The Story of Wales

What an amazing little nation

Tomorrow at 9pm is the start of a new history programme about Wales. Yes, there have been a few over the years so why treat this one any differently. Well, I think on this occasion that we should.

'The Story of Wales' is something that BBC Wales should have done years ago, but waited until Scotland made one before splashing the cash - and cash they have indeed splashed. This is by all accounts a very polished series of 6 one hour programmes, giving hopefully a Welsh version of history that does not rely on Kings and Queens as a framework to base our history on.

I hope that many take the opportunity to watch this series, in the hope that the nation of Wales understand a little more about what an amazing country we live in. Particularly from say 1750 onwards, is there any other small nation that has had such a dynamic effect on the rest of the planet. I doubt it, so why not tune in on Monday 27th February and find out for yourself?

AWEMA & Labour

I have resisted blogging on this topic until now, as I felt it was important for Labour to have the opportunity to prove that any accusation of political interference was false. It is with some regret that to date, they have not done so.

The debate this week in the Senedd was sadly an exercise in ducking the issue, although quite how you duck an elephant on a doorstep is quite beyond me. Perhaps the most stark evidence of questionable behaviour was a statement from former Plaid AM Dr Dai Lloyd, who raised concerns about the management of AWEMA face to face with a Labour Minister in the One Wales Government, 3 years ago. He was promised in that meeting that something would be done but obviously, this was not true.

Plaid's Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM has requested that all documentation relating to correspondence between AWEMA and the Welsh Government is published, in order to clear things up once and for all. If Labour also duck this reasonable request, then people like myself can only draw one conclusion from this whole sorry episode - that there is indeed something to hide. For the sake of devolution, I hope that clear evidence is produced to prove that Labour did not ignore the concerns raised by so many sources, to protect one of their own.

Water, Water Everywhere...................

Croeso i Gymru

So at long last, the UK media is waking up to the natural resources that Wales possesses, even if it as a result of a very worrying water shortage in SE England. The current water crisis across the border has been inevitable for many years, with an increasing demand becoming over-reliant on boreholes for supply. The resulting over-abstraction has severely damaged the tributaries of the Thames and other rivers, decimating local ecosystems. The EA in England are now standing up to the pressures put on them by the multi-national corporations who own their water companies, and are reducing the volumes on the abstraction licenses - hence the shortage whenever there is a dry Winter.

So what are the solutions? As always with such complex issues, there is a combination of actions required including further reducing the leakage rates, stemming demand through the greater use of meters and even desalinisation plants. However, if the current plans for future developments go ahead to meet anticipated population growth, additional supply is inevitable. The Institution of Civil Engineers (of which I am a Grad. member-I really should get round to doing my Chartered) recently called for a water grid, very much along the lines of the power grid the UK has; an investment that would resolve supply issues for generations. Sadly though, such spending is not as politically sexy as say a high speed rail line, but probably a lot more sustainable.

There I am, using the 'S' word - sustainable. Is there another word in the English language that is more abused and used in inappropriate areas, by politicians. However in this case, the more sustainable solution is absolutely the best choice. That choice is Wales.

As a nation, we have to look at ways of raising funds to dig ourselves out of the economic mire we find ourselves in. I do not believe that we can put any reliance on the UK Government whatever their political colours, to give us the fair funding that numerous reports have highlighted. So rather than moaning about it, let's move on a little from 'standing up' and start 'doing the walk' to match the talk. Precipitation that falls on Wales is our resource, so let's use it for the benefit of everyone in Wales and if that means also helping out our neighbours and being paid fairly for it, then so be it.

I have previously blogged on this issue, so invite you to follow the link below: -

http://grangetownjack.blogspot.com/2011/06/is-this-boriss-wet-dream.html

For starters, we need control of our water devolved; something cynically omitted by Labour when the most recent Act went through Westminster. With these powers, we can immediately start work negotiating with the English water companies who have assets in Wales and get them back. We are very fortunate in already having a highly respected 'not for profit' water company in Dwr Cymru; a business with the capacity to take on all of the water resources of Wales and a constitution to put the interests of its customers first-the people of Wales. We can then choose the best site for any new reservoirs, ensure that local communities benefit from such assets and get paid a fair price for the water we supply to our neighbours, solving their water supply problems and raising desperately needed funding for our economy and environment.

As a Plaid member, I am well aware of the sensitivity of flooding valleys to supply water to England but unlike Llyn Celyn, these reservoirs will be ours, will benefit the local communities, our nation and meet a clear and long term demand. It is also the most sustainable solution to SE England's water shortages and after all, don't we also have a responsibility to help the environment outside our borders when the opportunity arises?

Noting statements made by all three Plaid leadership candidates in recent weeks, our new leader and the party will campaign tirelessly on this issue until Wales gets control of all its natural resources. People mocked us when we made similar commitments for a Welsh Parliament only a generation ago. For the sake of Wales, let's hope that it doesn't take a generation this time.

Malvinas or Falklands? Penn or Weston?

30 Years Ago

So 30 years after the end of the Falklands War and yet again, the thorny issue of the sovereignty of the Malvinas is in our midst. As in the early 1980's, both the UK and Argentina could do with a passionate distraction from home affairs but unlike that time, Argentina is now voicing its position through democracy rather than dictatorship. What has made the current furore even more interesting, has been the input from Hollywood actor Sean Penn. After his meeting with the Argentinian leadership, he has castigated the 'colonionist Brits' and questioned why Prince William is being based  there. In response, Falklands veteran and proud Welshman Simon Weston described his criticisms as 'disgusting'.

So where do I start with this one? I have very clear memories of  this conflict as a schoolboy, coming home every lunchtime to see if any more ships had been sunk or planes shot down. It was all very exciting at such an age, yet the shocking loss of life really struck home after two incidents; the bombing of the Welsh Guards on Sir Galahad and the sinking of General Belgrano.
Considering the history of conflict and general stroppiness over these windswept islands, I was under the impression that the likely discovery of oil and gas off these islands could lead to a joint exploration for both States, sharing the profits and defusing the dispute. If the UK position is about the rights of the locals and not resources, then why is this a problem for them? I do not for one moment want to belittle the sacrifices made 30 years ago in the name of our state, but have to question the current legitimacy of defending this colonial outpost.

Can you imagine if the tables were turned and say Argentina claimed the Shetlands and all the oil that went with them and the locals were happy with this? How long do you think it would take Daily Mail to declare war? Then of course, there is the argument about the opinion of the Islanders being above everything else, yet I do not remember such principles when Hong Kong was taken over by the Chinese (lease or no lease).

In reality, it has nothing to do with the Islanders but everything to do with the slice of the Antarctic that the UK claims, on the back of owning these islands. However, it is one hell of a risk to annoy some of the rising economic powers such as Brazil; a state that has far more sympathy for their neighbours than the UK. I believe that the UK would be wise to build bridges with such nations; particularly when they no longer have the military ability to defend such outposts. Let's hope that Argentina has seen the last of its military juntas!

Croeso - Open Hustings

See You There on Tuesday Night

So the Plaid Cymru leadership hustings are in full swing and hundreds have already attended the first two meetings for members. However, in order to encourage the widest debate, we are holding an special hustings open to all.

This one-off event is being held at Cardiff’s St David’s Hotel on Tuesday 21^st February, kicking off at 7.30pm. You do not have to be a Plaid member to either attend or ask a question and the event is being kindly covered by Waleshome.org; one of our nation’s premier political blogs. 

No other party in Wales has held an open hustings for their leadership contest in such a manner, so this will be a one-off chance to attend, if you have no particular affiliation. All you have to do is to apply for free admission below (via the Plaid Cymru website), turn up on the night and ask a real stinker!

http://www.english.plaidcymru.org/news/2012/02/14/party-reaches-out-with-invite-to-national-open-leadership-debate/

Time to Choose Your Leader

I regret to say that I missed the first TV debate between the Plaid leadership candidates tonight. After Simon Thomas sadly dropped out, the 3 remaining candidates are battling it out between now and the Ides of March. Tonight was a debate on S4C (CF99), so I will make the effort tomorrow night and watch ITV Wales 'Sharp End' (10.35pm, Thursday night).

I hope that every Plaid member takes the opportunity to watch, as most will not be able to make the hustings. I am sure that all 3 will produce enticing leaflets in the post, but it is important for members to actually listen to what their choice of leader stands for and what they have to offer their nation.

I wish all 3 well and know that they will do both Plaid and Wales proud.

Planet Earth Calling the Tory Party

A 21st Century King Canute - Leggin' It

There are nimby's, there are super nimby's and there are Tories. I am frankly gobsmacked at the sheer audacity of 101 Tory MPs, in their call for a slashing of subsidies for onshore windfarms.

Then, there is our one and only Alun Cairns MP, one of the 101 and his arguments in supporting this position are quite remarkable.

He claims that above all, "onshore wind is 'inefficient and expensive". He then goes onto claim that "it drives up people's energy bills and that's the core issue that needs to be focussed on." His colleagues then go on to question why so much money goes into the sector during "straitened times." The alarm bells really should start ringing, when the Tories talk of helping the 'straitened'.

Now call me a rampant greenie if you like, but why is there no mention here of a little thing called climate change? Then, there is the minor inconvenience of onshore wind actually being the cheapest form of renewable energy currently available-subsidies or not. Consequently, by claiming that it is worthless, he is actually saying that all subsidies for renewables should be slashed. Let's in fact go further and get rid of renewables altogether, deny climate change is happening and all move to low lying coast, safe in the knowledge that there's nothing to worry about.

Of course, there is no mention from Mr Cairns of offshore wind because it is out to sea and out of mind, unlikely to affect his electorate. The fact that it is more expensive than onshore and loses a significant proportion of its production through transmission losses (i.e. a little 'inefficient') appears to be irrelevant - because it's not in his back yard (now the Scarweather Sands scheme has been dropped).

Of course, I should be celebrating such ignorance and 'King Canute-esque' behaviour because as a Civil Engineer, Mr Cairns and co will keep me in work busily constructing ever higher coastal defences and sustainable drainage networks. So shouldn't I really be welcoming such blinkered politics in order to feather my own nest to retirement? This has always been my failing because unlike Alun, I was never one of Thatcher's children.

Leadership Race Creating Ideas

So the race to be the next leader of Plaid is well and truly on and already, the candidates have come up with more original policy ideas than the Labour party have proposed for the next 4 years in Government. Of course you may say, it's easy to come up with radical thoughts when you are in opposition, but haven't you noticed how boring the Welsh Government has got since Labour are all on their own once more?

Dafydd, Elin, Leanne and Simon are already showing buckets more vision than Captain Carwyn can muster, so it is crucial that whoever wins the contest has a party fit for purpose to offer a radical and exciting alternative - to a worryingly stale Labour party. This is why the recently published review is so important, and all its 95 recommendations.

There is a genuine momentum being created within the party this Winter, starting with a membership surge, a lively and exciting leadership contest and a Local Government election thrown in to spice things up a little more. Plaid is preparing to re-construct itself at all levels for the new Wales that will come out of the current UK constitutional dalliances and the party in Wales that adapts first, will gain most. Perhaps there was some truth in the comment that Plaid was the slowest party to adjust to devolution but with the new structural changes taking place, we do not intend to make that mistake again.