Sunday 24 June 2007

The Great Welsh Political Party Migration

Is it too much to ask for the Welsh political parties to migrate permanently to Wales and adapt their policies to conform to the needs of the Welsh people and not to the requirements of the Union? After all, they are debating the laws and procedures of Wales in the Welsh Assembly, and legislating for the Welsh people. The three relevant main political parties are the Liberals, the Conservatives and Labour. Can they not proclaim themselves, along with Plaid, as parties of Wales, and not the parties of Great Britain, and cease from looking over their shoulders to London for direction?
Until they are willing to do this they are still political clones of the parent parties in London, and quite different from Plaid Cymru, which is a home-grown movement dedicated to home rule. They are still locked in the time-warp of their political past, when Britain had an Empire and ruled the waves. Their thinking is often dominated by the conditions which arose with the Industrial Revolution and the class struggle. If they could break out of this mould and become truly Welsh parties, concerned with the building of a nation and with restoring the confidence of its people, they might achieve greater credibility and support from those they represent. They would also be playing a part in the creation of a new dawn for Wales.
At this time there is only one Party of Wales. Is it possible that some day there could be four?

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