If there was any proof Wales needs a need Political leadership came yesterday with reports that First Minister Carwyn Jones has warned that the 'great danger' of Scottish independence would be England deciding to leave Wales and Northern Ireland.
He said England could vote to get out of a union with the 'expensive' Welsh and Irish after a Scottish Yes vote.
Mr Jones also repeated his call for a convention to discuss the future of the UK, however Scotland votes.
On the idea of English independence, he warned: "The great danger to my mind, if Scotland votes to leave, is that what's left becomes unstable."Not because of Wales' position, because I don't think - and we know from opinion polls - this will lead to a surge in support for independence in Wales."But it also means that I can see a scenario where in two or three years time there are calls in England to get out of the union with these expensive Celts in the west and over the Irish Sea."If Scotland can leave the UK, so can England."That leaves us and Northern Ireland."Now that is an implausible scenario I grant you now, but if Scotland leaves I can see that momentum growing."'Why are we paying for these people in Wales and Northern Ireland, let's just cast them to one side, the Scots have gone anyway?'"I can see that happening and it's not in our interestsAt the same time a report
Ay the same time a s study Professor Steve Fothergill, from Sheffield Hallam University found
Former South Wales mining communities are the most socially and economically disadvantaged of all Britain’s former mining areas, a damning report published says.The State of the Coalfields study paints a grim picture of the lives of 757,000 people living in former mining communities in South Wales, one quarter of the population of Wales.Comparing their lives, job prospects and health with other former mining areas and the rest of the UK the report commissioned by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust found they lag behind in all areas and there is a ‘compelling case’ for continued support and funding”.The report, led by Professor Steve Fothergill, from Sheffield Hallam University, found 17% of all adults of working age are out of work on benefits in the South Wales Valleys compared with 16% in former mining communities in Durham, 14% in Yorkshire and a national average of 11%. In the South East just 7% are unemployed on benefits.And our first Minister believes that rather to face up to this ourselves we should be worried about being abandoned by England.
On health almost one in 10 adults across South Wales say their health is bad or very bad - nearly double that of the South East and higher than 6.9% in former mining communities in Scotland, 7.4% in Yorkshire and 8.6% in Durham.
It is time that welsh Politicians face up to the fact that we can't go on being poor "West Britons" constantly being let down by the Westminster Government of any colour and by an assembly government that has been in Labour care since its inception.
Only when we take responsibility for governing ourselves will this change but it also means replacing Labour at the Assembly because they have proved that not only are they prepared to take up the powers we need to make any change they have no vision to use the meagre powers we have.
and we have First Minister who seems content to accept that Wales may be seen in England as "expensive".]
Indeed it is shameful that after 15 years of Devolution we still unlike Scotland have a leadership with no vision than to ask for more pocket money.
2 comments:
Excellent post. I am embarrassed and ashamed.
The man is a bad joke and an embarrassment to Wales, he should be reminded of this daily, but where were the other parties point out the spinelessness of his comments.
Its time Plaid Cymru stopped pussyfooting around and told the Valleys Labour people who vote unquestionably for the party their support is a major cause of the poverty and destitution they live and breathe and they're think were too useless to cut the apron strings from Mother England.
Post a Comment