|
| Author | Topic: The Future For Plaid Cymru |
| Cymdeithas |
posted 7/11/05 2:18 PM
Plaid Cymru, during the last General Election, didn’t win back constituencies that they once held in the past and even lost Ceredigion to the Liberal Democrats. They have also apparently endured financial problems and aren’t expected (apparently) to gain any political inertia in Wales for a while. Of course, it wasn’t always like this. Plaid Cymru started in 1925 almost as a locally-based campaigning group, aiming immediately at local issues and the survival of the Welsh language. That its founder, Saunders Lewis, was in many ways quite a conservative did not necessarily reflect the future direction and depth of the party. It is said that Plaid Cymru often absorbs potential Tory votes in agriculture-dominated North Wales, even though before the 1970s both Caernarfon and Meirionnydd often voted Labour at General Elections and subsequently went over to PC until the present day. Plaid Cymru has retained these areas and has representation at local level in (for example) Glamorganshire by - some say- adroitly mirroring Labour in their heartlands. Also, since the voting system in the modern Welsh Assembly allows them to collect significant votes even in south-eastern Wales, Plaid Cymru could be seen as a challenge to Labour, at least in the Assembly. However, would votes in a disempowered assembly really matter? And would the party really represent its true self by dissolving into anglicised, broad-based politics? For example, a recent news story was about a multi-million pound marina expansion in Pwllheli. The Welsh language group Cymuned strongly opposed the plans on the grounds that it would attract English-speaking second-home owners and push up property prices. Plaid councillors and the leadership, however, apparently supported this idea, even though it would not directly benefit the area; the blunt nationalism of protecting languages and communities obviously did not match overall economic sense. A pressure group like Cymuned could fight against this, but could a national party do so without seeming biased, nationalistic, anti-business and opposed to a more anglicised electorate’s concerns. These smaller issues are incredibly important and reflect Plaid Cymru’s original mindset, yet they do not represent all of Wales. And yet at the same time Plaid Cymru is losing ground at Westminster, as well. So, in the end, do people think Plaid Cymru can carry on expanding outside of heartland politics and gain support from anglicised voters without tearing itself apart or losing its purpose? And does anybody feel that there are any major goals left for Plaid Cymru as a parliamentary party within Westminster or the Assembly as it is? Are there any views? Diolch yn fawr Thank you. |
| cymraes |
posted 9/15/05 1:03 PM
Helo Cymdeithas, a diolch am y cyfle i roi gair bach am Y Blaid. Hello everyone. In my own experience, I and my family have always been huge "Plaid Cymru" supporters, untill they became pro wind energy. We do belive in renewable energy, and I do belive we should do what we can to save the planet. I live in West Wales, my children were the 4th generation in our local school, so Im not an "In-comer"!!!!! This is the reason Simon Thomas lost his lead in Ceredigion. They should be protecting Wales and wrapping our beatiufull land up with cotton wool, not putting these huge steel spikes on the mountains and hills of wales to supply birmingham and manchester with electricity. There's a large windfarm being developed in North Wales as we speak, to feed into Liverpool electricity grid..... Bring back Free Wales Army!!!!!!!!!! We need people like you!!!!!!!!! |
| peter williams |
posted 11/10/05 1:55 PM
perhaps the future of Plaid lies with the younger generation, now able to grow up with a knowledge of Welsh history and the language, in the past obtainable only to a few. Certainly, it needs to reach out to many more than it has in the past. I think Dafydd Iwan was right in trying to bring economic benefits to N.W.Wales. |
| DarrenL |
posted 1/23/06 10:07 AM
As one of those 'anglicised' voters you refer to my main concern with Plaid is it's return to an independant Wales agenda. Although I feel this was pressurised onto them. I have voted for them in the past as I felt they were the most in tune with local politics and issues, however I now feel that they are more bent on the ruining of Welsh buisness by there seperatist policies. You can be Welsh and part of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is not 'England'. PS calling me 'anglicised' does not help, I am Welsh by birth and live there. |
| Marian Siedzik |
posted 8/3/07 1:30 AM
Cymraes, I was shocked when I read your message about the steel spikes scarring Wales to provide electricity for parts of England. I have read about the reservoirs built in northern Wales to provide parts of England with water. I live in the US and we have a similar thing here. It is called eminent domain-however, the government takes the land to use for a purpose that benefits ALL the people. They forced people to sell them their land, flooded the valleys and create reservoirs. In the case of Wales, I think that if the people of Wales have not benefited, it is totally unfair!! Your country is very beautiful. I hope to see more of it on our next trip to Wales. |
|
|