The time has come in my opinion for a re-evaluation of Plaid's position in the political line-up at the Welsh National Assembly. Whatever the major parties in Wales may say to the contrary they are British parties dedicated to the maintenance of the Union. Plaid Cymru, in this perspective, is the only party of Wales, a party formed for the aim of severing the connection with the United Kingdom and establishing an independent social and democratic republic as Ireland has done. Saunders Lewis and his fellow republicans followed in the footsteps of Padraig Pearse, Eamonn de Valera and other patriots who saw England as a brutal colonising power which did not respect the rights of other nationalities to govern themselves and live in a free society.
In northern Ireland the Unionists are in coalition with Sinn Fein. In the Welsh Assembly Labour is in coalition with Plaid. With a General Election in the offing this is an unhealthy situation for both Sinn Fein and Plaid Cymru. The public will associate both nationalist parties with the failed and discredited policies of the Labour government and these parties could well be damaged by the association. In recent polls support for Labour has collapsed and the party is becoming increasingly seen as a party of spin, sleaze, deception and incompetency. Leading figures have been exposed and discredited and their slick words are no longer believed. Labour has fallen to third place in the polls beneath the Lib Dems for the first time in 22 years, and in the European context they have fallen beneath the UKIP party.
Therefore it would seem that the interests of Plaid and consequently the interests of the Welsh nation are not well-served by remaining in coalition with Labour. It may well be in the strategic interests of Plaid to pull out of the tenuous political association. Thus Plaid would be enabled to pursue its own unadulterated policies unencumbered by restraints and as a result would gain stature with the electorate.
It would reinforce the party as a party with principle and purpose, focused on a campaign for a Welsh Parliament leading to independence, while at the same time attending to more pressing and immediate matters, both social and economic and of great public concern, and subsequently the fundamental reformation of Welsh society.
Comments welcomed...!
"The Nineteenth century saw a great Springtime of Nations as the revolutions of 1848 saw new countries created the length and breadth of Europe. In our world today we are now seeing our own Spring Awakening with people and cultures that have long been dormant and subdued asserting their right to exist, their right to dream." Adam Price MP
I can't see how Plaid can leave their position in the One Wales government currently. They'd need welsh labour to do something immensely insulting to Plaid in terms of the original agreement. After reneging on the plans for the Welsh language daily, the only thing labour has left holding Plaid in coalition is that offer of a faraway referendum.
ReplyDeleteOne bonus Plaid gained from entering this volatile partnership was a chance to show the public they are a party capable of governing.
It's hard to say if they've achieved that already, if so jumping ship with due cause could earn a fair bit of respect from the elctorate cementing their position as a real alternative to labour throughout Wales.
There are dangerous waters ahead..
You can't view Labour as a whole - there's a stark divide between its leadership and MPs, and it's grassroots activists, to say nothing of the differences in England, Scotland, etc. The grassroots of Welsh Labour is very supportive of One Wales; the leadership in London isn't.
ReplyDeleteObviously, if the party had a majority of seats in the Assembly, there would be no need to consider Labour - but until that is the situation, Plaid will have to deal with the party closest to its own values.
Hi Charlie!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!