Refuting Separatism for Good and All

Cymru - one Nation - one Europe - one World

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Plaid Cymru has often been characterised as a separatist organisation. This is featured in the scaremongering myths put about by members of British political parties who are running scared, apprehensive of the growing tide of support for the referendum on a Welsh Parliament leading to greater things for the nation which is Cymru.

Separatism implies isolationism and withdrawal from the great affairs of state and of the wider world. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. As Gwynfor Evans, the revered and respected former president of Plaid Cymru, often stated: it is an opportunity for Wales to join the community of nations and take up that vacant seat at the United Nations. The only difference is that Mr Evans envisaged the seat as being alongside that of Yemen, whereas Cymru begins with a “C”.

Plaid is not separatist – it is unitary. It does not seek to set up borders along Offa's Dyke or even make a claim for Oswestry, Clun and other border towns, unless that should be the will of the inhabitants. It seeks to unify the nation in every way possible, socially, culturally, politically and geographically. It aims to join the other nations of Europe, and hopefully emergent nations such as Catalunya, Brittany and Euskadia, in a kaleidoscope of unique and distinct European nations bound by economic and philosophical ties and with a shared outlook.

Bloggers such as David Lindsay and others who refer to the nationalist standpoint as 'separatist' are quite mistaken. That view is the one which may be regarded as isolationist and reactionary, by clinging to a union which is in a state of decline and which does not address the social and economic needs of the communities which make up the peoples of these islands, and still concerns itself with ritual and regalia, power and privilege, and reverence for the flag which flew over the Empire which is no more.

There is a new mood and a new expectation flowing down from Scotland and finding resonance in Cornwall. There is a new spirit of grass-roots democracy at work throughout society. It is enthusing people and its effect will lead to one nation, one Europe and One World.