Jac o' the North

Senedd Elections 2026: Picking Through The Bones

Jac — Tue, 12 May 2026 08:45:31 +0000

Where to start? A truly momentous result. But will it make much difference? Join me as I ramble through the results. ◊ THE VOTING SYSTEM Let’s start with the widespread and growing feeling that the party list system, in 16 vast constituencies, was a mistake, and one that must not be repeated. But how did …

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Who Ya Gonna Vote For?

Jac — Sun, 03 May 2026 13:30:18 +0000

Well, we’re almost there. Thank God! Because this has been the most uninspiring and negative election in the history of devolution. Never have so many deadbeats, activists posing as ‘journalists’, party hacks, and nut-jobs, wasted their time trying to rouse a people who’ve just lost interest. ◊ RUNNERS AND RIDERS IN HEAVY GOING This election …

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Any, Any, Any Old Iron?

Jac — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:30:23 +0000

A bit of a departure, this one. And certainly not what I advertised last Saturday. Though that element does figure in this bigger picture. Rather than focus exclusively on Bute’s windfarm plans in Wales, the infiltration of the Welsh political class (especially, but not exclusively, the Labour party), or alleged links to those who sent …

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Looking Ahead To Senedd Elections

Jac — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:00:46 +0000

In this piece I shall look towards the May 7 Senedd elections. Rather than delve into party manifestos, or expose the peccadillos of individual candidates, I’m adopting a broad brush approach. Impressions and perhaps even informed generalisations. Digressions guaranteed, but not without a touch of whimsy and a few doses of ironic humour. This offering …

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Caveat Emptor!

Jac — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:06 +0000

Over the past year I’ve written a few times about companies in Wales profiting from the UK government’s ECO4 scheme, through cavity wall insulation, solar panels, heat pumps, etc. Most recently, I’ve had to write about one of these companies going belly-up leaving dissatisfied customers; either suffering from poor workmanship that needed remedial work, or …

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The Windward-Bute Empire, Fresh Insights

Jac — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:00:47 +0000

I had something else planned to go out on Monday, but I’ve held it back in light of fresh information I’ve received about the activities of Bute Energy. Information that raises wider considerations. ◊ INTRODUCTION Let me start with an apology. I’ve been writing about Bute’s activities in Wales for seven or eight years. This …

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Labour Apparatchiks Associated With Bute Energy Arrested In China Spy Probe

Jac — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:00:22 +0000

You must know what this is about. But in case you’ve been sleeping for a week . . . three men, with close ties to the ‘Welsh’ Labour party, were arrested last Wednesday “on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service“. They were released on bail the following day. ◊ WHO’S INVOLVED? The first, is …

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Devolution Is Cardiff Council On Stilts

Jac — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:00:50 +0000

To explain the title . . . Back in the 1960s and 1970s, when there was any talk of a Welsh Parliament, Home Rule, or devolution, one of the arguments used against the idea was that such a creation would just be “Glamorgan County Council on stilts“. The implication being that other parts of Wales …

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The Latest Enviro-scam – ‘Celtic Rainforests’

Jac — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:00:39 +0000

I ended last week’s piece on the purchase by Tir Natur of land in the Elenydd, the beautiful ‘wilderness’ between Lampeter and Llanwrtyd, by saying that I was waiting for further information on what was planned to have been the second part of that offering. Well, I’ve since had a response from the self-styled ‘Welsh …

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Land Of Our Fathers, But Not Our Children

Jac — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:00:30 +0000

This post is about what’s described as “Wales’ largest rewilding site“. I suspect it’s about more than ‘rewilding’. Because there’s usually big money involved with ‘environmental’ schemes nowadays. ◊ TIR NATUR: WHO’S WHO? I’ve written about this outfit a few times in recent years. But to get you started, here’s the Tir Natur website, and …

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