01/06/2007

Carwyn and the Nat Bashers

In his blog yesterday Vaughan Roderick suggested that part of Carwyn Jones' portfolio as Minister for the Welsh Language and the Arts was to be the Plaid Pleasing Minister. It would be his job to be sweet to Plaid Cymru AM's and make sure that they had good reasons for not bringing the assembly government down. If this is so he has begun his job in a very odd way - by using his first interview to peeve Plaid.

Speaking on the Radio Cymru phone in programme Taro'r Post this afternoon Carwyn said that he didn't think that a new Welsh Language Act would do anything to benefit the language's future. He didn't go so far as to say that he was totally opposed to a new act but he left little doubt that it wasn't an option that he favoured.

In one respect there was nothing new in what Carwyn said, his comments are just an extension of what has been Labour policy for the last eight years. But yet, when Rhodri Morgan says that he wants the new Government to reach out to the opposition and find areas of consensus between the parties, it is strange that the first public statement by a minister in the new government is one that derides a commitment that was in the manifestos of all three opposition parties.

Of course Carwyn's comments will go down well with one group in particular, Labour's Nat Bashers. Having been portrayed as being on the Welsh Labour Party's nationalist wing in many reports covering the agreement / coalition talks Carwyn may be trying to distance himself from that image in order to broaden his appeal in preparation for the Labour leadership race.

If this is an example of what we can expect over the next 12-18 months, policies based on the needs of Labour leadership contenders rather than policies based on the needs of Wales, then the sooner this government is brought down the better.

Hen Rech Flin: Carwyn - Dim Deddf Iaith.

8 comments:

  1. "If this is an example of what we can expect over the next 12-18 months, policies based on the needs of Labour leadership contenders rather than policies based on the needs of Wales, then the sooner this government is brought down the better. "



    Maybe this Labour administration do not expect to be in power for long and it will be anything goes now.
    Perhaps Carwyn has not been keeping pace with National events. That was a seriously provocative coment to say now.

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  2. This is typical of your bloody silly posts. If Carwyn Jones wanted to appeal to your so called "Nat Bashers" why would he make his comments on a Radio Cymru programme that none of them are likely to listen to?

    Are you so stuck up your own arse that you can't believe that it is even possible that Carwyn actually believes that a law forcing Welsh on those who don't want it would do more harm than good to the future of Welsh?

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  3. Actually anon 22:33, the best place for Carwyn to make his no Welsh Language Act comment was a Radio Cymru programme not heard by the Nat Bashers because he could buffer his comments with platitudes to the language knowing that the Western Mail, Daily Post and South Wales Echo will just report the headline story whilst the Welsh language media will report the platitudes.

    If Carwyn is for or against a new Welsh Language Act for the best of reasons is immaterial, the point of this post is that he chose an "interesting" time to make his comments known.

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  4. alway said:
    "If Carwyn is for or against a new Welsh Language Act for the best of reasons is immaterial, the point of this post is that he chose an "interesting" time to make his comments known. "

    That is what I thought. And where he did it. I still think this Labour administration no longer cares about working with others or to keep Rhodri's promise to listen to the electorate.
    The future for Labour nationally is not very rosy.

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  5. "...it is strange that the first public statement by a minister in the new government is one that derides a commitment that was in the manifestos of all three opposition parties."

    Not it wassn't. The Tories said:

    "Welsh Conservatives believe that Welsh should be given
    official language status and that an independent language
    commissioner should be created...A Welsh Conservative
    government would establish a language recovery unit to
    examine the international evidence in this area."

    The Lib Dems said did commit to legislation, but only:

    "to enshrine the right to service in Welsh. By establishing specific rights it would be clear to individuals what
    they can expect in relation to a Welsh service from public bodies and those that have migrated from the public sector
    since the current Language Act was passed."

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  6. What a pathetically desperate response from a Labour sycophant. The Welsh Conservatives have committed to a new Welsh Language Act - look it up on Google!

    Fulfilling the Tory manifesto commitment that you quote (out of context) would be impossible without legislation!

    Or do you really think that giving Welsh official language status or creating an independent language commissioner can be done without a new Welsh language Act?

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  7. Oh dear, someone's had too many Shedded Wheat for breakfast.

    But since you ask, yes I think it's entirely possible for the Tories' manifesto commitments to be met through secondary legislation, just as Iaith Pawb was.

    By way of illustration, have a look at the relevant Welsh Labour manifesto commitments:

    "We will legislate to establish a Dyfarnydd, to be an impartial arbitrator of their Welsh language
    schemes, and to advise Government."

    So by your logic Labour are pledged to a Welsh Language Act as well (when of course the next sentence in their manifesto makes clear that this is not the case).

    I urge you to examine in more detail what the other parties are actually committed to, before suggesting that there is some sort of manifesto consensus between Plaid, Tory and Lib Dem on a Welsh Lanaguage Act.

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  8. Carwyn was elected by LABOUR voters on a manifesto that didnt not include a new welsh language act...it really is that clear cut.

    As someone who is rapidly improving his welsh who is from english speaking Wales (less than ten percent of people speak welsh here) i think that far more people are concerned with other things than the language.

    It is another case of a very vocal minority trying to and make out they are a wide ranging majority...Some people dont give a monkeys about the language, many of whom voted Labour labour into 24 constituencies in all four corners in Wales.

    This is an excellent blog, but this post misses the mark.

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