"Progressive Patriotism" still has an air of English Nationalism.

By sheer coincidence yesterday's Blog arguing  that It's time for the Left to abandon "Middle England for Welsh and Scottish Independence coincided with Rebbeca Long-BaileyMs Long-Bailey a seen as one of the favourite to become Labour Leader and   the Corbynite candidate and the party membership, which will decide the succession, remains largely Corbynite.with a pledge to champion "progressive patriotism".

As Borthlas points out (though I don't fully agree ) Progressive patriotism is an oxymoron and Ms Long Bailey is going to have to expand her argument Ms Long-Bailey produced what appeared to be her first campaign slogan: progressive patriotism.

She wrote:

 "From ex-miners in Blythe Valley to migrant cleaners in Brixton, from small businesses in Stoke-on-Trent to the self-employed in Salford, we have to unite our communities.
"Britain has a long history of patriotism rooted in working life, built upon unity and pride in the common interests and shared life of everyone."To win we must revive this progressive patriotism and solidarity in a form fit for modern Britain." 
The frontbencher also suggested Labour had further to go in giving its members control of the party, writing: "Our promise to democratise society will ring hollow if we can't even democratise our own party."

I'd advise Ms Long-Bailey to read the history of the South Wales Miners Federation , which was a model for the creation of our Welfare State and Adult Education and the North Wales Quarrymen's Union (NWQU) , which preformed  a similar role.



Indeed it occurs to me what a diffrent Wales might have occurred if the North Wales Coalfields and the Slate quarries had united with the FED, to form a Welsh Union.

Or the career Rev. Henry Richard (3 April 1812 – 20 August 1888), "the Apostle of Peace", was a Congregational minister and Welsh Member of Parliament, 1868–1888. Richard is best known as an advocate of peace and international arbitration, as secretary of the Peace Society for forty years (1848–1884). His other interests included anti-slavery work.

Richard however was also a  strong supporter of the Welsh Language and fought against the  Treason of the Blue Books (Welsh: Brad y Llyfrau Gleision), and whilst it would be wrong to argue that Richard was a "Welsh Nationalist", he certainly saw the cause of the Welsh Language in the same light as his other commitments.

But its the whole use of patriotism , that I think scuppers Ms Long-Baileys vision.

I regard my self as an Independista  rather than a Nationalist and I am not a Patriot.

Yes I want a n Independent Wales  and have a very strong sense of National Identity ,

Bur "Patriotism " has an air of "My Country Right or Wrong", and we need to worry that progressive patriotism can turn in a much darker vision , if it fails to recognise the failings of the past.

This is true in Wales we can be proud of the contribution  of the FED and others 

However my worry is that Ms Long-Bailey  in her failure not mention the constitutional battle over the Union once;"Progressive Patriotism" is A British (English) one and there will be no place for the cause of Wales and Scotland in it and she will attack those parties in Wales  and Scotland who over the whole Brexit Battle have voiced a far more Internationalise than her own whilst at the same time seeking the right to get the Key of Their Own Door.