Last night, on learning that Delyth Jewell was to succeed the late Steffan Lewis as the AM for the South Wales East region, I checked her Twitter account and put out a tweet which was soon ‘answered’ by Leanne Wood AM, the former leader of Plaid Cymru.
Delyth Jewell’s Twitter account describes her thus: “Campaigner on women’s rights and international development. @ActionAidUK Formerly @CitizensAdvice and @HouseofCommons”. So she’s from the third sector and has, presumably, worked as a spad, unless ‘House of Commons’ means that she was employed directly by that source of endless entertainment.
On reflection, the tweet I put out could have been worded better, and I shall clarify below why I have misgivings about Ms Jewell’s elevation. But no disrespect was meant to Ms Jewell, personally, for I don’t know her. (Though that never seems to deter my detractors.) She may turn out to be an excellent Assembly Member, but her background, and professed interests, do not fill me with confidence, as I shall explain.
But then, some might think that Leanne Wood’s tweet was a little OTT as well, maybe abusing her position of influence. Perhaps it even qualifies as the kind of ‘bullying’ we hear so much about from Cardiff Bay (another source of endless entertainment).
Now let me move on to my real target.
◊
THE THIRD SECTOR
The reason I was moved to tweet about Delyth Jewell was because she is now an AM with declared interests of “women’s rights and international development”. Taking the second first, the ‘Welsh Government’ has no international development programme.
God Almighty! the Labour Party is running Wales into the ground, what advice could they possibly offer any other country?
As for “women’s rights”, I assume this links with her job with ActionAid, a worthy undertaking, no doubt, but this is a concern already well represented in the Assembly.
Are these the interests she’ll be pursuing in the Assembly, or will she be focusing on those things her constituents are more concerned with? You know, those mundane things that boring, poor people go on about – jobs, homes, health, education, getting from A to B . . .
Anyone familiar with this blog will know that I have criticised the third sector in Wales for many years. There are a number of fundamental problems with the third sector which can be easily listed:
- It uses a great deal of public funding. Hundreds of millions of pounds are poured every year into ventures that a child could see will never be viable. It’s no coincidence that these money pits are usually run by Labour and/or Plaid Cymru supporters.
- That’s because the third sector is an almost exclusively socialist sphere that, in Wales, brings together Plaid Cymru and the local branch of the Labour Party. In addition to funding ‘projects’ run by Labour/Plaid Cymru supporters third sector organisations provide many jobs for Labour and Plaid Cymru supporters. It’s called cronyism.
- The third sector is a ‘treadmill’, by which I mean that no organisation can ever solve the problem it claims to be tackling. To do so would result in a loss of funding and salaries. Which means, for example, that if Wales can’t supply enough ‘clients’ for a third sector body then these will be brought into Wales (and funded from the Welsh public purse).
- Which in turn means that, far from alleviating poverty, deprivation, homelessness, substance abuse, and a host of other ills the third sector nurtures, even exaggerates them, for its own benefit.
- In Wales the third sector operates in an Englandandwales framework; since 1999 this has resulted in many hundreds of third sector professionals moving to Wales to take advantage of: a) the generous funding available and b) the almost total absence of ‘Welsh Government’ oversight and accountability.
- The third sector serves as a substitute economy. Given the almost exclusively socialist outlook of those controlling the third sector it is anti-business yet tries to promote itself as something commercial.
- The third sector has far too much influence with the ‘Welsh Government’ and other funders, and with it comes the shadowy, possibly sinister, organisation Common Purpose.
- The third sector is one of the pillars of the Union in Wales and therefore a major obstacle to independence.
Most of that should have been easily understood, but perhaps the last point needs explaining.
All my life I have wanted Wales to be independent. I mention this so that no one should think I started taking an interest after Brexit, or when it dawned on me that an independence bandwagon had started trundling, and if I couldn’t take over the reins then I’d better start my own.
Looking back to the Scottish independence referendum of 2014, the one argument that Unionists and the Better Together campaign could not use was, ‘Scotland can’t afford independence’, because everyone agreed she could, and that was one reason the vote was so close.
Here in Wales the ‘can’t afford it’ argument sways far too many voters, and the reason for this is, it’s the truth – Wales is a poor country. In support of his/her argument, any opponent of independence would point to the size of the third sector. For it’s generally accepted that the size of the third sector, the numbers ‘needing help’, is an indicator of a country’s economic and social health.
Throw in the percentage of jobs in the public sector and other non-commercial spheres of the economy, add quality of the housing stock, health levels, education standards, transport links and infrastructure, and any impartial observer would conclude that Wales is a basket-case country, Cloud-cuckoo Land could make a better case for independence.
And yet, why can this picture be presented, and who benefits?
- The Conservative and Unionist party, whether in government or not, can see the advantage in Wales having a bloated third sector. For it: a) gives the impression of poverty that makes any thought of independence absurd, and, b) makes many thousands of potentially troublesome people dependent on handouts from the public purse
- The English Labour Party in Wales is as Unionist as the Conservatives. But with the added incentive of a) being able to use the third sector to provide direct employment and funding for its supporters and, b) being able to capitalise on the poverty and deprivation made evident by a bloated third sector to garner votes by blaming ‘Them wicked Tories’ and sending ‘messages to London’. (Message reads: ‘We are your loyal servants, and we will keep Wales poor to maintain the Union. For England and St. George [Thomas]!)
- Plaid Cymru should be able to see through this scam, one would have hoped, but no, Plaid Cymru has swallowed it hook, line and sinker. And Plaid was easily caught; for being a socialist party, an anti-business party, it is delighted to see vast amounts of funding squandered on the third sector, ‘Cos it ‘elps people in need, innit’ . . . without ever joining up the dots and understanding why those people are in need.
Which is why the Welsh Assembly, and Wales, needs another representative of the third sector like the Uighurs need more concentration camps. That is what I meant to say.
If what I’ve written here offends anyone, then I really don’t fucking care. If you mistake the shackles that bind you for delicate gold bracelets then you’re never going to break them. By being so supportive of the third sector Plaid Cymru is supporting the Union, for the dependency ‘economy’ is one of England’s best weapons.
Wales is a wealthy country made poor by her enemies. For those claiming to be her children and her friends to stupidly celebrate and capitalise on that poverty rather than seek to build a healthy economy is a betrayal.
♦ end ♦
I hope Delyth Jewells speech at Merthyr last Saturday may have gone some way to changing your mind about her. Most inspiring speech of the day. Or is it female Charity Workers in general you have a problem with.
I still haven’t forgotten my lost subscription when your magazine Ein Gwlad suddenly finished. Ironically the exact same thing happened to me with the Cambria Magazine.
Delyth Jewell may, as you suggest, have more of a contribution to make than I had first suspected. Time alone will tell. And it is not female charity workers per se that I have a problem with, it’s the third sector that irks me. That a wholly disproportionate percentage of those running these third sector bodies is women, and that too many of them have come over the border because the ‘Welsh Government’ is a soft touch, and that so many are pally with Deryn, this is what pisses me off.
Though I was told the best speech came from Eddie Butler.
Of greater concern is your lost subscription. I shall of course immediately convene a meeting of the trustees, and I have no doubt that – once the shock has worn off – instructions will be sent to our Swiss bankers to refund you, with interest. All we need is your bank account details, including of course passwords and pin numbers.
I remain, sir, etc., etc.
Diolch yn fawr am ddwyn goleuni ar lawer iawn o bethau sydd yn digwydd ym mywyd Cenedlaethol Cymru, yn enwedig yn absenoldeb unrhyw newyddiadura arall o werth yn ein gwlad. Mae’ch cyfraniad yn amhrisiadwy a credaf mai gwirionedd ydyw. Diolch hefyd am y dyfal doncio, er y bwlio cyhoeddus sydd yn digwydd lawer gormod gan ein gwleidyddion a’u ‘cronies’.
If Wales were independent, would the electorate vote for the same politicians? (no one forces them to vote that way now). If so, why would their being independent enable them to do a better job? It would mean they were roughly £12 billion a year worse off- about 20 per cent of Welsh GDP. Quite a gap to make up. I don’t think cutting payments to the third sector would do it – it might close a 24th of the gap. Your correspondents are strong on the rhetoric and the indignation but their grip on reality seems a bit tenuous.
It’s great when you expose individual instances of malfeasance, corruption and incompetence. More power to you. Your efforts to theorise about the bigger reasons for what you find, well those need a bit of work.
Name me a European or Asian country that has achieved independence in the past 50 years that is poorer than it was pre-independence.
You are probably working off the old basis that Wales would continue shelling out proportionately on the kind of vanity projects and grandiose schemes so favoured by the London centric mob. Getting rid of them and their baggage would be a major gain. Also many of the stats are distorted by large corporate entities remitting and reporting tax at locations in England although some of that take relates to wages and salaries earned in Wales. A new nation state cutting its cloth and sticking to priorities reflecting real world needs is far more likely to emerge with a manageable national debt. Anyway the way UK is going with all its grand schemes it will be something worth getting out of before it sinks in its own muck.
Check out this quote from some joker using the name Purusha earlier today in the comments section BTL a story about an Asian doctor’s experience of racism in Scotland
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/22/patient-racist-remarks-nhs
“Purusha > the_carrot
Wales? Don’t believe it. Many of the Welsh minority are racist towards English people more than any other group. I speak from experience.”
Sadly they were closed for comments before I could get on there to deafen him with my bit of bile about the anger caused by AngloBrit supremacists. Point being that these little snippets often go unchallenged when the main debate is on another topic. Guardian that oasis of tolerance is nearly as bad as Guido for harbouring AngloBrit cnuts.
For those on here who have not yet subscribed to post notifications from our News Portal.
Here’s a link to the latest article . It should be of interest to anyone following this thread.
https://eingwlad.wales/NewsPortal/index.php/2019/01/20/the-politically-correct-bully-boy-world/
What these jumped-up excuses we call politicians fail to grasp is that anyone who comes up through the Third Sector knows less about the economy and business than a self-employed taxi driver or a self-employed window cleaner.
Leanne Wood only knows one thing – that not only do all political careers end in failure, but some – such as hers, were never a success to start with. Challenged for leadership by two lack-lustre candidates and she comes third. Good job no-one else stood or she’d have come fourth.
Leanne’s comment seemed to have a lot of support from the usual twee British #FBPE Guardianista crowd and sadly loads of new wave SNP supporters with literally no knowledge of Wales and the issues we face here.
Perhaps she should focus on issues that matter to Welsh people?
Yes, I noticed that. I would guess that most of the support came from outside of Wales, from feminists/LGBT/green/Remain/soft left circles. The kind of people who’ve seen LW on TV hugging Nicola Sturgeon and the Green woman and think she’s wonderful. Therefore, anybody she attacks, or anybody who attacks her, must be an absolute bastard.
It’s the kind of ‘support’ that was impossible before the age of social media. And it’s dangerous, because as you say, a lot of people who know nothing of Wales will wade and support her for the reasons I’ve given. ‘I’ve seen her on the telly’.
I’ve found it quite entertaining the last week looking at the social media accounts of a number of the more vituperative posts aimed at Jac, as I’m sure others might have too. So besides Jac’s excellent analysis of where Leanne’s support came from, you should also include those who have bread put onto their plates through working in the Third Sector in Wales. There’s certainly more than a few from there, possibly peeved at this blog’s regular exposure of the Welsh disease Oh and I shouldn’t forget the insane either because if half of those I looked at are playing with a full deck then I’ve been too long in this world.
Stan – Quite evident that all of the resonance Leanne is gaining from her presence/abuse on social media is from the affluent metrocentrics of Cardiff and London.
None is from Rhondda. In her constituency she has three areas of support (a) the solid traditional support at the top of the Fawr, Treochy area, (2) the Jill Evans patch of Plaid vote in mid Rhondda of Ystrad and Llwynypia built up by Jill rather than Leanne, (c) the community campaigns which swing Labour voters to Plaid, like the Nant Tip in 99, the Penygraig paddling pool, and the Wattstown school. This vote is volatile, and has not consolidated.
I therefore predict that due to her abandonment, she will lose the Rhondda seat at the next elections. She will need to top the regional list to scoop up the Cardiff intelligentsia as a scrape-in for South Wales Central to remain as an AM.
An important factor in the Brexit referendum is that the only constituency seat held by Plaid Cymru which also voted Leave is the Rhondda. Voters not happy with their lot voted for Leanne against Labour. They also voted against the status-quo by voting leave. She appears to be ignoring this dynamic. Courting the posh metrocentrics is a kiss of death for a Rhondda AM.
A bit like South Wales West. Bethan “take a husbands surname feminist” Jenkins AM can get a few votes from Swansea academics but an ethnic scarf and a Cardiff film festival will never win the Neath constituency. You know the kind of turf and what cuts the mustard. Plaid Cymru are in a retreat of their own making. In their nature or have they been seduced by Bae Bistros?
A great deal of the Twitter support Leanne Wood got for her “arsehole” tweet came from Scotland. Which initially surprised me. But when I thought about it I concluded that these are obviously Scottish nationalists who’ve seen her on TV hugging Nicola Sturgeon and concluded that she’s Wales’s equivalent, which of course she’s not.
Putting it all together you realise that Leanne Wood’s ‘popularity’ and ‘influence’ owes a lot to being linked, via social media, with assorted feminist / leftist / LGBT / nationalist / ‘People’s Vote’ / anti-Trump / ‘Jac o’ the North is a bastard’ networks.
But as you ask, how much support for that platform is there in the Valleys and Swansea Bay? Very little outside of vocal minorities disproportionately represented on social media, reinforcing the impression of Leanne Wood’s influence and support.
Royston, I’m a leftie and a poof, for that matter, but I simply can’t see anything to disagree with in your writings. You do a great job, more power, elbows etc.
Thank you Gruff, I really appreciate that.
Was that the first guy to come out on your site Jac ? If so you can bet those sweeties over in Plaid & Deryn will find something soooo wrong with it.
Proves a point though, no amount of posturing preening pseudosocialists can match the impact of one good guy. Keep it up your reputation & fame is spreading. Amazing what being called all sorts of rude names can do for your standing in society.
On a lighter note Jac, your tweet re “latte levy”. I’m all for it as long as these weirdos don’t whack any more tax on my beer and my red wine. They can tax a metroliberal pansy drink as much as they like. About time those silly salon types paid their share of costs of all those daft ideas that come from them.
The point I was trying to make was that the ‘Welsh Government’ refuses to tackle the major issues but is always attracted to gimmicks that get a lot of publicity but achieve fuck all in the great scheme of things.
Seems Ms Jewel was second on the list and Mr Copner third on the list to replace the sadly lost Wales south east Plaid cymru A M. Ms Jewel was second on the list at the insistence of the central party not any local democratic selection process. Mr Copner, who ran a brilliant campaign in Blaenau Gwent and almost won the seat might have made a better AM than Ms Jewel. He certainly has a lot of support and potential votes in the south east. The rules say the next in line gets to replace a vacancy, but, they could have been put aside in the interest of the nation and party. Ms Jewel was publicised as the replacement in an insensitive manner before the funeral of the late A M. Mr Copner has left Plaid Cymru in disgust at his treatment by Plaid Cymru.
Copner ? now there’s a good signing for Ein Gwlad in a part of the country where a guy like Copner would do a lot for EG’s profile.
It’s receiving our attention Dafis!
The only fly in the ointment is that in his resignation letter on social media he disclosed that he was leaving because Plaid was too pro-independence! A bit of sorting out required there.
Yes Gwilym. I don’t think he’s quite thought it through enough. He may get there at some point.
Fingers crossed, he’s an impressive guy. Hopefully he’s open minded and receptive to reasoned logic. I can’t go into details here – but it’s a work in progress.
The eastern valleys are the forgotten lands. They seem ripe for attention.
Check out this link for Prof. Copner:
https://www.southwales.ac.uk/business-services/our-stories/professor-nigel-copner-faculty-computing-engineering-science/
I don’t know if I’m quite using the correct terminology but I’m not too keen on being too ideological. He has reasoned that now isn’t the time to fight for independence. He may be open to reasoned argument rather than ideology.
I can remember Adam Price arguing that health needs to be 100% free at the point of care so you can be a millionaire and not have to pay for a prescription in Wales. To me that’s being ideological and allowing it to take over from common sense. If you know what I mean…..
No Nigel Copner stated he resigned from Plaid Cymru because he didn’t support Independence for Wales – someone who’s opposed to Welsh indy would hardly be a coup for Ein Gwlad Dafis.
Plaid Cymru doesn’t support independence either, so I don’t see the problem.
“Plaid Cymru believe in an independent Wales with full membership of and a seat at the United Nations”…think that’s supporting independence Jac. Nigel Copner’s resignation statement is on his facebook page Dafis.
I don’t use facebook, but have since found coverage on National Left
Actually, Nigel Copner stated that Plaid needed to be in power first and then put the case of independence. So, he isn’t really against independence just not at this time since the little control we have had over our destiny has been an economic disaster ie The Assembly. Of course, we all know that devolution was never meant to be a success. So I do disagree with him here. I think we need independence before we can get our house in order. But what do I know….?
I didn’t know that he said that, in fact I thought I saw a quote that he was unhappy with the Party’s lack of commitment in that direction. Can someone flash a link of his actual statement on here ?
I repeat ….YOU (plural) NEED HELP !
Thank you, Dai, keeping taking the tablets.
Blimey. Another very late night post from Dai but this time it’s actually intelligible. Those tablets must be doing the trick!
I see that the only person to ‘like’ Phillips ‘Neanderthal prick’ comment is a certain Mari Arthur. What have you done to upset all these Plaid people Jac? 🙂
It’s a talent I have . . . for telling the truth.
This is the same Mari Arthur campaigning to save the planet and promoting the “new wraps” from Cater Natur, a Cardiff buffet van who supply the Senedd. It’s made from Yellow corn (imported from the United States) and sweet chilli (from China) with hummus (from Turkey), mango chutney (from Bangladesh), salad and sweet potato pakoras (from Mexico). Perhaps the next time she is in Carmarthenshire she might want to look out of her mams window and see the sheep on the hill and the cows in the valley. Apparently the ‘Veganuary’ she is promoting specifically demonises beef as being bad for the planet due the amount of water it takes to produce. Note – It’s now been raining around Trimsaran for the last nine days.
Keep up the good fight Jac. You are spot on with this third sector blight in Wales. Plaid as always have taken the path of least resistance and emulated Labour’s rush to fill their snouts in this particular trough.Another example of how this ‘partnership’ between Labout and Plaid has been a disaster for Wales.
That report about bullying in the third sector also shows what a cesspit it all is, all under the guise of being virtuous and principled. Similar to all these plaid keyboard warriors who have shown their own bullying mentality in their ridiculous responses to you.
‘Mae’r gwir yn lladd’ as the old Welsh saying goes.
Perhaps this is a good time to quote from a ‘paper’ published at a time when Plaid Cymru had more MPs in the Westminster House than the SNP.
“Plaid has concentrated on using phrases such as ‘elected Welsh assembly’, ‘self government for Wales’, ‘independent voice for Wales’, ‘responsible self government’, ‘independent small nation’, ‘full national status’, ‘full political status’ and ‘a Wales governed democratically by a Welsh parliament’. Nowhere in the recent party literature, in interviews and statements from party officials is the term “state” or “independence” being used, a fact that appears to be a conscious choice considering how frequent such usage is by the SNP, and how abundant the opportunity would be for Plaid to do so.” – Thomas Christiansen, University of Maastricht, February 1995.
This not only explains why the SNP has been manifestly more successful than Plaid Cymru to the extent of being pivotal in such issues as Brexit and now has electoral majority on its patch. It also explains why Plaid Cymru has descended into a cabal of bitching navel gazers, single issue obsessives, twitter bombers, self enrichment oligarchs in the third sector and, in essence, the chambermaids of the British Labour Party.
The word is INDEPENDENCE (English) ANNIBYNIAETH (Cymraeg) ONAFHANKELIJKHEID (Dutch, as Mr Christiansen would use). Why is Plaid Cymru so reluctant to use this word?
Delyth?
It’s difficult to know when and how this happened.The Plaid Cymru I joined in the mid-1960s was for independence or ‘dominion status’. But I suspect that in the mid-1980s, when DET was running the show, that the objective changed; other things also changed, like the move to the left, and ‘reaching out’ to Greens and others.
I also read with horror about her selection – but no surprise. Despite all the caring rhetoric none of the Party seem to see it fit to criticise the very light sentence given to Simon Thomas. Do none of them care about the abused kids? Who influenced sentencing? That might be a good article. By the way I am a ‘leftie’ so please do not tar us all with the same brush, just like I will not tar all ‘righties’ as fascists. Another interesting point is when you consider how much EU ‘structural funds’ ended up in the 3rd Sector. Not the fault of the EU but of the national (local) politicians who seemed to be enthralled (or related) to these organisations.
I agree that not all ‘lefties’ are the same, but it’s difficult to think of a snappy label that describes the ones I’m criticising and is immediately understood. I shall give it some thought.
Do you have any suggestions as to who might have influenced Simon Thomas’s sentencing?
I have never blamed the EU for the funding ending up in the third sector. From having dealt with WEFO myself, and having studied where the money went, the political connections become obvious. It used be possible to go to the WEFO website and search for funded projects by name and location, but now you need so much information that, effectively, you need to know the answers before you can ask the question?
Regarding the lenient sentence, I heard 3 AMs provided character reference. Do not know who manipulated that he did not appear in Crown Court.
To his credit Andrew RT Davies wouldn’t be one of them. He was reported to be writing to the CPS and the Attorney General about the leniency of the sentence but also querying as to how Thomas’ case came to be dealt with at the Magistrates Court. I have assumed the character references were provided by fellow PC AMs. Maybe by someone with previous experience of working in the Probation Service and with offenders? But come to think of it wouldn’t Mark Drakeford fall into that category?
And yesterday or recently Leanne is out complaining that people [men?] are getting away with it and holding women back with their harassment.
Maybe she should look at how Simon Thomas has lenient sentencing [free to go home] and Rene Kinzett gets jail time [not free to go home]. From what I have read it appears to have been a similar [or even same] offence?
Maybe Leanne will come out and say the same thing about such offences? But its wimmin issues see – more important than childrens issues?
Third Sector + International Development = Criminality
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/twin-brothers-jailed-450k-gift-aid-fraud/finance/article/1460562
“Bullying is an intrinsic part of the the Third Sector, they are organisations that act as a magnet for bullies.”…Anonymous.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jan/17/oxfam-failed-to-address-sexual-misconduct-and-bullying-finds-review
Was it George Bernard Shaw that said: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach, and those who can’t teach commit charity fraud.”
PS…… Don’t let intellectually challenged Plaid Am’s get to you with hurty words. I think Leanne Wood is a narcissistic fat stupid cow but I would never go on social media and express my intimate thoughts about her.
PPS….Isn’t Llinos Price also on the international development bandwagon?
FFS…..The Senedd has become a circus and the main attraction are the snorty squealers with their noses in the trough.
PFFS…..The phrase “very sad” comes to mind when thinking about the Senedd. Let’s not be quelled by a submission mentality, let us rise, let the phrase “electoral revolution” ring out through the land!
There must be an alternative for our country. The Senedd is a fledgling institution (albeit occupied at present by treacherous faux nationalists) let the electorate unite and say to these apostate faux nationalists; FFS!….. GO!!!
Well said Jac. Leanne Wood, while leader, should have turned her attention to the real issues facing Wales. She was a disastrous leader and should now take a back seat and leave it to others to try and rebuild the party; although certain defections to Ein Gwlad would be welcome. Their role, as opposition party, is to hold the government to account.
As for the third sector, I totally agree with your position. Are Plaid supporters unable to see the bigger picture.
I was going to mention in the article that the last few years have been very ‘testing’ for someone of her political outlook, what with Brexit, Trump, the left in retreat from Belarus to Brasil, and in her personal life, getting hammered in the Plaid leadership contest. But I thought, ‘No need to be personal, Jac’.
Wynne I agree!
You can add to the list that the third sector in Wales is a hotbed of workplace bullying largely unchallenged by the Welsh establishment no matter the ruined lives that it causes https://workplacebullyingwales.wordpress.com
That makes worrying reading, the biggest worry being that it’s nothing out of the ordinary for the third sector.
I voted for devolution in 1997 – so that elected Welsh politicians would directly tackle the problems of Wales. It was an exciting time where the power passed from the Tory Quangocrats to the people. I had a faith that even a Labour AM holding an economic brief would do a better job than the Chairman of the Monaco Conservatives (who was in charge of the WDA at the time). The devolved settlement meant that AMs would be able to act in areas like Health, Housing, Economic Development and Poverty but the AMs have virtually outsourced these areas of policy to the Third Sector. I agree with your position. Wales is now a Labour Cronycrat state with a thin veneer of democracy. This process has been insidious -It means that Labour cronies will still pull the strings if Labour ever lose power in the Senedd. I wish Labour were as ambitious for the Welsh people as they are for their members and hangers on.
The newer AMs seem to be cut from the same cloth – They have either worked in the third sector or have reached the top of the university- researcher- politician ladder. The AMs are a different breed from the people who elect them. Just as in 1997 – the Welsh political landscape is ripe for a radical change. If this situation goes on – The Senedd is heading towards abolition. The European referendum is a shot across the bows of devolution. Our stats are worse now than before devolution and I hope the Bay bubble listen and learn before it is too late.
The ‘Welsh’ Assembly, like every other such body, is supposed to be representative of the people of the country it claims to represent – all areas, all classes, all opinions, all interests, all forms of employment and business, etc. But it fails miserably.
Labour and Plaid used to laugh at Andrew R T Davies, the former Tory leader, but at least he hadn’t been a spad, or a third sector operative, he was a working farmer, with business experience, who understood the value of money. Maybe that’s why they laughed at him – he was from the real world, of real people, with real concerns, not contrived ‘issues’ that can be latched onto, exaggerated, and made into a career.
It appears strange that Leanne Wood AM has spent so much effort into combating social media bullying, she now goes on to publish twitter messages calling a Welsh voter an ‘arsehole’. Besides the crass hypocrisy, as I understand it this is a clear violation of the standards required by Plaid Cymru of their elected representatives but also a clear contempt of the standards in public office required by her position as a member in the Senedd. Perhaps the Assembly Commission should look at it, or she might want to consider a formal apology.
Your point about ‘bullying’ is taken, I think I mention it. What I found really strange was that she ‘answered’ me even though I hadn’t addressed anything to her.
That’s the hypocrisy of the Left writ large – what she wrote about you is far ruder and more aggressive than anything that you wrote about Delyth Jewell, and yet no-one raises an eyelid. One rule for them, another for the rest of us.
Since she put up her tweet I’ve had a number of hostile and abusive follow-ups, many from people who are obviously not in Wales and know little of Wales. It’s as if Leanne Wood is connected to some Soft Left International, which seems to be dominated by women, and is called into action when one of its luminaries is challenged – though of course I said nothing about Wood herself!
What precisely is the channel for presenting a formal complaint as a member of the public? Y Cynulliad should be interested in a member breaching any rules – some recent cases of Elin being “cross” with likes of Bennett. As for Plaid codes of conduct it will need Plaid member to present a complaint which would probably mean a trip into the long grass and suspension for gross temerity !!!
Any advice ?
http://standardscommissionerwales.org/making-a-complaint
I’ve retrieved this info and it looks pretty straight forward although the good knight may see fit to process it into his personal shredder ! However does anyone have previous experience of writing one and if so is there a sound template available to ensure that I max out on the impact of the complaint.
Jac As I do not subscribe to Twitter etc I am not likely to be able to retrieve all offending material. I am thinking particularly of the shit slung by others, possibly acting in concert especially if all that bile started flowing after Ms Wood’s initial attack. Would you be able to furnish copies/links etc in due course, when obviously the standards commissioner is likely to ask for evidence.
I’m off in a moment to do some shopping ere the snow engulfs us, but upon my return I shall dig out some gems for you.
Why do so many of those abusive posters who take aim at Jac have account profiles wherein they are cwtched up to a cat, or sometimes a dog? That’s the men by the way. And why do both sexes change their profile photos so often? I’m confused but clearly nowhere near as confused as they are!
By the way, I forgot to say good article, Jac. Sums up Wales’ problems to a T.
Thank you, Stan. I had to get it off my chest, and clarify a few things.
Shortly after Leanne Wood lied to me, prior to the last election in Llanelli where she falsely claimed that imposing a candidate against the will of the local party was merely ‘an administrative matter’ yet the truth was a ‘preferred candidate’ had been imported and imposed, (subsequently confirmed as a pre-meditated coup), a slanging match ensued. Wanting to find out what the score was, I made the effort to attend a presentation by the then campaigns director of the Plaid.
That person was Adam Price. Adams presentation, was of course, 100% correct.
He said that negativity and name calling on social media was counter productive, resonates only with a small circle of known associates and most importantly alienates those from which who you seek to garner support in the wider community. Most damagingly it provides ammunition to the opposition. I am quite confident the phrase ‘arsehole’ falls into the negative category that Adam so eloquently identified. Now that he is party leader, perhaps he appointed Leanne Wood as the case example?
Leanne should remember such abuse was unacceptable in the Pen y Graig sixth form common room. It certainly isn’t acceptable as an attendee at the Senedd. Sadly I note that such abuse is currently fashionable in circles of prosecco sipping faux feminist poseurs of posh wine bars in the Bae. An environment which she has become so accustomed.
Best of luck with the standards commissioner Dafis.
That’s a good point about negativity and name calling on social media being counter-productive. I’d like to think that the natural inclination of most people is to defend victims of bullying and harassment, no matter what their politics or beliefs. Now Jac and Neil McEvoy, for example, strike me as more than capable of fighting their corner, but the level of personal abuse I have witnessed directed at both has been shocking. It’s the nature of social media and the internet, isn’t it? Most people, on a one to one situation would never dare think of abusing Jac or Neil or anyone else in the manner they behave on social media. Every one of us, and I include myself in that, should perhaps have this at the front of our minds as we bang out a post or message because once you’ve pressed that Send key it’s often too late to have second thoughts. Are you listening, Leanne?
Here’s another one I’ve just found, it’s from Mark Phillips, former chair and now treasurer of Plaid Cymru. I am a “neanderthal prick”.
Well his Twitter account may say he’s tweeted in a personal capacity but surely such vile unwarranted personal abuse by the Treasurer of PC should have repercussions for his position. The hypocrisy of these vile individuals knows no bounds when they then sit in judgment on Neil McEvoy. That bloke Phillips brags about being a grandfather. Ought to be fucking ashamed of himself.
May I point out that both Jac and Bertwyn are 5% neanderthal and 95% denisovan.
This applies to most races of homo-sapiens. It was proved in the human speciation genome mapping of 2014. It is noted, however, that Bertwyn has utilised an ignorant racial slur first exemplified by Dr Josef Mengele of the German National Socialist Party in 1934 to falsely theorise, in that year, that Jews and Negroes were of a neanderthal cross-breed, a slur indicative of inferior intelligence, which was utilised at that time to denigrate.
Both these people categorised their opponents as neanderthal..
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Mengele
Bertwyn
I suggest that the treasurer of Plaid Cymru should clarify his assertion, or issue a personal apology.