Helo a chroeso i’r cylchlythyr! Welcome to the latest edition of a A Word From Wales- the digital newsletter for the Welsh Diaspora, where ever they may be in the world.This week, we’ll be discussing fears of another Tryweryn-like development here, considering the impact of a new SNP leader on Wales, and as one Welsh soccer star retires, a look at the emergence of a new star in the making.
Ill-wind blown in by our own government
In Wales, we are well aware of the tragedy of Tryweryn- where a Welsh-speaking community was drowned to meet the needs of the Corporation of Liverpool.
A seminal event in modern Welsh history which left an indelible mark on the Welsh consciousness, and led to a resolve that such a shameful incident would never happen again.
However, there are genuine fears that we could now be facing a new Tryweryn, or Tryweryn on Speed in view of the new push for on-shore wind farms in Wales.
With this development actually being pushed, not by an alien corporation this time, but by our own Welsh Government in Cardiff Bay.
In their “Future Wales” plan, Welsh Labour have identified 10 sites in different parts of Wales to place huge new wind farms- which would quite literally dwarf their local communities in each instant.
They say that these are essential in their drive to make Wales a net-zero nation.
But in one recent protest meeting at Llangernyw( one of the sites in the north), the scale of the 20 plus mega-turbines to be situated in the area stunned local people who were in attendance- as they are to be the equivalent of Y Gogarth Fawr( Great Orme) in Llandudno in size.
A spokesman for local campaigners accused the Welsh Government of bringing in the development by stealth- under the cover of the covid years- with no real consultation undertaken with the local community.
“The Welsh Government get away with things time and time again because of a lack of real scrutiny here in Wales- and this has got to change big time” said Non Davies.
“It’s shocking that they are planning to give our communities away to big foreign companies, without any heed to the concerns of local people” she added.
What makes these developments even more galling is they are not designed to meet the energy needs of Wales at all- as Wales actually exports twice as much electricity as it consumes already.
Rather, they will be meeting the electricity needs of England- who irony upon irony- currently have a de-facto ban on any on-shore wind farms on their own land.
An irony obviously lost on Lord Suffolk ( John Selwyn Gummer) who recently said that it was the “moral thing to do” for Wales to accept the new wind farms.
But with determined campaign groups now set up in the ten proposed wind farm sites, it’s clear that Welsh Labour have a fight on their hands to implement these developments.
And questions to answer as well about their own links to the newly-established Bute Energy company in Cardiff who are associated with these developments.
As always in politics, it’s a case of follow the money unfortunately.
Watch this space.
Ash Regan, Hamza Yousaf and Kate Forbes in a recent election debate
Is Independence now off the agenda in Scotland?
THE “continuity candidate” Hamza Yousaf, has been chosen as the new SNP leader in their election contest this week.
The truncated contest was held after the shock resignation of SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon which led to a host of other related resignations, including Deputy Leader John Swinney, Chief Executive Peter Murell and Chief Communications Officer, Murray Foote.
Along with more controversy associated with the party membership, as it was confirmed during the contest that the SNP had lost no fewer than 30,000 members since 2020.
When the results were announced at Murrayfield yesterday( Monday), it was Hamza Yousaf who was declared the winner with 52% of the vote( after second votes were transferred), and Kate Forbes placed second with 48% of the vote.
50,000 members voted, but in a bizarre twist, 30% of the membership( almost 22,000 members) didn’t bother to vote at all in the contest.
Yousaf’s win was perhaps to be expected in view of the fact that almost the entire SNP machinery was wheeled in to ensure his victory, with countless endorsements from MP’s and SPM’s as well.
But the other big surprise however was the fact that Ash Regan- the only candidate with a clear plan and route towards independence- only gained 11% of the vote.
And this after performing so strongly in the debates especially in the latter part of the contest.
So, it appears that only 1 in 10 of the present SNP membership seem dedicated to independence!
With the rest of them presumably, perfectly happy with the devolutionist approach of Hamza Yousaf, along with his enthusiasm for GRR( Gender Reform Recognition) and other identity-based issues.
It would seem that the SNP has just given up entirely on its USP( unique selling product) of independence- which seems a very sad and dispiriting state of affairs for nationalists everywhere.
So, how will this affect the situation here in Wales?
With the main national party Plaid having such a close association with the SNP, there must be fears that independence will also be dialled down in Wales as well from now on.
Which perhaps puts even more onus on the other pro-independence parties, Gwlad, Propel and the Sovereign Party to raise their game and present the arguments to the Welsh Public.
Along with YES CYMRU- the non-aligned independence movement- who are holding an independence rally in Swansea in May.
The one advantage we have in Wales is that independence hasn’t been tainted in the same way as it has in Scotland.
After all, we haven’t lost an independence referendum as occurred in Scotland in 2014 nor have we been mired in the after-effects of such a loss as has been the fate of Scotland for almost a decade.
There’s a virginal quality to the idea of independence in Wales and that factor is something we must use to its utmost over the next few years.
Nathan Broadhead celebrating his debut goal for Wales against Croatia
As one star bows out a new star steps up
WALES are playing Latvia tonight( Tuesday) in an Euro 2024 Qualifying game.
Before the game, fans will have the opportunity to pay tribute to one of the all-time greats of the Welsh game, Gareth Bale, who announced his retirement recently.
It’s sure to be a hugely emotional occasion with Bale being such a favourite amongst the fans, not only because of his on-field talents but because he was such a likeable and humble individual as well.
But, on Saturday night, we were introduced to a potential new star rising on the horizon in the form of 18 year old striker, Nathan Broadhead from Bangor.
Broadhead came on a sub in the second half, and equalized for Wales with one of the last kicks of the game against Croatia.
Gaining an all-important point for Wales in a game which was dominated almost entirely by Croatia- although Wales did play much better in the second half after a very disjointed first half performance.
Wales could even have won the game, but for a glaring miss by striker Daniel James midway through that second half.
Nathan Broadhead has a keen eye for goal having been scoring regularly this season for Ipswich Town who play in League One.
And the goal he bagged in Croatia, stealing in at the far post to guide the ball past the keeper at the death, announced to Welsh fans that we now have another real striking option up front.
Alongside the other forwards such as Brennan Johnson and David Brooks, recently restored to fitness after a cancer scare.
The future’s looking bright for us on the soccer field!
A dyna ni am wythnos arall.
Diolch yn fawr am ddarllen.
We’ll see you all next week.
Aled