Saint David's Day Conundrum

Atheists don't believe in the adoration of Saints.

Secularists don't believe in the adoration of Saints.

Protestants don't believe in the adoration of Saints.

Non-conformists don't believe in the adoration of Saints.

Anglicans actively opposed the adoration of Saints, with vigour, at one time, but seem to have gone soft on the issue!

Despite this the Cult of Saint David, is on the increase in modern Wales with more and more St David's parades in 2014 than ever before – BUT WHY?

As a nationalist, I will re-tweet calls for Gwyl Ddewi to be a bank holiday, I will make St David's Day felicitations to my followers, because that's what Nats do. But having done so, I will still wonder why we make such a fuss about Saint David,  when so few of us, actually, believe in the adoration of Saints!

Will Brussels be kicked out of the EU?

It is interesting that when Cameron, Rajoy and Barroso make comments about the difficulty that newly independent nations might have in remaining in the EU they only concentrate on secessionist movements in Spain and the UK, they forget about the third EU member state that has secessionist issues and is, possibly, more likely to split than the UK or Spain – Belgium!

If a newly independent Catalonia and a newly independent Scotland might find continuing membership of the EU difficult, if not impossible, then the same MUST be true of a newly independent Flanders and a newly independent Wallonia! And therein lies a rather interesting problem, in that the EU could find itself in a position where its parliament and headquarters are in a country which would find it difficult, if not impossible, to remain in the EU.

Any scenario that envisages Brussels being kicked out of the EU is based on abject stupidity, of course. It would never happen, it could never happen; but remember the basis of the scenario is the exact same stupid argument as Cameron, Rajoy and Barroso are making about Scotland and Catalonia's continued membership of the EU!

The Lords of Independence

It is interesting that the House of Lords held what it called a "debate" on Scottish Independence.

A "debate" by definition needs people of different views discussing opposing opinions, as there are no SNP Lords, a proper debate in their Lordships chamber was nigh on impossible. I was disappointed, but not surprised, that the two Lords who could have given the SNP a pennyworth of support - Lords Wigley and Ellis Thomas didn't contribute to the debate at all!

I am not surprised because both of the Plaid lords have reneged on the Welsh National cause. When they were nearly elected in 1970 and elected with small majorities in 1974 they were both staunch Welsh Nationalists. In 1974 Welsh nationalism was seen as a greater threat to the "brake up of Britain" than Scottish Nationalism. Scottish Nationalism has advanced because SNP MP's remained true to the National cause, whilst Wigley and DET thought more about personal re-election than Nationalism and did nothing to advance Welsh Nationalism.

I have a pragmatic attitude to the House of Lords. I don't like it, the concept of it existence peeves me, but like it or not, whilst it rules over my life I want people of my opinion represented there. Whilst Scotland and Wales are governed by Westminster I want Nationalists in both chambers. It would have been good to hear an SNP Lord's contribution to the Lords debate. But then, when the only two supposed nationalists, jib out of the debate one has to question the value of their membership of the House!

I thought that one of the few Welsh Lords who contributed to the discussion, my friend and minister The Rev Lord Roger Roberts of Llandudno made a pertinent point that if Scotland became independent:

"The immediate cry would be for Welsh independence. People such as me who are in favour of a federal solution for the whole UK—we have not really spoken about that—might join the independence bandwagon, because Wales would be ruled by a party that had never been in the majority there, and that represented only 20% of its people."

I hope Scotland votes yes and look forward to welcoming Roger into the Welsh independence bandwagon.

As to comments made by many Noble Lords about people fighting in World War 1 for Britain – the recruitment posters posted in Wales were generally an encouragement for Welsh Recruits to support "Welsh Nationalism" (look at the comment in the sun). I suspect that the same was true in Scotland!



There is something sick in the British State using Welsh and Scottish Nationalism to support a war and then using the war to oppose our nationalism! A sickness worth remembering in the 1914-18 memorial and especially on Sept 18 2014!