Translation of a post by Vaughan Roderick:
You didn´thave to be Isaiah to foresee that Dyddiol cyf´s announcement was inevitable. Nevertheless I can boast that I did predict the end of y Byd here. While I´m blowing my own trumpet I´ll note that the "People's Voice" in Gwynedd would have known that that name wouldn't be accepted by the Electoral Commission a long time ago had they paid more attention to this blog! Whatever, "Gwynedd Voice" is the new name and the success or failure of this group will be one of May 1st's interesting stories.
I haven't written before about the Gwynedd schools quarrel. That is partly because I'm not completely familiar with all the arguments. I'm also one who believes that the Welsh language media tend to place too much emphasis on stories from the North West in the same way that the English language media raise petty enough stories from Cardiff.
Despite this I'm beginning to think that Gwynedd Voice marks something more significant thatn a small local rebellion concerning education. It now appears that the leadership of Plaid Cymru either by chance or intentionally is upsetting some of its staunchest traditional supporters. One only has to read Maes-e or the latest announcements from Cymdeithas yr Iaith to know that the education quarrel, the troubles of y Byd and the level of financing for a Welsh language federal College are enraging a substantial number of nationalists.
Now it's possible enough that the reality of government or pressure from Labour and the civil service are responsible for the decisions of the assembly government but the Gwynedd schools scheme (where these explanations do not apply) suggest a more substantial change.
Throughout its history Plaid Cymru has been a strange cross between a political party and a protest movement. Gwynfor Evans believed this was a strength, claiming that the party was part of a broader "National Movement" that included everything that had anything to do with the Welsh language and Welshness. Now and again this caused problems as the leadership attempted to ensure the loyality of zealots whilst appealing for the votes of those who were doubtful of the linguistic fundamentalism of that faction. Gwynfor himself and Dafydd Wigley were masters of this balancing act. Dafydd Elis Thomas didn't have the patience and it appears that Ieuan Wyn Jones isn´t eager to do this either.
In the wake of the events of the last weeks and months the question that arises is this. Has the leadership of Plaid Cymru decided (consciously or not) that there is no need for it to be a "National Movement" anymore? Does Plaid intend to turn its back on its historic linguistic nationalism and concentrate on being a traditional political party seeking power on its own terms?
10 opinions:
First of all, it's nice to have you back.
I like many other Plaid members was surprised by the number of schools affected by the Gwynedd reorganisation proposals. However, my concerns were somewhat allayed when I actually bothered to read not only the thinking behind their proposals, but also the research that had been carried out.
I have some understanding of the thorny issue of shcool re-structuring as I sit on the Cardiff sub-committee (as the non-teaching trade union rep) dealing with exactly the same problems.
Whether 'Gwynedd Voice' like it or not, every Council in Wales faces falling pupil numbers, an antiquated school stock and a funding mechanism increasingly squeezed by the Barnett formula.
What you will not get from 'Gwynedd Voice' is an answer on where they will find the extra money to stay as they are in terms of the school structure. At a time when Councils face annual funding cuts, the huge bill for job evaluation and the pressures of meeting stringent recycling targets, where on earth is this mythical money coming from?
Gwynedd Voice reminds me a little of 'Llais Ceredigion'. It is a single issue grouping based around three or four personalities, with no answer to the funding gap. I respect their concerns, but not their efforts to win seats on the back of a policy vacuum.
Gwynedd Council have gone to extrordinary lengths to investigate every option, more than any other Welsh Authority I am aware of. They have endeavoured to create a sustainable funding structure that is fair to both urban and rural schools and I believe that their consultation process will lead to genuine changes to their original proposals. My only criticism of them is the timing. They have left too little time between their announcement and the elections; allowing groupings like 'Gwynedd Voice' an opportunity to create the impression they have a viable alternative-leaving little time before May to expose their ideas as vacuous. It remains to be seen if the communities of Gwynedd suss them out before May 1st.
In terms of the other language topics raised, it is fair to say that the funding pressures faced by the coalition are having an effect on all policy areas. I am very upset by Y Byd falling flat as I have been a supporter from the start. In hindsight, I suspect that the proportion of public funding implications (if not the actual amount) of keeping Y Byd afloat was not fully realised until the coalition was up and running. I hope that what is on offer as additional funding can be used in other forms by the individuals responsible for Y Byd, as Ned and co. are the sort of people I would trust with my last euro with.
I believe that the most important language issue is one which you have not yet mentioned-the future of Welsh medium education from primary up. This also falls under the 'One Wales' agreement and how this is handled and funded is in my opinion far more important than all other isues combined. I do have to declare an interest here as my son (and a second soon to arrive) will be making full use of it. The sooner that Councils re-structure their schools and save money for re-investment into direct education, the better for all our children in both the Welsh and English medium sectors.
People may be slagging off Plaid from the language pressure groups at present, but when it comes to the crunch can you really trust the other parties more than Plaid in the support of Welsh medium education?
If Plaid Cymru is going to become just another political party then the hard core anti welsh faction in Labour have won the arguments.
Welsh Politics needs alternatives for the sake of healthy democracy and for many Plaid Cymru provide that, not everyone will vote Conservative or Liberal Democrats and voting Independent doesn't achieve much.
Plaid Cymru are in this situation of their own making, they didn't win enough seats in the Assembly to be confident of leading a rainbow coalition but won to many seats to be in coalition with Labour basically ending any meaningful opposition for the next four years at an important time in the National Assembly's development.
As Vaughan Roderick has said himself the media couldn't think of a burning issues ot raise with the Tories or Lib Dems at their weekly news conference, although he and Betsan Powys did ask questions eventually.
The language issue is a problem for Ieuan Wyn Jones because he is not a strong enough leader, if he and Plaid Cymru can't make a case for a new language act or a welsh newspaper with Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones who are in favour of the welsh language in government with him then he never will be able sadly and Plaid Cymru are looking for alternatives to him.
check out my post and link to The Blanket,Ords
Plaid are not in a situation of their own making but one of the electorate. We had a choice of three options after last year's National elections, which also included bottling it and taking an opposition role. This position was taken by the Lib Dems NEC on one Wednesday evening, when the casting vote of their Chair killed the Rainbow coalition in its tracks. That's how close it came.
Plaid will never be 'just another party' in Wales but we are on a steep learning curve in terms of having an element of power.
You are wrong to criticise IWJ. He has compounded his critics both as the party leader and as a Minister. We would not be where we are now without him. The party has to adapt quickly to its changing circumstances and is doing so, while keeping its membership on board. Unlike Labour, Plaid remains member led and if there are actions that our members cannot swallow, the AMs will soon know about it. These are indeed interesting times for our nation.
I think its an interesting debate, and its good to see Plaid as a party and the movement behind debate these things. It is in the interest of pluralist politics in Wales that we have an external movement that might be linked to party but are independent voices. Its vital to welsh democracy's progression...
Personally i think you can liken the situation to the unions relationship with Labour in terms of them being an independent voice who have legitmate concerns...I maybe wrong of course.
S.G. It's an interesting analogy and one that to some extent holds water. It's important for language pressure groups to put all the parties on the spot, including my own. I would prefer the language not to be a political football but in reality, it has to be.
With tightening budgets for all services, every penny spent on promoting and supporting Welsh must be spent wisely. Perhaps this is why Y Byd was not given the support it needed but it's still a disappointment.
It's a pity to see the demise of Y Byd. Ned Thomas put a lot of effort into it and he was a path breaker with Planet which filled a serious gap when it was set up.
The real question is whether there is a sufficient audience for a Welsh language daily and whether the Assembly is sufficiently commited to supporting this course. Current developments in Northern Ireland regarding Lá Nua are interesting in that regard. In that case it is a Unionist backlash. If the parallel holds in Wales it questions the Assembly's commitment to the language.
What Ian fails to mention is that popular protest in Cardiff sank the attempt to shut 22 schools and popular protest can beat Plaid in Gwynned too.
But Ordovicius highlights the contradiction, because Plaid essentially embraces the neoliberal consnsus that has dominated global politics since the late 70s they actually end up turning on the very people and cultures they claim to represent.
Plaid and the wider nationalist movement ultimately cannot defend the Welsh language or traditional cultures in Wales because they are wedded to the very forces and processes that are actually driving through the destruction, namely corporate globalisation and the same cuts and privatisation agenda that all the mainstream parties have embraced post-1979.
Only an anti-capitalist party and broad socialist movement can adequately defend this.
Who is attacking the welsh language and rural culture in Wales at present? Is it not, Plaid in Gwynedd ripping the heart out of local communities with largest school closure programme in Wales?
At bottom, it is the process of globalisation and neoliberalism that are eradicating local cultures and languages.
This has always been the case.
Under a society run on - driven by - profit, local culture is always going to be destroyed to create a uniform world.
Only an anti-capitalist politics can defend local culture and language, as is seen in the case of Plaid who when in power - because they are a neoliberal party - who ultimately support the very forces that are destroying local cultures and language as witnessed in their accelerated destruction of local culture in Gwynedd by ripping out the hearts of rural communities: Local rural schools.
The paradox of nationalism - it's lack of class politics actually are inadequate to confront the very forces that are destroying our diverse local cultures, languages and communities.
Let's be clear, there is no lack of resources in our society to keep schools open, it's just that the mainstream parties no longer will tax the rich and waste money on things like war or the St Athan's Military Academy (£14 billion being spent their).
The fundamental issue driving the closure of hospitals, schools, post offices is not shortage of funds but politics. Britain is the 4th richest economy in the world but that wealth is not spread out evenly. Two-thirds to three-quarters of the wealth in our society is owned by only ten per cent of our society, until we have a movement that is prepared to challenge this inequality head-on and reclaim that wealth to fund public services we are going to have more of the same. Plaid have made it clear that they don't have the will for such a fight
Ian says how do we get more funds from Central Government. Well actually their are examples in Britain of socialist councils who have defied budgets and even the law (some councillors going to prison) to defend public services.
This would require a very different party to Plaid based on building a broader movement in wider society based on methods of mass struggle. Ian is correct that unless the new party ditch the nationalist politics that has led to this debacle and start adopting socialist politics then they will represent no solution to the problem.
RESPECT in Wales is proud to send our solidarity to the parents, teachers and children of Gwynedd - ANOTHER WALES IS POSSIBLE!
Funny innit! No schools closures in Rhondda Cynon Taf - the 'home' of Labour minister Jane 'Chocolate' Davidson. Jill Evans MEP fought them to a standstill over Blaen Clydach Infants 2 years ago, so Labour stopped their school closure programme there.
So why does Plaid Cymru in Gwynedd follow the UK Labour line? Obviously, they are not familiar with the idea of national resistance.
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