Rhodri Morgan a good and faithful servant.

Any thought i had of moving on from the Scottish Independence Referendum may well be premature

The Unionist at Westminster may well have been expecting the YES campaign to collapse into infighting or despondency


But far from it.

The SNP has seen its membership surge by almost 5,000 in the wake of its defeat in the independence referendum, party bosses said.


While 55% of those who voted backed Scotland remaining in the UK, the debate sparked a massive interest in politics, recording the highest every turnout in any UK ballot.

SNP business convener Derek Mackay said many of those who had joined the party since the referendum would be new to politics and would “continue the legacy of the referendum, and the amazing level of engagement we saw”.

The party claimed its membership now stood at 30,486, a rise of 4,884 from Thursday when it was 25,642.


The Scottish Green Party, which campaigned for independence, has also seen a rush of people signing up to become a member.

The party said more than 2,000 people have joined since polls closed on Thursday, peaking at a rate of four per minute.


Patrick Harvie, the party’s co-convener, said:

“This spectacular increase in our membership shows that the hope and inspiration of the Yes campaign will not be fading away.“We will be redoubling our efforts for a fairer, greener Scotland and will be doing so as a much larger force than we were a few days ago. The referendum campaign has transformed Scotland and it is no exaggeration that it has transformed the Scottish Green Party as well.”

Meanwhile in Wales Former First Minister has called for Wales to be rewarded for not putting the UK "through the mincer" of a referendum on independence,


Mr Morgan backed his successor Carwyn Jones, who said Wales should be funded more fairly by the UK Treasury.

The former first minister told BBC Wales that Northern Ireland and Scotland were both better treated than Wales by the so-called Barnett formula, which he said should be reformed as part of a reshaping of the union."We have to think about how Wales should not be penalised for not having had a referendum on independence, not having North Sea Oil and gas, and not having the troubles and strife that Northern Ireland has had," Mr Morgan said."We didn't put the UK through the mincer, so we should be rewarded for that, not penalised for it," he added.

Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you
in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

Matthew 25:23

Not a chance Rhodri Wales will be trated like a starving Dog begging scraps from his master table only to receive a hefty kick.


We only need to look at the campaign by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg that nothing was gained without direct action and genuine sacrifice of its members by fine and imprisonment.


Only a few days after their huge disappointment those in Scotland who worked so hard to secure a YES vote have started to regroup and look to the future.


and it may well be have been spurned on the Ugly side of British Unionism which was seen in George Square Glasgow on Friday





Makes Better Together and the Media complaints about CyberNats and a egg thrown at Labour MP Jim Murphylook trivial.


But then I would never  claim that this reflected the true face of Unionism in the same way Better Together tried to smear the YES, side.

Scotland was kocked down on Saturday but it has got up shajen it head and continued the fight.

Meanwhile Political leaders in Wales beleive we should stay in the dressing rom.

Britannia waves the rules once again.

Not since the blushing Bride had it it off with the Best-man at the wedding Reception has avow been broken  so swiftly.


The Daily Record which was prominent in calling for a NO vote. claimed that

The agreement was brokered by former prime minister Gordon Brown and Scottish Labour. This new pledge means that all the parties with a chance of forming the next UK government have guaranteed the ‘extensive’ new powers will be put on the statute book next year.
Brown said: ‘We have agreed a timetable for that stronger Scottish Parliament – a timetable to bring in the new powers that will go ahead if there is a No vote. A White Paper by November, put into draft legislation by January.'”

And the day after a NO vote!

Prime Minister David Cameron seems to think that the referendum was about England and is  is proposing a system where only MPs from England would vote on English issues in Parliament.

He has also said the three main Westminster parties will deliver their campaign pledge to boost the powers of Scotland's devolved parliament.

Nick Clegg has  also stated that there will need to be changes in the way English and Scots MPs vote in parliament if Scotland rejects independence and acquires more devolved powers.

The deputy prime minister said it did not make sense for Scots MPs to have precisely the same say over solely English matters as English MPs if devolution increased.

However David  Miliband has signalled he will not sign up to David Cameron's plan for a new UK-wide devolution settlement in the wake of the Scottish referendum.

Mr Cameron wants enhanced powers for the Scottish Parliament and new powers for English MPs at Westminster agreed, in draft, before the 2015 election.

But Mr Miliband wants a "constitutional convention" after the election to discuss devolution plans for England.

Which in itself would make it very unlikely the Vows promise that ‘extensive’ new powers will be put on the statute book next year.

So when the three main Party leaders rushed to Scotland in Unity to preserve the Union when it seemed that's there just might be a YES vote  at least two seemed to have England in mind and one a taking shop that could last years.

And as for Wales English Votes for English Laws could mean theft English MPs will have more devolved powers than our AMs in Cardiff

Scotland has been totally shafted  and any Idea that Wales will get anything from the aftermath.

There has ben talk on the  BELLACALEDONIA Blog that those who had worked so hard for a YES campaign  should remain to gether and fight the General Election as "Scottish Bloc".

Maybe we could extend it to ali the Celtic countries and have a Celtic Bloc fighting the next generation with a designated leader and who would work together at Westminster and maybe including Greens representing English constituencies.

Its probably to late in the day but  if contender the SNP leadership should raise this maybe things would move swiftly.

Certainly a Bloc could easily be the largest Party at Westminster.

Worth considering?

First thoughts Gutted for Scotland but proud of the YES campaign.

It has been a long and disappointing night and perhaps it will be an even more disappointing as the Media crow over the NO victory in the Scottish referendum.

A rejection by 55% to 45% will appear to be emphatic however the YES campaign won in Glasgow and it does look that ti was Labour voters switching to the YES camp.

You can almost hear the relief from the BBC as the results came in and in future weeks  their role in the election when they abandoned all pretence of impartiality .

84% turn out 

It has been probably been one of the most extraordinary referendum campaigns  ans the rejection pf the proposal still apparently means that there e may still be considerable constitutional change in Scotland 

At the start of this year the opinion polls the YES side were on 28% so there was considerable move to a yes vote.

But alas it was not enough.

With all the media except one small Sunday Newspaper  backing a NO vote it was David versus Goliath  campaign.

And it is clear that YES fought the best campaign  though it while before the Media acknowledge  this.

I am writing this as David Cameron is speaking and he has mentioned giving Wales more powers 

and English votes for English laws.

We shall see.

I expect expectations wil be watered down in the coming months .

It is said that settled for a generation even as Alex  Salmond has said  a lifetime.

But we shall see 

A vote to exit the EU after the next General Election where Scotland may well vote the other way may prompt a second referendum earlier.than expected 

Or indeed if English MPs block substantial powers be transferred to the Scottish Parliament and 2Substantial Powers" turn into merely piecemeal change..

A referendum  has been held but has not settled the matter  and  as we now turn out attention back to Wales  this blog will be campaigning foe Wales to receive parity with Scotland as we go on the long road to Independence which may be longer but may not be so rocky.

Rather than rambling I have only one word today.

Even fair funding from Barnett is still "Cap in Hand".

Back at Subordinate cCentral  "La Pasionaria" claims that

"The vow taken by the three UK party leaders to protect the Barnett formula in Scotland does not mean that the formula cannot be reformed for Wales".

Well if it does surely it will not be the Barnett formula if it is applied differently  in wales and Scotland.

She writes

Liberal Democrats have already made a manifesto commitment to update the analysis of the Holtham Commission, and top-up the Welsh block grant to an equitable funding level. Holtham suggests that Wales is currently underfunded by around £350million.
The fact that Wales is badly funded under the current form of Barnett is well-known by now. This is why the Liberal Democrats have already committed to giving more money to Wales, and ensuring that Wales’ funding can never again fall to such unfair levels.
There is absolutely nothing in the commitment made by the UK party leaders today that jeopardises the fight for fair funding for Wales – in fact, it specifically mentions the need to fairly fund all of the UK’s nations. The people of Wales will see through Plaid’s desperate attempts at spin and recognise the genuine attempts to work and create a better, federal Union.
The events of the past few months have shown to me the need for all parties to work together and decide where Wales stands inside a reformed UK. If we don’t put aside our differences and build a consensus, the voice of Wales will almost certainly be marginalised.”

So why hasn't Nick  Clegg already  used hs position in Government to argue fr this already.

If the Party Leaders are so determined to give more powers to Scotland why leave it until the eve of the referendum to make the " Vow"


If this was sincere why couldn't a similar Vow be made in Wales at the same time?

Mind you could we trust a Lib Dem "Pledge"?


I think not,

Her claim that

The fact that Wales is badly funded under the current form of Barnett is well-known by now. This is why the Liberal Democrats have already committed to giving more money to Wales, and ensuring that Wales’ funding can never again fall to such unfair levels.

Is an easy one to make but again your Party is in coalition at Westminster Kirsrty. Where is the evidence that underfunding in Wales has been even mentioned at Cabinet meetings.  

The so called vow states ..

" We agree that the UK exists to ensure opportunity and security for all by sharing our resources equitably across al four nations to secure the defence prosperity and welfare of every citizen"

I thought the UK existed because England  conquered Wales and Ireland  or forced Scotland into a Union against the will of the people

La "La Pasionaria" in desperation argues that 

The people of Wales will see through Plaid’s desperate attempts at spin and recognise the genuine attempts to work and create a better, federal Union.

Well its true Plaid will be using this to their own advantage  but lets face it if you had a choice between Plaid campaigning for fairer funding or the three main London parties who only made the "Vow" as the polls pointed to a possible YES vote you could be forgiven to at least consider the former.

Mind you is it not time we started arguing that its harmful for Wales to be dependent on 
funding from Westminster.

In the recent BBC Carwyn Jones stand Leighton Andrews  boasted of the "Millions of pounds of Welfare payments coming into Wales"

We should be asking "Why is Wales so dependent"?

The answer to me is because all our major decisions are made elsewhere often by people we never voted for.

Maybe it time we in Wales as the Proclaimers  in their campaign song

stopped going Cap in Hand.

Now is not the time of Faint hearts but Brave hearts

Yesterdays media went in a frenzy reporting that an old lady had broken her silence over the Scottish independence vote, saying she hopes Scots will "think very carefully" about the future when voting in a referendum that could break up the United Kingdom.



Coming out of a morning service at a church in Crathie near her Balmoral estate in Scotland on Sunday, responded to a remark from a well-wisher that they would not mention the referendum.

"I hope people will think very carefully about the future," The Times newspaper reported Elizabeth as saying.

But of course the media couldn't resist suggesting that Mrs Windsor was suggesting that people "think very carefully" and vote NO.

I think everyone would agree that all voting on Thursday should think carefully but if they need to take the advice of Queens maybe should consider. Elizabeth 1st  (Who was not Queen if Scotland) reply to Walter Raleigh on a window-pane,

Raleigh wrote

"Fain would I climb, yet fear I to fall".
,prompting Elizabeth I to add

 "If thy heart fails thee, climb not at all".

Now is not the time of Faint hearts but Brave hearts

"Wales for a United Kingdom" has very little Welsh input.

 Some of you may be aware there's a Facepost page "Wales for a United Kingdom" It however seems to be "Liked by 2554 people but most seem to be living outside Wales. Have look at at see how many of the contributors 


They include  this picture  of about 200 "hands across the Boarder supporters at Gretna

Of course all you have to do  us flip it and Independence is nearly ON

it seems they get upset when "Nationalists" have a go at them for using the BBC Proms in the Park as a Better Together Symbol

We had a major attack on this page last night from the nationalists because we posted about the BBC proms in the park. Just to be loud and clear there was a record attendance last night in Swansea for the British proms, record attendance in Glasgow, record attendance in London and record attendance in Northern Ireland. If you want to see how Wales really feels about independence all you have to do is check out the polls

Well okay they may have a point about the Polls in wales  but the proms in the Park wasn't attended  by people showing their live for the Union  it was a free Concert  playing  music they wanted to listen to.

But the sheer duplicity  of a Wales for the United Kingdom page  which seems  to have very little Welsh input  show how the Better Together campaign works  that they have to create a Welsh Page that claims to have over 2000 likes but most of who don't even live here.

Have a look at it and have a laugh.