But point ii) is the worst because it means that Twitter dehumanises us. Only 40% of the people living in Wales were born here and make no mistake this country belongs to them – the approval rating among the Welsh is therefore nearer 65%. Modern-day Welsh nationalism is at best based on naivety and trite sentiment, and at worst on the anti-English racism so often seen from its supporters on social media, based on grudges and fake grievances. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought [shillings] and six [pence], result misery.”. You may want to comfort yourself with your delusions and misconceptions but that is not the reality. With Wales inside the EU and England outside, how would a hard border work to protect the EU’s customs union? How would an independent Wales survive in the meantime? … Having a decent… Read more ». It is rather, on my part at least, a conscious realisation that screaming at each other at social media won’t solve anything, and is much more likely to harden opinions and make things worse. Wales’s government deficit is, even at current levels, consistently higher than that of Greece during the Greek government-debt crisis. I thought Jac was pro-indy. The real problem is that it’s completely useless as a means of changing anyone’s mind on anything. These figures prove beyond any doubt whatsoever that Wales is dependent on subsidies from the English taxpayer (specifically that of London, South East England and East Anglia) to sustain our standard of living. If people want genuine diversity then they need to embrace the most important diversity of all – diversity of opinion. Ownership of the water is in Government hands via the Environment Agency, and is devolved in Wales. The concession was heavily criticised by many senior figures inside the Labour Party, including former Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy, Don Touhig, and Kim Howells, then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who claimed it would lead ‘nationalists to the gates of independence’. No, first as the marches and polls prove it’s gaining momentum across the whole of Wales and support for independence is growing. Recent polls show a surge in support for Welsh independence, with 33% of the people of Wales now saying that they would vote for independence if a referendum were to be held tomorrow. It was tasked by Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price with producing recommendations on ways a Plaid Cymru Government should prepare for holding a referendum on independence. The party was formerly called Gwlad Gwlad.It assumed its current name on 24 March 2020. Plaid Cymru councillors are often out on the doorstep or in events in their communities 52 weeks a year, having organic conversations with people, face to face. close. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been noticeable how senior Plaid Cymru figures have repeatedly heaped praise on Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford’s handling. Shortly before becoming party leader in September 2018, Adam Price categorically ruled out forming a coalition with either Labour or the Conservatives after the May 2021 elections. How much would it cost to set up and run, and could an independent Wales find the relevant medical expertise? We’re not all rampant socialists. No end in sight…, Click to access Government-Expenditure-and-Revenue-Wales-2019.pdf, People twittering about independence would also do well to remember that there are only ~1.5 million economically active people in Wales and, somehow, they will have to cover Wales’ annual expenditure. Tweet Follow @Jeggit By Jason Michael. Not all of us want to be in the EU. Not here in Penybont, we never see them. In which case, wouldn’t such a person be known as ‘Jack’? Following the Scottish government’s 2017 announcement of its plans to hold another referendum, Plaid Cymru’s then leader Leanne Wood called for a “national debate” on Wales’ … Wales has a surplus of about £9 bn. This might be an inconvenient truth to some, but it is a truth nevertheless. Gwlad (English: country or nation) is a Welsh-named, centre-right Welsh nationalist political party. Twitter or Trydar in Welsh ? A hard border between Wales and England would be both absurd and impractical. They are are all problems inherent to the medium of Twitter. Just one of the FTSE top 100 companies is based in Wales (vehicle insurance firm Admiral) and even that has American management. Share. Can’t we just cancel Nia Naseem, Yasmin Begun, and Aled and Teifi? It was designed to deliver economic development to external customers. The deficit amounts to £13.7 billion, which is 19.4% of GDP. In March, one poll put support for Welsh independence at a record level of 39% – on a par with Scotland’s yes campaign before the 2014 referendum. AUOB! If Wales was independent of the UK, that would mean £4 Billion added to our taxes – equalling approximately £2,600 each – just to cover Covid. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Such divisive drivel from the so called Nationalists as typified by Evans achieves nothing but race hatred, race division and damage to Wales and the Welsh. No minds are changed, and in fact, the resolve of both sides that they are ‘right’ is probably strengthened by hate towards the other point of view. It is committed to achieving full independence for … ( Log Out /  The years since have seen gross mismanagement of EU funds coupled with the pushing of funding to the ‘third sector’ economy (effectively under the control of the Welsh Government, who control the purse strings) and failed pet projects such as the ongoing Cardiff Airport debacle. Making up that shortfall alone in a post-independence Wales would, in itself, be a huge task. I’ve frequently felt that compulsive tweeting is the literary equivalent of sexual activity that does not involve another human being. We are proud of our distinct Welsh identity, and celebrate it in various ways – our industrial and mining heritage, music – from classical to Tom Jones to the Manic Street Preachers, various sporting achievements, Brains beer, Welsh cakes, a night on the town, our spectacular coast and countryside. My only concern after reading it is how few people are aware of the truth about our economy. This places the Welsh tax system in a vulnerable position, as in times of recession or exceptional crisis (including the current pandemic), people spend less on luxuries and leisure, which means the Government receives less VAT revenue. Change ), Veteran journalist Paul Starling long ago pointed out. I’ve never seen anyone ‘win’ an argument on Twitter. If I listened to some on the left, the movement is full of fascists. And, truth be told, most people in Wales don’t have much appetite for creating artificial barriers based on ancient tribal conflicts. The Welsh independence movement is gaining momentum, now is not the time to back off on getting the message across. Yes, we’ve always got to bear in mind that the actual numbers who use the medium is tiny in relation to the wider general public. Those three I mentioned scream oppression and racism and diversity when the country they live in isn’t that diverse. Maybe England will benefit from this too – perhaps the world will welcome them too, a novelty I know, but we live in hope. More than two decades of devolution have seen the Welsh economy go backwards in terms of entrepreneurialism, the private sector and inward investment. I don’t trust journalists, but your information is researchable and verifiable. More happiness is a winner. The shortfall can be explained by the deluge of English immigrants foisted upon us – who are increasingly viewed as subversive to the Welsh identity. In 2021, concessions to Plaid Cymru may well include the devolution of broadcasting powers to Wales, and, at a push, the devolution of criminal justice powers. I’d love to see an independent Wales, but the demographic reality of our country makes it impossible. In a society where we are increasingly valuing mental as much as physical health, we need to realise that through this kind of interaction we’re doing real damage to each other. The best way to come to change someone’s mind is what has been called the ‘truth sandwich’. There seem to be far fewer YesCymru Facebook groups, however, and they seem to be far quieter, than the over 90 YesCymru accounts on Twitter. These are natural economic and cultural links. Much more recently, former Panorama journalist Phil Parry exposed the close links between BBC Wales and Plaid Cymru. The figures for people living in Wales are 27% in favour and 42% on condition that Scotland becomes independent. More are warming to Welsh independence after witnessing Westminster’s management of Brexit and the COVID crisis. Should you require a host more facts and clearly sourced opinions on the issues that confront Wales and its peoples may I draw your attention to https://walesandwelsh.wordpress.com/. Published 14 February. Twenty Minute Topic Episode 43: The Covid Conundrum. […] In 2018/19, public spending per person in the UK as a whole was £9,584, but in Wales, the figure wa… In other words, the people of Wales are having their public services and infrastructure invested in to a far higher extent than the UK average, subsidised by the English taxpayer. The border between England and Wales runs for 160 miles from the Dee estuary in the north to the Severn estuary in the south. Depending on which poster you go by, Wales exports 214 billion, 243 billion or 100 billion litres of water to England each year. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Welsh independence 'driven by young people' Published 20 September 2019. People in South East Wales think nothing of going shopping in Cribbs Causeway or going to see a theatre play in Bristol. If YesCymru retreat from Twitter they are surrendering it to Unionist nationalists. Posted in Business, Cardiff, Comment, Health, Law, Opinion, Politics, Review, […] To view the original article CLICK HERE […], The True Cost of Welsh Independence … – Of Wales & The Welsh. Forums also have their issues, and one of the early problems were the various ‘flame wars’ that erupted, every bit as nasty as those on Twitter now. If the latest polls are to be believed, some 800,000 people now support Welsh independence. A simple economic reality check for us in Wales . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Now let’s look at the reality of the situation: The utility companies don’t own the water (though they do own the reservoirs themselves). The quality of local services, job security, affordable housing which are the issues that affect people’s lives can be dealt with far better by an accountable, elected Welsh Government. Arguments that couldn’t be resolved in 10,000 academic papers play out in two-sentence messages. If so, who on earth would lend the money? That would simply be preaching to the choir. I agree he’s a very likely candidate, assuming Joanne is indeed an alias. There would be a need to create a Welsh equivalent of the Foreign Office, and defence capabilities, plus lots more. What one sees on Twitter however is the same 10-20 people falling out ad nauseam. It has played a big and helpful part in allowing people who believed in Welsh independence to discover each other and work together. These accounts are problematic in themselves because they tend to be run by one (often anonymous) individual, unvetted under the name of a ‘branch’. Now, it’s personal. With a small, ageing population and a higher level of welfare dependency than the UK average, how much would this yield in real terms, and to what extent would it drive businesses and individuals out of Wales? Those on the right suggest it has been taken over by the KGB’s thought police. As the old saying goes, ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’, and with that in mind, Plaid Cymru’s number of votes and share of the votes has declined for the last three general elections in a row. You are not commenting on the fact that the Welsh are now largely in favour of independence. What one sees on Twitter however is the same 10-20 people falling out ad nauseam. I’m gay. Leave what … Welsh nationalism (Welsh: Cenedlaetholdeb Cymreig) emphasises and celebrates the distinctiveness of Welsh language, culture, and history, and calls for more self-determination for Wales, which might include more devolved powers for the Senedd, or full independence from the United Kingdom You are bending the facts to suit your agenda. The Welsh indy movement is being hijacked by the wanny movement anyway. The Welsh Development Agency had certain well-publicised failings, but during the 1980s, 1990s and into the 2000s, Wales, largely but not exclusively thanks to WDA activities, secured 22% of all inward investment into the UK, which was an incredible achievement. Welsh elections: How independence versus abolition may affect vote. It has also been the platform of choice for the Welsh national movement. We would rather be poor and free than carry on the way we are – The English have completely ignored the spiritual dimension of our cultural values and that tells me a fundamental truth about the way this will play out. But the vast majority of us consider ourselves proudly British as well as Welsh, and do no wish to think of English and Scottish neighbours (who are often also our family and friends) to be ‘foreigners’. Hall was close to Marc Clement of Swansea University. First, you agree with some point that your political opponent has made. Myself included. With all this in mind, who would lend money to Wales? There are good arguments for saying that the Barnett Formula has had its day and that the block grant calculation needs reform, but what is undeniable is that the standard of living and the running of public services in Wales is to a very large extent paid for by the English taxpayer. That’s a 6 point increase from January, and a massive 11 point increase since December last year. But the Brexit-fuelled rise of the Welsh Conservatives, up 9% in the polls, is creating a three-way contest which could shift the dial of the country’s politics in unpredictable ways. By Teleri Glyn Jones BBC Wales News. Mr Micawber’s famous, and oft-quoted, recipe for happiness: “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen [pounds] nineteen [shillings] and six [pence], result happiness. This might be an inconvenient truth to some, but it is a truth nevertheless. image copyright Getty Images. On Twitter, people tend to follow each other because they agree with each other’s political points of view, or at least find them interesting. Much more recently, former Panorama journalist Phil Parry exposed the close links between BBC Wales and Plaid Cymru. But it isn’t about ignoring or tolerating problematic points of view. When First Minister Rhodri Morgan abolished the WDA as part of his ‘bonfire of the quangos’, its former CEO, Graham Hawker, told him he’d ‘screwed the Welsh economy’. Figures also show that unlike the UK as a whole, where Income Tax is the largest source of government revenue, in Wales it is VAT (Value Added Tax) that generates the largest amount.