Friday 13 October 2017

Could we see a Centre-Right Welsh Nationlist party?

So it seems that there will be a meeting to establish a Right of Centre  Welsh Nationlist Party it is the Brainchild of veteran Blogger Jac O the North  who writes


The meeting to discuss the formation of this new party will be held at the Marine Hotel, Aberystwyth on Saturday, November 4th, at 1pm. Anyone interested in discussing the formation of a new party, or simply learning more, is invited to attend.
The lower ground floor room I’ve booked will hold 50 – 60 people plus a table for 6 or 7 speakers facing the audience. (Possibly more at a squeeze.) This room is to the right of the reception desk.
It might be a good idea if people arrive around mid-day and gather in the bar before the meeting begins. Meeting informally beforehand will give us a chance to introduce ourselves and perhaps decide on the best way to run the meeting.
So what form does Jac think the New Party should take  he lays down some Bullet points.


Such a party should focus on Wales, defending and promoting what benefits Wales and Welsh people, and opposing that which does not. For example . . .
  • Insist on our children being taught the history and traditions of their country in both languages; our young people being given the skills needed to work in the twenty-first century; restore our universities to being centres of the nation’s academic and cultural life rather than alien and grubby places concerned solely with making money.
  • Support native business and enterprise rather than squander money on individuals and companies that turn up in Wales having heard there’s easy money available.
  • Complement an innovative native business sector with an efficient public sector. This combination will largely remove the need for a third sector currently filled with political cronies doing the same work as other political cronies in competing organisations.
  • Seek to end the pernicious influence on Welsh national life of cross-border organisations that treat Wales as a region of England. These must be replaced by Wales-only bodies serving the Welsh national interest.
  • Support the Welsh language, defend individuals and communities using the language, and promote its widest possible use. All the while recognising that in the twenty-first century considerations of Welshness cannot be restricted to the Welsh language alone.
  • Prioritise the needs and interests of Welsh people in employment, housing, education, funding and other areas.
Actually they are not all aspirations someone on the Left like myself could dismiss out of hand.

But reading some of the comments to Jac's Blog  it seems some of those attending will be looking to forming a Party with the ideology of UKIP in a Welsh context.

Remember the German party  Alternative for Germany Founded in April 2013, was   originally just a Eurosceptic  party but rapidly moved from Cettre Right to Far Right and an Anti- Immigration party.

One of the main arguments  that seems to be used against Plaid that it concentrates on left wing issues rather than Independence.

But if we to look at Catalonia and the Basque Country  it is the Left Wing Parties ERC — Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia)  and EH Bildu, short for Euskal Herria Bildu are those pushing for Independence as the mainstream Nationlist Parties seemed to have accepted the status quo.

It is the Left who created the circumstances of the Catalan Referendum although the Junts pel Sí the  Catalan political alliance and parliamentary group that called it  is composed of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) centre right party that has been the largest party for years  , the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), Democrats of Catalonia (DC) and the Left Movement (MES).


It is even possible that the "New Party" could emulate the 
The Coalition Avenir Québec s a centre-right provincial political party in Quebec, who whilst  opposing Independence  but  advocates Quebec nationalism. This includes limiting immigration and promoting the use of French arguably more so the the PQ's

After all I beleive Plaid founder  Saunders Lewis  said that he would accept a "Glorified County Council" if it could preserve the Welsh Language and culture.



There have been various moves to establish Welsh Republican amd Left Wing  Parties  all have failed .




Howeve in the present political culture it may be in this a Centre - Right Welsh Nationalist party may grow, but i suspect if it does it will try to place more emphasis on Immigration  seeking to appeal to the "Welsh" Ukip  vote and there will be less emphasis on creating an Independent Wales but using existing institutions to try and to stop "incomers"  .


Often ignoring that the real problem is people leaving.

I can't say I wish Jac well in his efforts because I believe he could be  taken Wales down a dangerous road ,which I don't think is his intention.










1 comment:

Leigh Richards said...

As someone on the socialist wing of the welsh indy movement like you glyn i wont be supporting the proposed new party either. But there is no reason why people with centre right views who support independence for wales shouldnt set up their own party if they feel they are unrepresented at the ballot box.

That said some of the comments i've seen from some of those who say they would be supporting such a party suggest it could be a welsh equivalent of ukip - or even worse. Indeed some of them put me in mind of the kinds of people who would have been attracted to jimmy's 'secret army' in reggie perrin :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ-9R6NCZ0A