We know each other as far as what we write here.
We don’t agree about being pro or con the EU, that’s not the issue though. When it comes to forming our overall opinion of the EU the proven EU actions on minority languages should be an issue in the pro EU column for both of us.
Issues you put in the con column clearly outweigh this particular pro but that doesn’t alter the fact that the EU’s support of indigenous minority languages is something good the EU does.

You have settled for the pro EU story being trotted out, may indeed be part of the crowd who think that the EU will save us from something worse, like domination by our big neighbour ! Some hope.
Take a long hard look at yourself and you may find your silly little quip about “closed minds” relates to yourself far better than to others you don’t really know.

“So no conflict for me. ”
Only because you either ignore evidence that undermines the basis for your opinion or you interpret the contradictory evidence as being part of some distraction strategy. It’s a textbook example of a closed mind in (in)action..

Daffy2012 – although I was one of the many who appreciated Rhodri Morgan distancing Wales from the excesses of Blair, whilst he was FM I wrote again and again and again to people in authority with evidence of terrible things happening in the north Wales NHS, including criminal activity. I was ignored. Brian Gibbons, the Health Minister appointed on Rhodri’s watch, wrote me a letter saying ‘this correspondence is closed’ when I told him that I had evidence of staff abusing patients and breaking the law. The barrel of shit that finally exploded on Carwyn’s watch should have been and could have been dealt with many years earlier. I had enough documentary evidence to have had some of the staff and managers prosecuted. The one person who did try and help was to be fair Edwina Hart. She faced an all out hate campaign from the BMA – who were fully complicit with the wrongdoing – and was moved from her post. Presumably by Rhodri. Rhodri could and should have investigated my claims and had he done that fifteen years ago the Betsi Health Board would not be the irretrievable train crash that it is now. I was not basing my allegations upon rumour or speculation – there were witness statements and incriminating documents signed by NHS staff. God knows where Rhodri’s head was at the time – and as far as Gibbons was concerned, I’m afraid that only the word ‘corrupt’ describes his actions.

These people involved are the ‘public’.

There is no law against riding a horse on a public highway, especially the remote rural lanes that would be used. For this purpose all riders should obtain their own personal accident insurance, most do, whether hunting or not, but it is not compulsory. What is compulsory is insurance of motor vehicles, usually the liable party in any accident likely to occur.

as I have said earlier, on numerous occasions, I have an hostility, suspicion, all sorts of negative feelings about these supranational bodies that purport to be there for the greater good. So no conflict for me.

As for FN, I have not had occasion to be enthused about it or its leadership. Much like the USA, France has found itself lumbered with a pretty lousy range of choices, and when it comes to the issue touched upon above none of them have ever earned much corn for standing up for indigenous minorities.

@ dafis
Try telling that to the French government never mind the Front National .

The charter would make France provide speakers of regional languages with the legal and institutional means to ensure the survival of their cultural heritage and for example make it possible for parents to have their children study regional languages and have legal documents be published in them. France still hasn’t ratified it and the Front National described the charter as an attack against France.

Spain has ratified the charter and suggesting that the charter doesn’t assist the Catalans and Basques is based on what evidence?

You appear not to understand the difference between “policy” and the implications for EU member states of signing and ratifying the charter. I suggest you do some research.
If your definition of “progressive” includes protecting and promoting indigenous minority languages then there is irrefutable evidence that the EU is “progressive” on this issue and that some EU member states are not “progressive”. Given your views on the EU that is inconvenient for you but that’s your problem..

Exactly dafis – an ‘idealist policy’ – dust in the eyes.

The hunts cross public roads and public land.

Myfanwy – hope that Jac doesn’t mind me replying to your ‘off the thread’ comment. For the last six months I have been blogging about the serious problems in the mental health services in North Wales – the history of these problems is bound up with the State’s attempts to conceal the paedophile ring that is now known to have caused havoc in north Wales in the 70s, 80s and 90s. I have interviewed many people and gained access to court papers and other original documents. I’m sorry to say that ALL political parties are utterly compromised regarding this matter, which is no doubt why every new ‘inquiry’ into the north Wales child abuse ring results in a redacted report or a cover up. Scores of lawyers, judges, ‘expert witnesses’ and politicians undoubtedly concealed what was going on – the real problems seemed to have been at the very top of Thatcher’s Government in the 80s. At that time the Welsh Office had both a crooked lawyer in its legal dept – one Andrew Park – and a crooked Medical Ombudsman, Professor Robert Owen. They concealed criminal activity at the North Wales Hospital and at Ysbyty Gwynedd – people from the north Wales children’s homes were being sectioned by psychiatrists employed in those institutions. Both the psychiatrists involved were networked with a number of Plaid politicians. Of course Thatcher’s chums in the Welsh Office were networked into a different group of even more powerful people. Labour does not escape – the north Wales lot were networked into London boroughs such as Islington/Haringey and Lambeth – those councils/services were being run by people like Ken Livingstone, Margaret Hodge and Tessa Jowell. And of course Harriet Harman, Jack Dromey, Henry Hodge and Patricia Hewitt were all involved with NCCL (now known as ‘Liberty’) when PIE were busy associating with them. There were also links to the mental health charity MIND. There are links to a number of LibDem politicians as well. I am prepared to believe that some of these politicians were duped – but some undoubtedly knew damn well what was going on and knew that their political careers would be sunk if any of it ever got out. If you are interested in following all this up further, I have blogged extensively about it, named the people involved and presented the evidence on my site ‘Service Shenanigans’ (or you can find it by googling drsallybaker, you’ll soon get there…)