On this blog I have consistently argued that I want Wales to operate less like a colonial possession and more like countries run by politicians who prioritise the material well-being of the people in those countries.
The so-called ‘Welsh Government’ clearly thinks I’m asking for too much. For it continues to encourage and facilitate the exploitation of our homeland by foreign companies and other agencies.
Methods now being employed to disguise the nature of the beast include a veneer of Welsh involvement. And it is no more than a veneer. An expensive veneer, because it’s often paid for from the Welsh public purse.
Another way of thinking about this ‘veneer’ is to view it as the classic variant of colonialism that allows members of a native elite to profit from the plundering of their country and its resources. It both buys their loyalty and disguises the colonialism.
◊
ON LAND
This is what I’ve been reporting with Bute Energy, that multi-headed monster that emerged from nowhere, with no background in renewables, and no Welsh connection, but which is now hoping to erect 20 wind farms in Wales.
Explained here in, ‘Corruption Is Such An Ugly Word . . . But I Can’t Think Of Anything Else To Call It!’
Bute set up a totally superfluous ‘Welsh Advisory Board’ in order to provide sinecures for redundant Labour MEP Derek Vaughan, and John Uden, partner of Labour MS Jenny Rathbone.
The only ‘advice’ Bute expected from this Board was to be told who they should see to get things done. Better still, to hear, ‘Leave it to me, I’ll have a word with ———-‘.
It stinks. But it didn’t end there.
Winner of the Farley’s Rusks Chubby Cheeks Competition 1986, and later spad to the Labour mighty, David James Taylor, also had his snout firmly in the Bute trough. Though his membership of linked Grayling Capital LLP ended in September, after the spotlight fell on him.
But Taylor still has shares in Windward Enterprises Ltd, the owner of Bute Energy Ltd, which in turn owns the 20 companies, one for each of the proposed wind farms. These shares are held in his own name and that of his company, Moblake Associates Ltd.
The lucre from his association with Bute seems to have been shovelled to his company Moblake Ltd, from which Taylor then paid himself £605,872 in roughly three years. This was done in the form of ‘loans’ that don’t need to be repaid!
Taylor’s latest venture, also based at 69 Lambeth Walk, is Earthcott Ltd. Set up just before he quit Grayling Capital. Unsurprisingly, this new company is also in the flim-flam and door-opening business.
So we have a company, Bute Energy, and its associated entities, hoping to make a lot of money out of Wales. Perhaps for the minimal outlay of 20 planning applications. Which I’m sure Bute believes will be waived through.
And as I suggested last week with Bute Energy Selling Wales For Danegeld? Bute may already have made a pile from whatever agreement has been reached with Danish investors.
Now it’s time to move offshore, so don your oilskins and adopt a jaunty nautical stance. (But anyone attempting Robert Newton impersonations will be keelhauled!)
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ALL AT SEA
It may have escaped your notice, but Wales has vibrant offshore wind and wave industries. Or at least, that’s what we’re being told.
Though the offshore wind turbines seem limited thus far to the north coast. Which presumably means they’re the profitable responsibility of the Crown Estate. (Devolved in Scotland but not in Wales.)
Which is why I was surprised that the Welsh National Marine Plan – produced by the ‘Welsh Government’ late in 2019 – only mentioned the Crown Estate in passing. Almost as if the ‘Welsh Government’ wants us to believe that Gwynt y Môr and the other arrays are all their own work, with the benefits accruing to Wales.
It should go without saying – this being Wales – that these offshore wind farms are all foreign-owned. Keeping to this template, the latest array proposed, Awel y Môr, will be owned by German company RWE.
But it’s not just wind turbines fixed to the sea bed that Corruption Bay encourages. There are also plans for floating turbines, and wave energy.
Which is a cue for us to head down to Pembrokeshire, where we find Mor Glas Wind Farm Ltd (16.08.2021) and Mor Gwyrdd Wind Farm Ltd (ditto) sharing an address in Pembroke Dock.
The directors of both companies are Joseph Geraint Kidd who, to his credit, describes himself as Welsh rather than British on Companies House documents; and Niamh Kenny, who is Irish.
Kidd has had a number of other companies to his name, among them Venn Associates Ltd (13.06.2019). We’ll return in a moment to Venn and Niamh Kenny.
Before that, let’s remind ourselves that Pembrokeshire is quite a hot-spot for marine renewables. As I reported here in August 2020 with Wales and envirocolonialism.
Another company hoping to cash in is Cambrian Offshore South West Ltd (09.01.2019). Companies House tells us that the splendidly monikered Diccon Stideford Rogers of Falmouth is the only director. From the same source we learn that a confirmation statement is overdue.
In fact, I’m wondering if this outfit is still afloat, because there seems to have been no activity on the very basic website for over a year.
It would be a pity if Cambrian Offshore sank without trace, because last August the Development Bank of Wales loaned the company £650,000. DBW tried to cover itself with a charge against the assets; though whether Cambrian Offshore has assets to that value is debatable.
Perhaps Diccon’s other companies will chip in.
Sue Barr’s Linkedin page makes no mention of Cambrian Offshore, despite her being described as Managing Director. But it does introduce us to other players. Among them Marine Energy Wales, where we find Joseph Geraint Kidd again, on the Advisory Board. Also the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum.
I wonder how much the locals down there know of these organisations, these wonderful plans? And will they see any benefits?
Let’s return to Joseph Geraint Kidd and Niamh Kenny. As we’ve seen, they are linked through the two companies, Mor Glas Wind Farm Ltd and Mor Gwyrdd Wind Farm Ltd.
But both have fingers in other pies.
Here’s Niamh Kenny’s Linkedin page. The recent appointments listed are:
DP Energy, but we must assume she’s left because she certainly doesn’t figure in the company’s ‘team’.
Also, from January 2021, she’s been a self-employed ‘Renewable Energy Specialist’.
While from May 2021 Niamh Kenny has also been Project Developer at NMK Renewables and SBM Offshore. The first is, presumably, her company, using her initials; while the second is a major Dutch company.
Finally, we see that Niamh Kenny is a partner in Hiraeth Energy. And who could argue with this ‘local benefits’ mission statement:
My initial inquiry established that Hiraeth is a partner in Climate Cymru, a clique of planet savers subsisting on a diet of fully organic public funding. Climate Cymru contains some organisations I regard with suspicion, a few with contempt.
Then I found Hiraeth in glorious isolation as Hiraeth Energy LLP (21.07.2021). That is, Limited Liability Partnership, an opaque arrangement often used to cover up shady dealings. A LLP doesn’t have directors, it has members. Which explains Niamh Kenny’s relationship.
And among the other members of Hiraeth we find the aforementioned Venn of Joseph Geraint Kidd.
There is one Companies House entry for Venn Associates Ltd (13.06.2019) that tells us Kidd is the sole director; but there is another entry that lists, in place of directors, Hiraeth LLP and Afallen LLP.
Hiraeth, we know about, but who or what is Afallen LLP? For Afallen is also listed as a member for Hiraeth LLP. The Afallen website proclaims: “What Wales does today, the world will do tomorrow”.
I hope to God that is just hyperbole, because if it’s a prediction, and anywhere near true, then I’ll seriously consider drinking myself to death.
Can you imagine a world ruled by the kind of duplicitous and incompetent buffoons that inhabit Corruption Bay? No, don’t even think about it!
Companies House tells us that the original partners in Afallen LLP (04.10.2018) were Dr David Owain Clubb, Mari Frances Arthur, and RTRT Consulting Ltd of Penarth. Though Clubb was soon replaced by his company Cymorth Clubb Cyf (05.11.2018). They have of course been recently joined by Kidd’s Venn Associates. It’s all very incestuous.
If the names Clubb and Arthur sound familiar, it’s because . . .
Clubb is the brother of former Plaid Cymru CEO Gareth Clubb. While Arthur caused disruption a few years back when her friends in Plaid HQ imposed her on the winnable Llanelli seat.
This imposition resulted in mass resignations locally and Plaid Cymru handing the seat to Labour. A rum do. Very rum.
So, to sum up: Joseph Geraint Kidd of Pembrokeshire has linked with Niamh Kenny of County Cork who is knowledgeable about offshore renewables. It appears she is also familiar with some big hitters in the business.
Companies that might be interested in Pembrokeshire.
What I presume Ms Kenny does not have is political connections in Wales. Which is where I suggest Afallen comes in.
For Arthur and Clubb are also in the door-opening business. Just like those taken on by Bute Energy. And now, with Labour and Plaid in alliance, well-connected members of both parties can expect to be in demand.
These are the kind of people who flit between politics, third sector, and private companies; providing nothing in the way of public benefit, but always guaranteed publicity from a compliant media and access to their politician friends.
◊
THE FINAL FRONTIER
There was considerable chortling last week at the news Wales has a space programme.
Though let me put your mind at rest in case you’re worrying about Welsh public funding being used to land a non-binary and intersectional party of Wokeonauts on a dreary rock, far, far away . . .
(Though the idea is not without its attractions.)
There is no Welsh space programme. It’s just the Corruption Bay gang trying to put a Welsh spin on orders from London. And not for the first time. Or the last.
Though we could still end up financing a scheme from which we’ll see no benefits.
Let’s look at this scam in greater detail. Starting with the front page from last week’s Cambrian News. Having a couple of comedians accompany the headline is very fitting. We’ll soon meet another.
The CN’s inside pages went for broke. Even giving us a piece by Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for the Economy. (There – what did I promise you!)
Having a Minister for the Economy in Wales is like having a Minister for Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia. Neither’s expected to do much.
From that inside spread you’ll see Llanbedr and Aberporth mentioned. Which should give you a clue as to what we’re really talking about here. But if you’re still struggling . . . it’s drones and missiles, possibly satellites. But dressed up as a ‘space programme’.
I’ve written about Llanbedr a few times. First, here, in Miscellany 15.01.2020 (scroll down to section ‘Llanbedr Airfield’). A week later with Come Fly With Me. And then, in December 2020, it was Lucky Gwynedd – More ‘Investors’ (‘Fly boys’).
Remarkably, a week after that final piece appeared, the loans Snowdonia Aerospace LLP had received from the Secretary of State for Defence and the ‘Welsh Ministers’ over 8 years earlier were paid off.
These loans were made so that Snowdonia Aerospace could lease Llanbedr from its nominal owner – ‘The National Assembly for Wales’. Which means that we paid an English company to lease property from us!
That’s how to run a country!
Though whether any money was really paid is another matter. Perhaps to avoid giving ammunition to a nosey blogger someone thought it best to write off those debts.
Alternatively, it was all a sham, with no money being loaned in the first place, with maybe Llanbedr staying in MoD ownership.
Whatever happened, the key player in this, in the assorted entities involved, the Byzantine dealings, seems to be Lee John Paul. Learn more about him in those earlier posts to which I’ve linked.
It’s reasonable to assume that Paul is well connected with the defence establishment. Otherwise the Ministry of Defence would not have loaned him money or allowed him to use Llanbedr airfield.
For Llanbedr was not Paul’s first venture with former MoD sites in Wales. He was also involved in a company promising to turn RAF Brawdy into a business park.
Brawdy Business Park Ltd gave up the ghost in April 2013 owing a lot of money. Some of it to the Welsh Development Agency.
This whole idea of a ‘spaceport’, and where to locate it, is political. It’s about flying the flag. The Union flag. Which is why a site in SNP-run Scotland beat Llanbedr to the prize.
So what we’re discussing here is at best the consolation prize; and an exercise in turd polishing on the part of the ‘Welsh Government’.
With that in mind, here’s what I think is really happening at Llanbedr . . .
By promising skilled jobs the Ministry of Defence – operating through, or in partnership with, private companies – hopes the ‘Welsh Government’ and Cyngor Gwynedd will cough up funding for a ‘spaceport’.
This, as we highly-trained defence analysts are wont to say, is a load of old bollocks. First, because the reality will just be upgraded drone and missile testing, Second, rural Wales does not have the skills needed, and training is unlikely to be provided.
Then there’d be the security dimension. I remember how RAE Llanbedr operated. All the best jobs went to retired service personal – who’d signed the Official Secrets Act – while cooks and cleaners were recruited locally.
The proof for me that the Llanbedr Spaceport is just a PR exercise lies in other actions by the ‘Welsh Government’.
Because if Llanbedr was going to be Gwynedd’s Cape Canaveral, with thousands of highly-skilled local employees, then Corruption Bay would not have pulled the plug on the planned by-pass.
Somebody’s lying.
As yet, we don’t know the Welsh beneficiaries of this particular fairy tale, but as with renewables and other scams, they will emerge.
♦ end ♦
Way off topic but here we go. Some turd in English media repeated Boris’ glib comment that it would be jolly nice if someone, being Wales or Scotland, should step aside and let Ukraine proceed unchallenged to the finals of the World Cup. If he feels that strongly about it why not advocate that Ukraine be awarded the fuckin’ trophy unchallenged ? If that’s a touch excessive let England stand down and offer its place to Ukraine, after all a gesture on behalf of a nation of over 50 million superior people has far greater moral weight than a gesture from minnows like Wales and Scotland. Apart from which it would relieve the tedium of watching dickheads like Lineker spouting their usual bollox bigging up their white shirted wallies.
More good news – Elin is now a triple PC – Politically Correct Plaid Cymru Privy Councillor. Rejoice, rejoice, the party is now well and truly part of the assimilated establishment, never top drawer of course but handy to have on board when there’s dirty underhanded stuff to be done.
The colonial class is as high as indigenes can rise, but it satisfies most of them.
What about a fourth PC: Pusillanimous Collaborator.
DS – Now into the heady heights ( or depths) of linguistic dexterity. I throw in my towel. Us 2nd language guys can’t handle this kind of advanced vocabulary.
By DS do you mean Dextrous Syntax? 😜
Ah, your alter ego – nom de plume ? …..or is it your real name and David Smith is an identity created for this blog ?
😉
You really do know how to wind me up don’t you ? Went out early this morning and only tuned into matters online about 30 minutes ago. There in your tweet column I find this most offensive piece of news about Julie James pissing over £200 million of public funds away on flood prevention and all the usual suspects will be wailing away that it ain’t nearly enough.
Now the public sector is largely to blame for all this apocalyptic nonsense. They are collectively responsible for handing out planning permissions which :
a) turned flood plains into housing estates and networks of roads
b) wrecked the naturally absorbent wet lands on high ground to make way for wind turbines, their massive concrete bases, access roads and other service conduits.
c) adopted networks of concreted channels as the best practice for managing heavy flows of rainwater. No acknowledgement that letting water flow to earth was any use at all.
And that’s all before we factor in all the other hostile, anti-community levies, restrictions and other inhibitions plastered over business sectors such as native agri-food . Tourism being the notable exception.
Need I go on ? The thick minister who looks like she’s just been salvaged from a raging torrent even in her Sunday best just enjoys playing to the gallery that is addicted to the green gospel and its insane prognoses and remedies. I might just tolerate all this virtue signaling if it came without cost but it gobbles up cash, our cash, at alarming speed. Indeed any crisis however unrelated is now used to justify another mass blow out on public funds. Of course the fact that the collective of morons in London are also hooked on massive wasteful spending on suspect projects is used by our mob down the Bay to justify a bit of local waste to keep pace. It looks like the Barnett formula now works out how much the devolved governments get to piss down the drain as a fixed percentage of central H.Q waste. The concepts of value and efficiency/ effectiveness are completely out of the picture.
I’m going to sit in a darkened room and have a glass of red to calm down. Then I’ll go out and irritate a complacent neighbour for a bit of sport.
No one is allowed to ask why we have more flooding. But a child could work out that the more concrete that’s laid the more flooding will result. There may even be a formula! But we aren’t allowed to consider this possibility because those – like Julie James – who are screaming loudest about ‘climate change’ are the very ones who permitted or even encouraged the laying of the concrete. Certainly for hillside wind turbines.
Speaking of which, has anyone else noticed that photos of wind farms from other countries, especially the USA, show these installations on flat ground, often in deserts and other arid and uninhabited areas. Flat land also gives steady and consistent wind speeds, which makes for more reliable wind power. After all, we know that steady, uninterrupted wind is the attraction of offshore wind turbines.
Yet the argument used here is that hills get more wind, which may be disingenuous and employed to avoid accepting that Wales doesn’t have much flat land offering steady and reliable wind speeds. Consequently, Wales is not best suited to wind farms.
I’m amazed that you could end your penultimate paragraph with thoughts on the ‘Welsh Government’ that included the phrase, ‘concepts of value and efficiency/ effectiveness’. Lay off whatever you’re drinking!
In my defence I did comment that “concepts of value and efficiency/effectiveness are completely out of the picture”. I suppose that was for the benefit of people who may be rather new to this debate or remain quite naive when it comes to understanding how the Bay regime works, or doesn’t work !
I remain of the view that modest quantities of good wine and good ales have managed to keep me in good hwyl despite seeing articles about the likes of the dowdy Minister and her equally grey drippy colleagues and flunkies.
Trawsgoed Estate – now that’s a splendid bit of real Welsh turf. Perhaps a real native will muster the asking price and keep all the silly fuckers with their half baked projects well out of it. Last thing that area needs is another raving do-good lunatic. Get someone in who wants to rear cattle sheep and care for the natural beauty of the place. Not bad price, only buy you a big house in a select snobby street in Cardiff , or an outhouse in London.
Dafis says this about flooding and how – quote – ” wrecked the naturally absorbent wet lands on high ground to make way for wind turbines, their massive concrete bases, access roads and other service conduits”. Then Jac you agree with him. I have also been of the same firm opinion, for some time, that Wind Turbine developments on top of our hills, destroying trees and peat bogs, and building tracks and ditches, could well be the reason for flooding below. That’s my opinion but none of us have proven scientific facts to prove these opinions. I have raised my opinions on this in many newspaper letters and directly and frequently with Labour and Plaid Cymru politicians in the valleys. They just blank out discussion on such an issue. It goes against their new substitute religion propagated to them by the Green Councillors’ Policies that run Brighton City Council. Our Senedd is not interested. Neither is Rhondda Council and all the other Valleys’ Authorities. Greta rules their brains. More and more, and yet more, Wind Turbines are destined for our Welsh landscape. All for profit not for reliable energy. Will they improve or cause more flooding in the valleys below? I think so, but none of us can really prove it and all the politicians will not consider discussing it or investigating it or researching it. To even suggest it now is the new blasphemy in Wales for zealous green preachers. I remember saying all this in a short public speech nearly twenty years ago at the annual Cilmeri Rally where I was greeted with jeers from so called half drunk fools wearing tea cosy hats and sunglasses posing as Welsh patriots. They’ve all grown up now to become establishment pseudo green patriots wearing suits in Cardiff Bay as they spend our money on their Third Sector butties whilst letting Wales out to the Renewable Energy shysters as they scheme to destroy hill famers with rewilding nonsense..
To Dyn Gwyrdd & Dafis.
Wynne Jones wrote to Natural Resources Wales asking about flood assessment for proposed wind farms. The response he got, in December 2021, read:
‘All I can add to it is that it’s down to the developer to demonstrate through a FCA/hydraulic modelling what the flood risk is to communities downstream from a wind farm/energy park (or any other type of development in a flood risk areas). We would then assess the information provided and comment to the LPA accordingly as part of our statutory advice in the T&C planning process.’
Which means that NRW – and ‘Welsh Government’ – rely on developers hoping to make tens or hundreds of millions of pounds from wind farms to admit ‘Oh, and by the way, these wind farms we’re going to put up will cause flooding’. Ain’t gonna happen.
This is one of the real scandals of wind farms in Wales. It explains why they cause flooding. And it also explains why no connection must be made between flooding and wind farms.
There are certain situations where all you need is a small helping of common sense. You can skip those FCA/hydraulic modelling exercises to guage what the flood risk is to communities downstream from a wind farm/energy park. All you need do is stand on the site and ask a simple question – when I tear away this spongy top layer and hit rock underneath should I be surprised if most of the rainfall runs straight off the top of the hill and into the valley below ?
FFS it’s as clear as the nose on one’s face ! To reinforce the damage further downhill by installing a web of concrete lined culverts which regularly fill up with rubbish of all sorts creating small dams which burst when full just reaffirms my view that the lunatics have really taken over, not just in the asylum but in County Hall and the Big Shed down the Bay.
You have a good memory Jac. On this subject, I have not received any further communication from NRW following my letter dated 2 December 2021. Copy below.
Sera Jones
Customer Hub Advisor
Cambria House
Natural Resources Wales
Date: 2 December 2021
Dear Sera Jones
Subject: ATI-22298a Wind Farms [Energy Parks] in Wales – Flood Risk to downstream communities
Thank you for liaising with your Flood Risk Management team and for forwarding their further observations / clarification.
Based on the additional information, now provided, I have amended my initial assessment of the current position as set out below.
1. NRW is a statutory consultee in the Town and Country Planning Process and is invited by Local Authority to comment on the environmental impact [including flood risk] of proposals to develop “wind farms / energy parks” in Wales.
2. NRW is tasked with managing flood risk at a strategic level: from the main river network, tidal estuaries and from the sea. Main rivers are defined as rivers shown on statutory “main river map”, which is available for public viewing at NRW offices.
3. NRW flood risk maps are generated from a digital terrain computer model, based on LIDAR ground level data with hydrological and hydraulic data input. Flood risk maps – at time of production – are based on bare earth models and take into consideration land surface using Manning N Roughness values.
4. When commenting on planning applications for proposed “wind farms / energy parks” in Wales, NRW is not in a position to assess the impact and flood risk to downstream communities from the main river network as computer models – that generate flood risk maps – are based on existing land use. No land use change scenarios are examined to take into consideration increased storm water run-off from impermeable areas within the curtilage of development sites. NRW consider that it is a matter for the developer to demonstrate – through the FCA / hydraulic modelling process – what the flood risk is to communities downstream from a wind farm / energy park. NRW then assess the information provided and comment to the L P A accordingly as part of their statutory advice under the Town & Country Planning process. Clearly, this will require the developer to extend the range of their hydraulic models to include not only the local ordinary watercourse network adjacent to a wind farm / energy park but also the downstream main river network / tidal estuary. As flowing water does not respect Local Authority boundary the developer will need to assess the cumulative impact on downstream communities, possibly located in multiple Local Authority areas.
5. Local Authority drainage departments are also consultees in the Town and Country Planning Process and are responsible for managing local flood risk; defined as, the risk from ground water, surface water and from the ordinary watercourse network, within Local Authority boundary. When commenting on proposals to develop “wind farms / energy parks” in Wales drainage departments are not in a position to assess the flood risk to downstream communities from the main river network as this is outside their remit. Water flows under the influence of gravity and does not respect site boundary and / or Local Authority boundary.
6. A Local Authority is also a “SUDS Approving Body” [SAB] following implementation of Schedule 3 Floods and Water Management Act 2010, effective from 7 January 2019. There is provision, under the legislation, for Local Authority to adopt, and maintain in perpetuity, on-site sustainable surface water drainage networks serving new “wind farms / energy parks”, with commuted sum payments from developers to cover future maintenance and management costs.
7. In conclusion: The onus would appear to be on the developer of a wind farm / energy park to assess the flood risk to communities located downstream along the main river network / tidal estuaries; with the assessment vetted by NRW in its role as statutory consultee in the Town and Country Planning process and strategic Flood Risk Management Authority.
This updates, and supersedes, my previous assessment dated 4 November and takes into consideration additional information provided by NRW. Thank you.
Yours sincerely
off topic but very relevant to our national predicament I note that you re tweet Vaughan Roderick’s link to the Guardian piece on colonisation of Lleyn.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/12/abersoch-second-homes-holiday-wales.
This is a good article, although it lacked a letters column so I could not comment. Just as well for the Guardian because their readership are just as much party to this aggressive settlement programme as any fuckwit reader of the Sun, Mail or Telegraph. The repetitive whiny moaning and groaning of this rag’s mass virtue signal does nothing to ease or remove the problem. Indeed a lot of these lifestyle lefties are happy enough to rock up to a nice spot on the Welsh coast and get waited on by Welsh servants on abusive seasonal contracts. Such is the two faced nature of today’s radical chic.
You’re right, and the same people will hand-wring over individuals’ rights to identify as a teapot, or lesbian knitting circles under threat in Nigeria.
Not a great article. Very wordy. Also, badly researched.
There was even something deliberately misleading about it; things like, ‘Locals do well from tourism’. Do they do well enough to be able to buy a home in Abersoch? And forever saying, ‘This is a problem not confined to Wales’; even mentioning Finland. But why, because there’ll never be legislation covering all the affected areas across Europe. For us it’s a Welsh problem that demands a Welsh solution.
And then at one point the writer interpolates: ‘Eifiona points out the irony that a large majority of the councillors are Plaid Cymru, the party aiming for a million Welsh speakers by 2050.’ Actually, it was Carwyn Jones who came out with that stunt.
But then, as you say, lifestyle lefties won’t know the difference. And they won’t care.
I thought that the article was good insofar as it gave some coverage at a personal level of how the local people are negatively affected and community gets hollowed out. It also exposes the classic handwringing whining, moan and groan routine of the pesistent virtue signaler class. “Something must be done” howls the Guardian and its readership reply in unison “Yeah … but ” while pausing for a few seconds over its lattes and low fat buns.
I had one gobshite make the simplistic observation along the lines of “Young people trying to get on the ladder aren’t even in the market for homes that outsiders will buy as holiday homes”, as though each property is an isolated asset within an area and prices in the vicinity do not rise with ‘desirability’.
Quote from one of UK’s MSM yesterday :
“Ministers could make it easier to set up new onshore wind farms to offset spiralling energy bills.”
That should ensure most of Wales will be covered by a rash of unreliable technology. Silly bastards.
Why on earth didn’t they evaluate the cost effectiveness of this crap before falling in love with it ? Why are alternatives being left far behind when it comes to funding of development ?
Now that Covid is under some sort of control when will they develop therapies or drugs to treat the millions who seem to suffer from virtue signaling disorder, or is that already in the mental health budget ?
P.S Your tweeted link to the burkean is worth a look. Can’t say I agree with all or even much of it but it does reinforce the point that there are 2 sides to the conflict, both of them populated by devious and bad men of various shades. It makes a change from overdosing on “good vs bad”, “black vs white hats” bullshit that prevails in the Brit MSM. The presence of US owned chemical warfare labs in the country needs to be clarified too. Maybe Boris and his mates might like to go and take a closer look.
Nobody seems to be denying the existence of these labs, just refusing to discuss the subject. But as the article says. if the Russians knew about these labs then they had justification for the invasion. Because there would be no question about the likely targets.
….and how long have they been there ? Is this a new Boden inspired project – fancy that , using Boden in the same phrase as “inspired” ! Or , does it predate 2021 going back to Trump or Obama ? No doubt this gives Vlad a decent pretext although serving notice to shut the thing down would make more sense but there again he may have taken his cue from the Bush/Bliar approach to going to war
P.R lobbyists working for all sorts of renewables vested interests are having a field day about invasion of Ukraine. Not focussing on the bad boy Putin and his atrocities committed in the name of crushing Fascism ( aside – did Aled pack his bags and join up with some sort of Russian legion etrangere ? ) but instead getting all excited about the energy deficit arising from over dependence on Russian gas and how this represents an unrivalled opportunity to take a great leap towards “Zero something”.
Of course their solution is eminently predictable. Cover Wales with turbines, solar panels and fill the gaps with trees. Cracking rigour in that thinking. Renewables will end up being called “Unreliables” and we’ll all have to huddle together while we shiver and discuss our hunger pangs, as these thickos never though about how we have to feed ourselves. That’s the zero we’ll end up with – zero life chances.
How much have Welsh council pension funds invested in Wales and then how much in global carbon emission industries and how much with businesses linked to Russia? These are questions that need to be asked via several probing Formal Freedom Information Questioning. For example the Swansea Council pension fund Trustees were prepared to invest their Council Pension Fund in the risky Shorrock Tidal Lagoon proposal but it fell apart. The Council’s Trade Union Officials sat by meekly not wanting to offend the ardent Labour warmist brigade.
While in Shetland the local council have cleared the planning permissions for their ‘spaceport’ and HIAL are set to straighten the roads and sort out the power infrastructure, in Wales we have a minister who has drawn up a “strategy”. Wooo!. And it’ll generate 2 whole Billions too! That’ll keep the pseudo-Welsh PR creatives in fresh corduroy for a few years to come, but always five years behind.
Well “hud me back” as they say up there…
A scary person https://greglancewatkins.com/about/
An utter nutter.
An interesting point in all this, is that the former Leader of the Green Party in Wales (and once a Lib) is now a leading light in the Powys Labour Party. He has a fascinating past history. You know him well Jac. No doubt he will be keen to press for all sorts of Renewable projects to mar the Powys landscape. I’m surprised the Powys Tories, and old Labour NUM gang, have not seized on this. The Labour stronghold of Ystradgynlais, an the old mining community, should be concerned. Soon they will be known politically as “Why strangle us numb?”. Can you guess who I am referring to Jac? He now has a senior position in Powys Labour. Come on Powys Tories – unfrock him!
Another off-topic one but take a look at the gobshitery here:
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/independence-second-homes-what-readers-23245183
Is Protist working double shifts these days?
I take it you’re referring to the comments? As for Jacques Protic, if he is working double shifts these days it’s from the Great Beyond. For he is brown bread.
No way! What happened to him? Yeah I sent out a few replies, some perhaps pointed and a bit sarky, but always informed and insightful and never overtly rude or insulting, and several got pulled due to ‘community standards’. Wonder why…
No idea. In happened in the time of Covid but whether that contributed I have no idea.
Some info here, from a very strange website by a very strange seeming character:
https://walesandwelsh.wordpress.com/2021/02/25/in-memoriam-jacques-protic/
Greg Lance Watkins. I think I first encountered him in the letters column of the WM when he claimed to be representing – probably the only member – the Monmouthshire is English Party, or similar nonsense. He’s been associated with various fruitcake outfits ever since. Most of them one-man-bands.
Though it’s interesting that Protic died in Swansea and was cremated in Llanelli. Given that he was most definitely living in the north and, I believe, working for some time in Chester.
Old Jacques o’ the North and South certainly got around this land he didn’t seem to care for. People like our irredentist friend are grist to our mill with their crankery.
Shucks, I always thought he was a made up fake identity for trolling purposes. Bit like Phil Parry !
The latest contribution to the debate, the veritable meeting of minds, cut and thrust of taxing topics and keen intellectual stimulation it provides. Courtesy of a scholar by the name of clayb1964:
“Why should England subsidise Wales after independance when it was doing so before. The whole idea is rediculous. Wales has been dragged behind since devolution and has never been a seperate country just fiefdoms like the rest of the UK and is only called so now to massage the egos of the Senedd. The Scottish independance questions are fraught with huge issues and it was a seperate country once with it’s own monarchy, laws and seperate geography. [SIC]”
That guy has now suddenly come over all comparatively lucid. Something fishy going on with these accounts. Another twat claimed he left Wales for England to find work, but now he’s back but might move out again because of ‘nationalist councillors’, and in a later reply claimed he’s worked all over the world…
I think he lived on Ynys Mon/Anglesey in the south east corner of the island at some stage.
That’s the impression I got because he talked about commuting along the A55 and taking his kids for an English education in, possibly, Llandudno.
As someone interested in renewable energy I came across Mari Arthur frequently in various green themed meetings in Corruption Bay where she appeared to be lobbying rather than having a clear interest in the subjects.
So it was rather bizarre when she was selected as candidate for Llanelli. Apparently she was unaware that she was supposed to turn up and contribute her energies to the campaign. She told the local activists that she was making good money in Cardiff and certainly not considering giving up the lucrative employment there, for the party..
The question must be “Why the hell did Plaid pick Mari Arthur for a theoretically winnable seat?”
She was clearly a novice, politically, and a disaster electorally! Was it an early quiet deal with Labour?
That’s why I described her selection / imposition as ‘a rum do’.
Lots of gullible green Politicians talk of “WAVE ENERGY” from the sea. It is feasible in small amounts, but ask any Surfer and he will tell you that Waves (Surf) are Wind Dependent and the surf swell only happens of any use for generating power, or for surfing, after a windy day out at sea. No wind no then power from Wave Power nor from Wind Turbines either. It’s time the Political Wind Bags shut up and went back to primary school.
It’s time they went back to cheap and reliable energy generation. And Putin is helping.
WAVE POWER – just to clarify before any Green Dumbo comes back – these idiots often confuse WAVE Power with TIDAL Power. Let’s make it clear that WAVE Power is WIND Dependent whereas TIDAL Power is dependent on the tides which are reliably dependent on the gravity phases of pull of the moon which means zero power four times a day at the lowest and highest tide levels. Example the AVERAGE output of the £3BILLION Swansea Bay Lagoon would be just 64 MW for a National Grid of up to 60,000 MW. All these schemes are just “a drop in the ocean”.
Thank you for clarifying that.
Wave, tidal flow and tidal range have minimal inclusion in the 2050 projections for the U.K., but could be significant for Wales or localised coastal communities like Ynys Môn. Almost all of the U.K.’s tidal flow resources are in Wales or Scotland
Best estimates of 2050 are here …
https://www.nationalgrideso.com/future-energy/future-energy-scenarios/fes-2021
Spoiler … it’s 80% from wind and solar
The Swansea lagoon, in whichever variant it’s now in, is basically a pilot lagoon, deliberately small to prove the technology. Unless a financing mechanism like the Nuclear Financing Bill is put forward, lagoons (like pumped storage) payback far too slowly for the private sector so are unlikely to go ahead
To overcome the problem of no wind, you go higher. At 330 m up, out at sea, it’s rarely not windy at all
which means zero power four times a day at the lowest and highest tide levels.
No it doesn’t. You are taking a highly localised view. The National Grid is exactly that – and toide times differ by around the country by up to 4-5 hours. Even in local areas there is quite significant difference – for example there is a 15 minute difference just between Holyhead and Amlwch, and over an hours difference between Holyhead and Liverpool..
The tide is never static everywhere all at once. It is moving all of the time.
Wonder where the millions of public money allocated to Snowdonia Aerospace LLP have gone? The buildings down there look as though they haven’t been touched since WW2 – one tenant even had to repair his own roof as it was letting in the occasional bit of rain we get here.
A good question. Unfortunately, it’s a question nobody is asking. And Lee Paul seems able to walk away from his debts, then come back under a different label and ask for more funding.
Despite the scarcity of resources for the delivery of other services that are far more essential to the well being of our communities Wales Gov gives priority to these well scripted hollow gestures. Net Zero, Green policies, a safe and welcoming haven, equality, inclusivity & diversity, etc…….. and yet the net outcome is alarmingly small, very little real progress while the profiteers and their lackeys are laughing all the way to the bank. In the case or renewable energy it is evident that the net cost after factoring in the long term damage to the real environment is much greater, several multiples perhaps, but the Drakeford regime and prime ” thought leaders” like Waters just don’t take any of that into account because it would destroy the justification for their daft schemes.
Did I just write “thought leader” in the same phrase as Waters ? Hell I must be losing the plot in a big way !
That’s exactly what I was thinking! Did I tell you he’s blocked me on Twitter?
Woke up in the middle of the night and realised that I’d gone too long without a drop of Malbec or Merlot. So the remedy is clear. No more confusion about Waters or any of his kind. He’s grade A triple F – Fashionable Fad Follower – big on sucking up any old nonsense about a range of Wokish Green obsessions and turning them into disastrous policy decisions.
Of course he doesn’t have to pay for the consequences. Those in both financial and environmental terms come home to roost on the ordinary public who pay his ridiculous salary and all the loot that gets wasted on these pet theories and projects.
I often wonder how much good stuff gets left undone because of these idiots ?
In some respects, the third / volunteer / charity sector is already pushing out private, profit making business interests in Wales, not just through the sort of lobbying and influencing mentioned in Jac’s item here, but actually financially investing in the sort of crowd funded ‘community interest / benefit’ shit housery that either eventually folds or remains addicted to public and community funding.
On matters marine, Welsh Government holds the consenting, planning and licensing cards within its devolved powers within the Welsh marine zone, aside from Crown Estate.
When this is set against their targets and indeed multi-million pound investment in marine renewables in Pembrokeshire, you see willing actors such as the Clubb’s, Arthurs and Kidd’s of this world falling over themselves to help deliver Waters and co’s objectives.
When holding the cards on marine development, Welsh Gov can then bring in their socialist leaning policies into the approval processes – foundational / circular economy, community engagement, social justice etc etc. This is the space in which the lobbyists thrive.
The Kidd’s and Kenny’s operating in Wales are small fry when set against the WWF’s and the Blue Marine Foundation’s who have the resources to really push their ‘plans’ for marine in Wales.
It’s also important to look at the merry-go-round of characters. I see Board trustees of the global marine eNGO’s also have direct influence over land based policy in Wales. Past and present board members of arms length UK Government bodies have interests with the same investment group responsible for the purchasing of Welsh farms for carbon. Will Welsh marine carbon be the next target? Maybe it already is?
For the tirade on the Summit2Sea project has concentrated on the terrestrial, agricultural issues, but it seems forgotten that the project has ambitions for a much much larger area of sea they wish to ‘rewild’. Again, follow the money to the source on this project and all becomes clear.
Wrapping this up, you can see why Welsh Government is so quiet on the concept of rewilding, but at the same time it appears it is coming late to the party and is now desperately trying to recruit senior officials to map, monetise and exploit nature capital in Wales that broadly belongs to private land owners.
With Waters policies of no new roads, 20 and 50 limits and no idea of how to develop a meaningful green economy, I’m afraid we are seeing Wales being economically strangled. The space strategy is the latest folly to save face with what hasn’t happened at Llanbedr over a decade and there will be some irony if it is returned to sheep grazing once the fantasy strategy falls over.
Brilliant, Jacobe, though I’d be interested to hear the relationship between WG and CE.
The offshore element of StS always puzzled me too. Those involved – that we knew about? – had no experience in aquaculture and similar fields, so were others involved that we knew nothing about? Would appreciate your thoughts on this.