Who do the People of Wales Trust?

The people of Wales cannot trust the British parties whatever their policies or their hue. The simple reason is that they all believe in the Union, and in keeping the "country" (Britain) united. Despite the policy of "devolution" which they advocate they fear the one thing which will free the nations of Britain from the bureaucratic enslavement of the British establishment - Independence. They cannot accept, let alone visualise, the day when the nations of these islands become self-governing entities within the umbrella of the European Union, using a common currency and subscribing to a common philosophy based on the rule of law and the principles of the French Revolution - liberty, equality and brotherhood. A truly united Europe can only become a fact when the nations of Europe are free, self-governing and interdependent.

Plaid was always Committed to Independence

Plaid commits to independence (BBC News)

Dafydd Iwan's ended decades of debate on the issue
Plaid Cymru has committed itself for the first time to wanting an independent Wales.
Delegates at the Plaid Cymru conference in Cardiff voted unanimously on Saturday to affirm the party's long-term aim to secure independence for Wales within the European Union.

The commitment ends decades of debate about the party's official line on the subject.

Delegates voted to drop the term "full national status" and declare the party's constitutional aim as "independence" - a word it has been avoiding until now, for fear of alienating some voters.

The party will also aim to achieve a seat as a full member of the United Nations.

Plaid Cymru' s assembly group leader, Ieuan Wyn Jones was not on the conference floor to take part in the historic vote.

His aides said he was finalising his conference speech and that he was "relaxed about the outcome of the vote". They denied any attempt to avoid involvement in the debate.


Ieuan Wyn Jones wants a Welsh parliament
He had earlier refused to reveal how he would vote, saying he would make up his mind after listening to the debate.

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said, after the vote : "Now everybody in Wales knows what Plaid Cymru is about - full blooded separation and independence, which would bankrupt Wales and make us an international laughing stock."

When Mr Jones took to the stage, he avoided using the word "independence".

Instead he described Plaid's vision as "self-government" for Wales.

Referring to the leadership battle and admitting he had had a "bruising" summer, he told delegates it was now time to unite.

The party now had to become a more "modern, professional" machine, he said, and he promised a new approach in the assembly.

Plaid had tried to make the assembly work, but it now realised it could not deliver for the people of Wales without extra powers.

The party had to be at the forefront of a new campaign for a "proper parliament", he said.


On Friday Iwan flexed his political muscle for the first time
"Without it there is no way we can fulfil our destiny as a nation," he added.

"Wales has all the attributes of being a fully-fledged nation, apart from one: It does not have its own government. It cannot settle its own destiny."

Labour came under severe attack from Mr Jones. He branded it the "Not me, guv" Government for allegedly refusing to take responsibility for its failings.

He said the Labour administration wanted to take credit for everything, but disappeared when things went wrong.

Education Minister Jane Davidson, he said, had refused to take the blame for the problems of education quango Elwa, and Health Minister Jane Hutt refused to take responsibility for spiralling hospital waiting lists and an NHS in crisis.

'Claiming credit'

And he attacked First Minister Rhodri Morgan for not doing more to help the thousands of workers who lost their jobs with steel giant Corus.

"New Labour wants to claim credit for everything and responsibility for nothing," he said.

"They are the 'Not me guv' administration. That is the Labour Party we have to face. But Plaid Cymru will be putting them on the rack in the National Assembly."

On Friday, new president Dafydd Iwan delivered a dramatic speech in which he said Wales must emerge from England's shadow and take its place among the world's nations.

On Friday, Mr Iwan underlined his aim of achieving full independence for Wales.

"Self-government, self-determination, autonomy, home-rule, freedom, independence, full national status - call it what we will," he told delegates at Cardiff's St David's Hall.

"We know what it means."

It was the first time party members - who chose the local councillor above former AM Cynog Dafis as president in a summer vote - had a chance to see the strength of Mr Iwan's politics.

Look North for Inspiration

Wales (at least the 10% of people committed to the cause) should take comfort from the changes and changing mood of Scotland. It is heartening to see the progress being made under the direction of Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP.

They are winning over the people of Scotland to the cause of independence through wise and popular policies which are aimed at righting Labour/Lib wrongs and improving social conditions for the benefit of the people of Scotland.

First Minister's Questions on the Parliament Channel is both entertaining and enlightening and is political debate at its best. The Assembly needs to take a cue from the tenor of these debates.

The people of Scotland have moved away from a British identity and see themselves as Scots and generally show a pride in their country and its nationhood. This change is occurring in Wales as more people warm to the idea of a Welsh Parliament and fly the red dragon flag. Scotland is ahead of the game and well on the way and yet in Wales great efforts are needed to win over hearts and minds so that, when Scotland achieves its independence, the people of Wales will demand it also.

A Slick Speech for Survival

The speech, though quite well delivered, failed to address public concerns. Free laptops for school children is an idea filched from Plaid Cymru and nursery schools for two-year olds is another blow at family life. Meanwhile the public is rightly concerned about housing, hospitals, the price of food, the price of oil, and the declining state of the economy. Gordon Brown´s only solution is to borrow,borrow,borrow - driving the United Kingdom deeper into debt. It will take years to recover and the next government will inherit the debacle.

QUESTION!
Are you prepared to give up £1,200 to bail out Britain?

Post Office Sends Welsh Leaflets to the Scots!

Paste into browser!

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Easy-guide-to-the-post.4514275.jp

Labour´s Nanny State Expediency Ploy

The government is now planning free nursery schools for 2-year-old babies.
Children of such a young age need their mother (preferably the father too) for bonding and the establishment of a close and intimate family relationship. It is too early for them to be separated from their parents for many hours in the day.

Again Labour demonstrates a policy of State intervention in family affairs and seeks to curb individual freedom and responsibility. They are meddling in matters of which they have very little knowledge. As with many of their hare-brained schemes they place political expediency before common sense. That, in short, is my view.

Labour out-of-touch with Reality

Courtesy of Ray Bell

These are the 27 suggestions put forward by Liam Byrne, the immigration minister, to bring together the different communities living in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for Britishness Day.
These suggestions are contained in his pamphlet, titled "A More United Britain". It is all make-believe!

1 As a national event, celebrated in local areas2 With a good cross-section of society on the organising committee; lots of small community events; have a particular theme - different theme each year, set by organising committee3 By using TV to inform about British history; a speech by the Queen; TV link-ups around country:bounce:
4 In the form of a remembrance day celebrating the bravery of veterans.
5 By encouraging young people to visit or help older people; celebrate voluntary work.
6 Through school involvement – teach history, choirs singing.7 Through daytime activities to involve whole community, and evening for partying.
8 By holding street parties and neighbourhood get-together; would work as a street party – exchanging food and culture
9 As a carnival similar to the Notting Hill Carnival; big procession similar to St Paul's Carnival; fireworks
10 Through music – British or world music; concerts like Live Aid; British music; play local music; local dress
11 Through dance – British dancers; Morris dancing; folk dancing
12 Through food – British and other cultures; regional food; different cultures' foods
13 Through drinking
14 Through art; involve theatre; free film viewings on history of Britain
15 By having a sports theme – all nationalities can take part; football
16 By celebrating different cultural dress
17 By holding community discussions; meetings in town halls
18 By promoting posters of iconic figures, eg fallen heroes, Winston Churchill
19 By holding a ceremony to remember the good things over the past year
20 By appreciating the country; weather; enjoyment
21 Cheaply so people get involved
22 By holding free events around the city
23 By incorporating countries that used to be part of the Empire
24 By making it about integration
25 By using publicity to ensure people get involved – like Children in Need
26 By emphasising the theme of British life, immigration, remembrance; cost should be met locally as shows that putting into the local community helps to get something good back
27 In an understated but firm way, without fuss; show good and bad aspects of living in Britain (and how bad aspects are being addressed) – give honest picture.

Liam Byrne is not living in the real world but in Labour's Land of Make-Believe. Sad but True.

Now, all together, link arms and sing the most boring anthem in Europe - "God Save the Queen".
Alan in Dyfed

Calling All Scots wherever they Roam

Now is the time to be thinking of home.....

Alex Salmond has made a clarion call to all Scots expatriate men and women around the globe to return to their native land – Alba – and join their fellow compatriots at home to build a better Scotland. In this endeavour Alex has co-opted the services of an iconic Scottish legendary figure, Sir Sean Connery no less, who is one of Scotland's greatest patriots and a leading supporter and advocate of the cause of independence.

The notable actor, Sir Sean, is an avid and involved golf enthusiast and the Chief Minister is keen that he should promote the sport of golf and assist in encouraging vagrant overseas Scots to make their home in Scotland and engage in the democratic sport of golf. Alex Salmond points out that golf in Scotland appeals not only to the upwardly mobile middle classes, but is a great leveller in contrast to its image south of the border.

Thus, returning Scots immigrants will play their part, as the immigrants to Ireland have done, in investing their industry and expertise in the land of their birth and origin, as Scotland - Alba - returns to sovereignty over its own affairs in its confident ands determined strides towards independence.

A Tax on Sleeping

It was brought to light on BBC TV today that a woman who stopped in a lay-by has been fined for sleeping too long, all because "tiredness can kill". Apparently, nowadays it is not permitted to stay in a lay-by for longer than 2 hours! The fine amounts to £110 in total.

It will not be long before parking charges are imposed in all British lay-bys with meters installed and traffic wardens in vehicles manning the roads to check on cars and their napping owners. We can only hope that the drowsing motorists enjoy sweet dreams in their lay-bys and do not suffer from the nightmares of the awakened among us.

A Redundant Office

With the resignation of David Cairns MP as Minister for Scottish Affairs brings up the question of whether or not the Scotland Office has any meaning for the people of Scotland, except as a sounding board for the government in London. The same applies to the Wales Office. There has been talk of combining the three offices, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland into one. Yet, as Alex Salmond has indicated, there is no necessity for a London office for Scotland as the affairs of Scotland are the province of the Scottish parliament and should be of no concern to Westminster.

Independence - the Only Option

Looking down on the situation under which the UK flounders without direction or leadership from government, as well as the unjust and unequal state of the British constitution, and seeing the downward spiral of the financial and economic institutions, it becomes ever more clear that independence is the only option. The leadership is lack-lustre and indecisive and the direction is stuck in reverse. The progressive element of politics is increasingly in the domain of the nationalists, the Greens and the Liberals. It is not within the traditional ruling parties, the Labour and Conservatives. If politicians cannot accept political realities and the inevitability of change they will be left behind in the movement of evolution. Seize the time is never more relevant than now. Now is gthe time to grasp the opportunity for a transformation of society, to sweep away the vestiges of the past and look forward to a brighter future for these nations of Britain.

The Liberal Views of Old England

For anybody questioning the erratic and sometimes contradictory opinions put forward by the Liberals I would suggest that this party, the Liberal Democrats, are a party of Independents, all honest, good-hearted people but with their own individual views and solutions. They have always been a party of ideas and often successive Labour or Conservative governments have appropriated these ideas and made them their own.

I would personally like to see them in power in England as they deserve a chance to govern (along with a Plaid Wales and SNP Scotland). Of course I look forward to the time when Scotland and Wales are nation-states along with the Republic of Ireland, and the time when England has its own parliament and comes into its own. Liberals add colour to politics certainly, and they could be a breath of fresh air after the trials of successive Labour and Tory administrations.

I have always admired people who speak their mind and stand by their beliefs, though in the LibDem case this characteristic does not augur well for party unity or treading the party line. In this regard Labour are the opposite of them, a line-up of grey, colourless party-liners to whom the party is sacrosanct whose wisdom should never be questioned.

A Welsh Wizard

The recent experiment in the Big Bang Theory which took place in Switzerland was the brain-child of a Welsh Scientist,which goes to show that Welsh talent is often in the forefront of human progress. Those who attempt to assert that nothing good comes out of Wales and that the country cannot stand alone are once again refuted. Wales has abundant skill and talent but sadly many have been obliged to leave their native home to seek fame and recognition.

Llongyfarchiadau a Phob Hwyl

Congratulations to Dafydd Iwan on his re-election as the once and future President of Plaid Cymru and the figure who truly represents the vision of independence for the people of Wales, an inspiring leader with an engaging personality, and with a fair wind shortly to be the President of Cymru Fydd.

A Programme Leading to Independence

SNP questioned over new programme
Epolitix
Epolitix - Wednesday, September 3 10:22 am

Alex Salmond is today setting out the Scottish executive's programme for the coming year.
However, opposition parties at Holyrood say the SNP must clarify its flagship policy of replacing council tax with a local income tax (LIT).

Labour's acting leader Cathy Jamieson said: "So far we've seen the SNP's two flagship economic policies, the local income tax and the Scottish futures trust completely discredited and it's time for the SNP now to admit that they are not fit for purpose."

Conservative finance spokesman Derek Brownlee said the nationalists must address the tax issue.

"Whatever else he does, Alex Salmond needs to clear up what his government is going to do on the discredited 'local' income tax plans.

"Will he publish the LIT bill, as he said he would, or will he ditch it, as was hinted over the summer?"

A local income tax has the support of the Liberal Democrats at Holyrood, but there is disagreement over who should set the level.

The nationalists said it would be set at 3p by central government, while the Lib Dems said local councils should set their own level.

Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott said: "The legislative programme is an opportunity for the SNP to turn over a new leaf and propose action that will tackle the real issues for the people of Scotland."

Labour also called for the nationalists to address health issues.

"The SNP's programme for government needs to address the fact that the increase in health spending in Scotland has fallen behind the rest of the UK," Jamieson said.

"It needs to set out measures to ensure that new schools are built, that probationary teachers are not left without jobs and there is action to ensure that class sizes start to fall rather than grow as they are now are in many parts of Scotland."

And the Lib Dem's new leader also said the Holyrood executive should do more to help people ride out the economic downturn.Tavish Scott said: "People all across Scotland are telling me that they are struggling to cope with the rising cost of living and that the shattered housing market is of real concern.

"Gordon Brown's Labour Party have failed them and the SNP prefer spin to real action.

"It is not good enough for the Scottish government to play the blame game with the UK government when they can themselves take action.

"The legislative programme is an opportunity for the SNP to turn over a new leaf and propose action that will tackle the real issues for the people of Scotland."