There is an interesting post on the Better Nation Blog that looks at how likely people are to vote Green. To paraphrase and over simplify the post, it claims that more than 50% of us see the Greens as a cuddly nice party who we might vote for in the right circumstances. This confirms my own non-empirical experience of how people across the political spectrum view the Green Party. Pleidwyr, Labourites, Lib Dems and Tories all see the Greens as a party they COULD vote for and a party that they don't fundamentally oppose.
The Greens are seen as a generally progressive, slightly left of centre party, a party with a heart of gold even if some of their policies seem a tad too idealistic, but this impression is wrong. The Greens are not a left of centre moderately progressive party; they are an extremely regressive anti-Welsh party.
Thirty years ago only the rich Jet-setters could afford to board an aeroplane to visit overseas countries at great expense; that wasn't an environmental problem! The problem is caused by us hoi-polloi being able to easy-jet to Spain, or wherever in our thousands.
Forty years ago only the gentry could afford a motor car, no problem. The problem is caused by those of us living in council houses having cars!
Sixty years ago the rich could have a range of good food in all seasons. The poor had to survive on salted meat and vegetables that had grown stringy in frost covered ground (if they were lucky); the environmental problems are caused by the lower classes expecting fresh meat and fresh veg from the supermarket in all seasons.
Wales has poorer road links, poorer air links, and fewer factories than other parts of the UK, because of that Wales has a GDP that is 26% lower than the UK average, but any attempt to build new roads, improve our air service or to re-industrialise our post industrial areas are met with howls of protest from the Green lobby!
And what are we offered by the Greens in exchange for giving up all the advantages that a 21st century economy could give us?- Yr Hen Ffordd Gymreig o Fyw (The Old Welsh way of Country Life)? No chance!
What we get is New Age Colonialist English Hippies who oppose anything to do with Welsh culture.
The Green Party is an anti-working class, anti-business, anti-Welsh abomination, that deserves no support from anyone in Wales.
It's always been my impression that Lammas is the type of an English plantation Edward Longshanks would have been proud of.
ReplyDeleteHendre
Only the gentry could afford cars in the 1960's and early 1970s?! Are you sure that's true?
ReplyDeleteWith uninsulated homes, only the better off can afford to stay warm in winter. Relying on coal and gas will drive fuel costs up when renewables can make us all energy-independent and cut bills for the long term. With cuts to taxes, the better off can afford to go private and leave the poor to deal with the cuts to public services. Strong local food economies mean good food for everyone, not just those who can afford Waitrose. And it's still the richest who take more flights: they just pay less for them while aviation fuel is, incredibly, still untaxed. Those on the lowest incomes struggle by with poor and dwindling bus services.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks for stopping by Better Nation!
Spot on! It needed to be said. The greens in Wales are the worst kind of colonists - contemptuous of all things Welsh and dictatorial towards the indigenes because we Welsh don't have the money or the inclination to share their middle-class-with-a-conscience fantasies.
ReplyDeleteWhich would be bad enough in itself, but when you add to it the special treatment in planning and other matters handed out to Lammas and others, the endless funding for racially pure CAT, these people become obnoxious and hypocritical parasites.
If the Greens win, will we get free clogs?
ReplyDeleteI know they are English but why do you say that they "ppose anything to do with Welsh culture"?
ReplyDeleteThis is depressing viewing from a Welsh perspective. WTF's wrong with England?
ReplyDeletePaul Wimbush continues: “We have an unprecedented opportunity here to transform rural Wales...."
ReplyDeleteJust what we need.
Oh so true I once had a battle royal with a greenie rom bristol who was trying to stop some business development in the Garw valley ,because it would damage the eco balance.that she saw as far more important than bringing 30 jobs to a very needy community
ReplyDeleteAled Wyn said...
ReplyDeleteOnly the gentry could afford cars in the 1960's and early 1970s?! Are you sure that's true?
When I was growing up on a council housing estate in the 1960's there were only three vehicles parked on the estate, a Crosville bus, the Council foreman's van and a Rolls Royce outside the house of a man who worked as a chauffeur for one of the local gentry
Der said...
ReplyDeleteI know they are English but why do you say that they "ppose anything to do with Welsh culture"?
Changing the name of a place from Pont y Gafael to Lamas (the name of Anglo Saxon harvest festival), in itself show no sensitivity to the cultural heritage of the area in which they have chosen to settle.
Simon Dyda said...
ReplyDeleteIf the Greens win, will we get free clogs?
No, the likes of us would go barefoot because we couldn't afford the £150-£200 for a pair of handmade Welsh clogs and the Greens wouldn't allow us to continue to buy shoes for £15 from Asda.
What is wrong with wanting to try and live sustainably like the peeps in Lammas?
ReplyDeleteA nasty little article Rhodri.
Anon 11:52 Can't they find somewhere in England?
ReplyDeleteHendre
Alwyn,
ReplyDeleteSo why is Nerys Evans so supportive of this project then.
You mention Pont y Gafael. I'm not sure but I think this is in Glandwr, North Pembrokeshire. If so, I know of a place there which was called Pant y Gafael.....at least that's what I remember reading about some time ago. My ancestors came from there. I'm saddened by the name change. Lammas???? So saving the envirnoment etc doesn't include saving the local culture!
Anon 17:24, the Pont is a typo it should read Pant, as you note it is near Glandwr in Pembrokeshire. I don't know why Nerys supports the project.
ReplyDeleteThis is the heritage of this area.....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/deorllewin/papurau_bro/y_cardi_bach/newyddion/mehefin07.shtml