, also took part in the march.
Workers and trade union officials were among the 600 or so gathered to oppose the Con/Dem coalition’s plans to shut the city’s passport office where 300 people are employed. None of the other six remaining passport offices in the UK will be affected by the austerity measures.
After the march, which began outside the historic Westgate Hotel, Ms Wood told the rally: “We know only too well what the long term effects of mass employment are. We remember only too well how Thatcher left people and communities in Wales to rot.
“We cannot allow that to happen again. We have to fight tooth and nail for every job – both in the public and private sector. We have to do what we can to make sure people can work.
“This attack on the Newport Passport Office and the satellite offices throughout Wales is the opening salvo in what promises to be a long battle. If the Tories and their Liberal Democrat friends win this, it will leave Wales as the only country in Europe without its own passport office.
“And as for assurances that a Welsh language service will still be available from outside Wales is a joke – on par with
Jeremy Hunt’s suggestion to dub English language programmes as a substitute for S4C!
“Those of us who oppose these cuts have to stand united and be prepared to fight for these jobs. This is just the start – we have to show that we’re not taking this lying down so that they’ll be forced to think twice before the next announcement.”
She added: “I urge everyone you know to join this campaign. We have to stand united because none of us knows who will be next.”

Reaction to St Athan Defence Cuts

19 October 2010
Leanne Wood AM said:
“As costs have continued to increase the writing has been on the wall for this project for some time. This was to be the biggest PFI scheme in Europe, yet PFI has now been largely discredited. People have been led up the garden path with promises of thousands of well-paid jobs, yet ultimately businesses and workers have been left bitterly disappointed.
Jobs are desperately needed, but they have to be sustainable jobs which will still be there way into the future. The need for jobs has not gone away, if anything, that need has increased. This announcement should mean that efforts are re-doubled to ensure the creation of good quality, sustainable jobs for this area.”
Chris Franks AM added:
“I am sure there will be a great deal of disappointment at the jobs that have been promised to workers in the area that are now not going to be delivered, or at least anywhere near the level originally estimated. I will be writing to the M.O.D requesting details of exactly what proposals are going to be made for any potential projects that could still come to St Athan.”

Nationalist Parties Setting the Political Agenda

16 October 2010
Plaid’s Director of Policy addresses SNP conference
Plaid Cymru’s Director of Policy will today (Saturday October 15th) address the SNP conference in Scotland highlighting how both nationalist parties have set the political agendas during their respective periods in government. Invited as a keynote speaker to address the Scottish nationalist Party conference in Perth, Nerys Evans AM, will highlight that, through its work in government, all political parties have been forced to accept Plaid’s campaign on reform of the funding formula for Wales, as well as securing cross party support for a referendum.
In her speech, the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire candidate, will outline how following the success of making Plaid’s agenda part of the mainstream political discussion, the party will be fielding its strongest ever group of candidates to help it transform, not merely manage, the future of Wales in a new Parliament.
Nerys Evans AM said:
“Plaid Cymru has succeeded in laying the foundations for a New Wales. We have won the political argument over reform to the way Wales is funded and for the need for further powers. All political parties in Wales have come around to Plaid’s way of thinking on these issues and it has paved the way action to be taken on them.
Just like Plaid, the SNP have succeeded in government, showing in these two Celtic nations what can be achieved by rejecting the London-centric approach. We must now continue that agenda to protect Welsh jobs and the Welsh economy from London’s savage cuts.”
Speaking on the next Assembly election Nerys Evans AM added:
“What is exciting moving forward is the calibre of candidates that Plaid will be taking into this election, including the former Welsh Secretary Ron Davies. It is a bold team, one I am pleased is echoed in Scotland by the SNP. Wales and Scotland together will be given a radical alternative to the usual London orchestrated campaigns of Labour and the ConDems.”

Holtham Shows the Way Forward

06 July 2010
But ConDem Coalition, must act to reform failing funding formula
Plaid Cymru Finance spokesperson Chris Franks AM has renewed his party’s call for the failing funding formula which sets the size of the Welsh budget to be replaced immediately by the ConDem coalition in London. Mr Franks made the call in response to the final report of the independent Holtham Commission which was set up to review the way Wales is funded.
The report sets out the need for the funding system (the Barnett Formula) to be replaced with a formula based on need, which would ensure a fair level of funding for Wales from Westminster. In light of the ConDem Coalition’s refusal to take action to replace Barnett since it came to power, the report calls for a ‘floor’ mechanism, which would reduce underfunding in the short term pending further reform. The report also supports Plaid’s call for the Welsh government to be responsible for raising its own funds through taxation and borrowing.
The South Wales Central AM said that the refusal of the Conservative/Lib Dem government to act on this important issue was all the more shocking, considering the fact that both parties had called for it to be addressed while in opposition.

Plaid slams 50% drop in Welsh sports funding since London 2012 announcement

26 April 2010
Plaid Cymru have exposed a staggering 50 percent drop in the amount of lottery cash awarded to sports groups in Wales in the four and a half years since the 2012 Olympics were awarded to London. Research carried out by the party examined the total value of grants awarded for sport in Wales by the Lottery for the five years preceding the 2012 announcement and the four and a half years since.
The research reveals that between the 1st January 2000 and the 6th July 2005, £65,106,195 had been awarded for sport in Wales by the Lottery, compared with £31,851,168 between 7th July 2005 and 1st of January 2010 – a drop of £33,255,027 or fifty-one per cent.
Plaid’s director of elections, Helen Mary Jones AM said:
"Funds used to promote grassroots sport in Wales have been lost to pay for the Olympics. I am extremely disappointed about this situation. The Welsh taxpayer has contributed a massive amount of money to London’s Olympics. It is scandalous that money is being taken away from one of Britain’s poorest nations and being given to the very richest region

Print Your Own

For almost ten years Plaid Cymru`s London Branch have been campaigning for Wales to issue its own commemorative and definitive stamps. Dic Penderyn, Owain Glyndwr, the National Anthem, the National Museums centenary, Edward Llwyd and so on were all brilliant opportunities to celebrate our people and culture. The response from the Royal Mail has been consistently negative. So why not print our own. The Hywel Dda stamp is the fourth design by the branch. It could be better of course. It is easy to print . Simply copy and paste so you can print it off on a label sheet ... you choose whatever size label you prefer.
In the meantime let us know your ideas for stamps or any tales of how you have been treated by the post office when asking for Welsh stamps in Wales

NATIONAL IDENTITY TICK BOX

We were pleased to hear that the White Paper on the Census published indicated the intention to allow respondents in England to indicate their main language. However, the requirement to only indicate the main language is a concern we will need to address. The question the branch proposed was " Do you speak a language other than English?" This question would give an accurate indication of the actual numbers of speakers of individual languages. My main language in England of course is English! Thus the fact that Welsh is my other language may go unrecorded. Attempts therefore to gauge the needs of speakers of a variety of languages may go by the board. We have been campaigning for literally decades for a question on language ability. We will need to encourage Welsh people to respond appropriately.
In addition respondents in England as well as Wales will also be able to tick their national identity as Welsh! This was the focus of some embarassment for the ONS in 2001 in Wales, and we have campaigned for the extension of this question to England. The next step of course is for the Census functions to be transferred to Wales as they are in Scotland and N.Ireland.

‘Militants’ Key Role in Welsh Freedom

A patriot who received a 10-year jail sentence for organising a bombing campaign believes his group’s contribution to the nation’s history has not been fully recognised.
John Jenkins will today be at the launch of a book which argues that militants like him played a crucial role in events that eventually led to the establishment of the National Assembly.
Mr Jenkins, a British Army sergeant who led the paramilitary organisation Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (MAC – Movement for the Defence of Wales), admitted eight offences involving explosives in 1970.
He planted bombs at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Lake Vyrnwy and Hapsford, Cheshire – sites involving the export of water from Wales to England, intending to damage property.
Asked how he felt about the establishment of the National Assembly and Plaid Cymru’s role in government, Mr Jenkins said: “The Assembly’s just a stop-gap, so far as I’m concerned. It won’t be able to make a real difference until it’s got proper powers.
“Plaid are concentrating on getting more votes, and I can understand that. But they’ve tended to forget the soul.
“I get the impression that the Assembly is very bogged down with bureaucracy. Also, I don’t like the fact that some of them see it as a stepping stone to Westminster and being an MP.
“If they stuck to doing a job for the people of Wales – being big fish in a little pool – people would think a lot more of them.”
Freedom Fighters, priced £19.99, is published by University of Wales Press. Available cheaper on AMAZON

Making History in Welsh

Plaid MEP Jill Evans, who has campaigned for many years for official status for the Welsh language at European Union level, has welcomed today's first speech in Welsh at the EU Council of Ministers. (NOTE - see Timeline below).
Welsh Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones will speak Welsh at a ministerial meeting of the EU's Culture Council in Brussels on Thursday where interpretation will be provided into other languages.
Speaking ahead of the meeting the Plaid MEP said:
"I'm delighted that today the Welsh language is finally getting the same recognition as other European languages. I've been campaigning for official status for Welsh in Europe for many years. This is literally making history in Welsh.
"This is of huge symbolic importance and will raise the profile of Wales as a nation on the European stage. I congratulate Alun Ffred Jones and the One Wales Government for making it happen. I also want to thank all of the organisations and individuals in Wales who have given such strong support to this campaign.
"In spite of those who laughed at the idea, including then Prime Minister Tony Blair, and despite opposition from the other parties, we have come a long way. But this isn't the end of the story. I'm still pushing the European Parliament to adopt similar new rules for Welsh. The fact that other European bodies have done it shows that it is both possible and practical 20 November 2008

Seb Coe Breaks Promises For More Welsh

Take a look at the new London 2012 Website and you will find even less Welsh contact.....in fact nothing!

In a letter to London Branch in March this year, Sebastian Coe said that the London 2012 website was to be revamped in the Summer to include far more items in Welsh than has been the case to date. It is now Autumn. A further letter was sent in mid August to Sebastian Coe to ask for an explanation, but we still await a reply.

Branch secretary Huw Jackson said :

“We have grave reservations about the impact of the costs of the Olympics on Wales. Sebastian Coe makes a great noise about the Olympics being a UK Olympics to justify the millions being diverted from Wales to London. However, we have also been concerned that the Welsh language content on their web- site is minute and difficult to find. We have had a lot of trouble since before the Olympics were declared for London in getting any sort of response from Sebastian Coe and the London Organising Committee. They said that it would be too expensive to have Welsh, one of the languages of the host country, in their publicity! We are glad they seem to have relented but we will be keeping watch on developments. For example, I am concerned to see how they interpret the statement in the letter suggesting “ any content directly aimed at the Welsh public will be available in both English and Welsh” London 2012 is supported by the London government and is promoted as a UK event, yet until now they have almost totally ignored Welsh. This underlines the need for a new Language Act to put Welsh and English on an equal footing in Wales.”

Stamp Refusal

The Royal Mail continues to reject proposals for Wales to have its own issues of commemorative stamps as wellas to reject calls for Welsh definitive stamps to be available in booklets. The response of Huw Roberts, recently appointed Director of Affairs for Wales is to quote the London Royal Mail that commemorative stamps have to go through a rigorous selection procedure...... by a committee which sits in london and had no welsh represenatation. Little wonder that stamps take suchan Anglocentric view of so called Britain. The Mails reason for not giving way to demands for Welsh definitive stamps in booklet form is "feedback" from major retailers! Thus for some reason commercial reasons dictate stamp production for Wales, but BRITISH interests apply to the UK?
It will come as no surprise that Huw Roberts is one of Peter Hains chums who donated (according to the Wales on Sunday) £5,000 to the leadership campaign fund.
London Branch has written to Mr Roberts asking him to push for a review of Stamp selection policies in his capacity as Wales` represenatative on the Royal Mail. Meanwhile why not "Copy and Paste" our attempt at a stamp design to commemorate the birth of Dic Penderyn, hanged for his alleged part in the Merthyr Rising.

Stamps for Wales

One of the Royal Mails stated criteria when considering suggestions for commemorative stamps is to “ explore the British way of life celebrating the diversity of cultures and interests within the UK.” To help reach a decision Stamp Advisory Committee was set up in 1968. Plaid Cymru`s London Branch has been trying to get the Committee to consider themes which reflect Wales and its people. The record is not encouraging. Back in 2000 we approached them to consider a set of stamps to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Owain Glyndwr`s Parliament in 2004. They even announced on 1st March 2003 that they were going to produce a set which every Glyndwr fan would be proud to buy. Instead, a set depicting Welsh landscapes as part of a more general UK series was produced. These were launched at a junket in London in June 2004 with a demonstration by 20 Plaid Cymru members outside the doors which included a giant postcard with the branch`s design for a Glyndwr stamp presented to Gareth Davies, the Royal Mail`s Wales Director.

Further Suggestions

Following this rejection, the branch tried again with a suggestion for a stamp to commemorate the150th anniversary of the Anthem in 2006. Indeed we have followed up with a number of suggestions including the 100th anniversary of the National Library and the 1000th anniversary of the birth of Gruffydd ap Llewelyn in 2007, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Dic Penderyn and the 300th anniversary of the death of Edward Llwyd. Needless to say they have all been rejected despite their significance to Wales and their compliance with the Royal Mails criteria.

Who are they?

So who are the members of the Stamp Advisory Committee? In 2004, there were twelve members, consisting of five designers, two philatelists, a representative of the dti, one from business, one from print and one representing “ethnic communities”. In 2004, this last person was Balram Gidoomal, a business man active in the Asian community who was a candidate for London Mayor. There is no specific post for Wales or the other countries of the UK and no member in 2004 had any connections with Wales. So what about Wales? In 2004, the Royal Mail disbanded the Royal Mail Group Advisory Board for Wales. This left former rugby international Gareth Davies as Director for Wales. Needless to say his heart is in the right place but his role is to represent the Royal Mail Group in Wales not to represent Wales on the Board.

No Chance for Change?

Its not surprising, therefore that we are unlikely to see a different approach from the Royal Mail to Wales. Their argument is that commercial considerations are a major factor in the rejection of our suggestions. (We have had a similar response from Sebastian Coe and London 2012 regarding the poor provision of the Welsh language on the London 2012 website). Another reason given in response to a few of our suggestions is that it takes three years to complete the whole process. The fact that stamps were produced at very short notice for England`s Ashes victory , England`s Rugby World Cup and Prince Charles` wedding are irrelevant of course.. The last stamp celebrating Wales`s heritage was the 1988 Welsh Bible issue.

Royal Mail Last Bastion of Empire

Eventually, as devolution progresses, the Royal Mail`s responsibilities will eventually be transferred to Wales and stamps reflecting Wales`s interests will be the norm. In the meantime, we have made suggestions that could usefully address our concerns. For example, at a UK level, one or more issues a year could be dedicated to each of the UK countries selected by a committee of the respective Assemblies. Alternatively, such stamps may be made available only each respective country. They could even make a start by issuing the Welsh definitive stamps in book form in Wales. Have you tried buying them in your Post Office let alone Smiths? If Tristan da Cunha and the Falkland Islands let alone the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands merit their own stamps then why not Wales? The status quo where UK stamps are dominated by English culture is not an option.

Census 2011

“Understanding people`s ethnicity and their sense of national identity is key to understanding many current and social and economic trends” Len Cooke, Director ONS 2003 (Ethnic Group Statistics : a guide for collecting and classification of ethnicity data)

2001 Debacle

You may remember the protests for the 2001 Census when Welsh people were denied the right to identify their ethnicity as Welsh. This was despite the opportunity offered to those who wanted to describe themselves as Irish. How many times have you been asked to complete an ethnic monitoring form and been denied the right offered other ethnic groups.

In 2005, Plaid Cymru`s national conference backed the branch`s motion to urge the ONS to include questions on the following lines:

that Welsh people in England have the right to describe their ethnicity as Welsh,
that people in England have the right to indicate their abilities in languages other than English.

Given that about 25% of the Welsh born population in Wales speaks Welsh, then we can assume that about 150,000 of the Welsh born living in England also speak Welsh
Welsh born in England 609,711
English born in Wales 589,828

Other countries

USA, Canada, New Zealand (Len Cookes homeland) all have ethnicity and language questions. They leave the questions open rather restrict the respondent to a “ choice “

Canada : asks for Mother Tongue, Home Language, Knowledge of Official Languages and Unofficial languages. Also Ethnicity including Welsh. Questions is left open. Thus recorded that there are 60 ethnic groups including 6,000 Welsh speakers.

In the USA, the number of people who count themselves as Welsh are 1,750,000.

England

In England Cangen Llundain are currently running a campaign to persuade the ONS to include questions on languages and ethnicity. We gained support from Ken Livingston, London Labour MPs, Liverpool Lib Dem Councillors, as well as Welsh Socs in England e.g. Bristol Welsh Soc and “Wales in London.”
This was accompanied in 2005 by a postcard campaign. This pressure was acknowledged by the ONS in their report on their consultation exercise.
At present, it looks likely that our demands will be met….but to what degree? We must keep vigilant

Plaid Cymru Llundain London

Thursday, 14 April 2011

AV and WESTMINSTER : SOME THOUGHTS

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