The Welsh Nation Spring 2014 £1

I’m going to paint a possible scenario for you.It’s 2017 – three years after

Scotland voted to become an independent country.

In Wales, Plaid Cymru is a party of government in the National Assembly. The vote for Scottish Independence has been a tremendous boost for Welsh confidence and has significantly increased the support for an independent Wales.

Meanwhile, in relation to what has been dubbed as the Government of ‘rump UK’ (RUK for short), David Cameron has resigned in light of the Scottish Yes Vote and has been succeeded by Eurosceptic Michael Gove as Prime Minister.

Ed Miliband was last seen trying to get off a fence.

A referendum has been held on RUK leaving the European Union. The No to Europe campaign, led by the Tories and UKIP, has won with 52 per cent of the vote.

In Wales, the result was different with 57 per cent of the people wanting to stay in the EU. The Yes campaign in Wales successfully made the case for how it would be disastrous for the Welsh economy if we were to leave the EU, and they were supported by the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses and the trade unions.

The threat made by a number of large firms in Wales, each employing hundreds of workers, to relocate to mainland Europe was enough to swing the vote to Yes.

The result in Wales however is of

no consequence to what will happen.

RUK will leave the EU which will prove a blow to our businesses, to our communities who rely heavily on European funding, to our agriculture community and to our fisheries and tourism businesses. Gove has confirmed that he will not plug the funding gap created by the money Wales will lose as a result of the Referendum result. Our nation is left isolated.

In the meantime the Government of an Independent Scotland has secured a multi-billion pound investment in its public transport infrastructure following a European funding deal announced at the EU Summit in Edinburgh.

OK. So this is just one scenario which may or may not happen and I beg permission for some creative licence (in relation to Gove!).

But politics is changing. The constitutional future of the UK – for better or worse – is uncertain both in terms of its internal relationship between the nations and its external alliances. Yes, it’s exciting, but we need to prepare fully now for what may lie ahead.

Regardless of what happens in Scotland, we face a situation where Wales over the next few years could be dragged out of the EU regardless of whether it wants to leave or not.

It could be the case that Wales’ reasons for wanting to stay in the European Union will make the case

for a Yes to Europe vote in that referendum compelling. On the other hand, our nation may become far more Eurosceptic and decide that its interests are best served outside the EU.

One way or another, unless we have a Member in the European Parliament at that time to represent the views of the people of Wales, then our nation’s voice in that debate will not be heard. We cannot depend on any other party to put Wales and the interests of Wales first. We must have Plaid Cymru members representing the case for Wales at all levels of government.

So if anybody is under any illusion that this year’s European election isn’t important, then I’m afraid you’re wrong. We have to keep our seat – and the polls show that with the growth of support for UKIP we will have to fight every step of the way to make this happen. Not only is it important in terms of building momentum towards 2016 but it is essential in terms of having Wales’ voice heard in what could be some of the most important decisions to affect our nation. The campaign is under way and I hope you have already decided to be a part of it.

Plaid voice vital in Europewrites Chief Executive Rhuanedd Richards

The Welsh Nation Spring 2014

Plaid Cymru has set out its vision on how the staffing

crisis in our National Health Service can be tackled.

Last October, at our annual conference, we outlined our plans to recruit an additional thousand doctors over two terms of a Plaid Cymru government.

Wales already has one of the lowest ratios of doctors to population and in the European Union only Romania and Bulgaria are worse.

Health boards across Wales have faced particular difficulties filling posts in accident and emergency departments, paediatrics and mental health.

Yet a Plaid Cymru Freedom of Information request last summer revealed that some health boards had made no attempt to attract doctors from the EU. Doctors should be recruited from overseas as a short-term solution to specific areas where filling posts is difficult

and it makes sense to make the most of the benefits of free movement of people within the EU.

Plaid Cymru is proposing a series of measures to tackle the recruitment crisis which threatens the NHS’s future.

One idea is to pay off the debt of student doctors in return for a guaranteed number of years’ service spent in the NHS, covering training and early employment.

While some of the policies will require extra funding, others are designed to save money by cutting down on bureaucracy and paperwork and attracting more research funding to bring in extra income.

The consultation document includes proposals to develop an innovative NHS with a heavy emphasis on research to make Wales a more attractive place for doctors to train and develop their careers. There is also a need to

revamp training for postgraduate doctors to improve the skills that currently exists.

The recruitment situation is equally acute among general practitioners.

In the South Wales Valleys and many rural areas, up to 40 per cent of GPs are likely to retire in the next decade without being replaced. Overall, 20 per cent of the medical and dental workforce is over 50 years old and expected to retire in the next decade.

The proposals for an additional thousand doctors is one of Plaid Cymru’s key policies for the National Assembly elections in 2016 and I would urge party members to talk about our ideas to our supporters and your contacts, family, friends etc – anyone who is interested!

You can read the comprehensive 24-page document on Plaid Cymru’s website: www.partyofwales.org

1,000 more doctorsPlaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood AM

Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood has streamlined the party

group in the Assembly to create a five-strong Cabinet team.

Describing it as Wales’ Cabinet in waiting, she said the team would deliver strong and energetic leadership to enable our nation to unlock its vast potential.

Headed by Leanne Wood, the other members of the team are:

Deputy Leader, Shadow Minister for Health and Well-being – Elin Jones;Shadow Minister for Economy and Enterprise – Rhun ap Iorwerth;Shadow Minister for Education, Skills and the Welsh language – Simon Thomas;Shadow Minister for Sustainable Communities, Energy and Food – Llyr Gruffydd.The Plaid Cymru Shadow

Ministers will have key roles in communicating the party’s vision and policies to the Welsh public during the build-up to the next Welsh General Election.

They will also be responsible for holding the current Government to account and for developing and presenting Plaid Cymru’s 2016 programme.

Leanne Wood said: “Wales has a proud history as a nation - as the birthplace of the NHS, as a world centre for industry and commerce and for its world-class scientists, engineers, artists and scholars. Our nation has the potential and talent to succeed and prosper again.

“Plaid Cymru is the party with the ideas and vision to unlock this potential and unleash this talent.

“Our Cabinet in waiting is a skilled, accomplished, competent and credible team.

“Over the next three years, we will work to develop Plaid Cymru’s 2016 programme for government. We are determined that the next Welsh Government will have the programme in place to unlock Wales’ potential as a successful and prosperous nation.

“This programme will be focussed on creating a healthier, wealthier and fairer Wales. With

the launch of our policy proposals to recruit a thousand doctors, we have started the year as we mean to go on.

“Plaid Cymru is the only party with an alternative vision for Wales and with the innovative and exciting ideas needed to turn the fortunes of our nation around.”

Responsibility for other issues have been allocated to the other Plaid Assembly Members as follows:

Jocelyn Davies – Housing, Women, Children;Dafydd Elis-Thomas – Transport; Bethan Jenkins – Youth and Youth Unemployment, Arts, Heritage, Sport; Alun Ffred Jones – Finance;Rhodri Glyn Thomas – Local Government, Public Services, Governance, EU matters;.Lindsay Whittle – Social Services, Equalities, Trade Unions, the Valleys.

Plaid Cabinet in Waiting to lead Wales to Prosperous Future

The PISA results that everyone in Wales had been dreading

arrived last December and with them went any remaining doubts that the way children are educated in preparation for real world problems is in crisis.

In the autumn, I introduced the Financial Education and Inclusion Bill – private member’s legislation that aims to do two things: improve the financial capability of those leaving school and give local authorities the powers to combat modern lending methods, such as payday loans, that are geared towards exploiting those who

cannot afford them.It is at present the only piece

of legislation being introduced by Plaid Cymru in this Assembly and, although the Bill will take time to become law, I am convinced by a plethora of evidence that this will not only benefit young and disadvantaged people to make the correct financial decisions but also provide an important base for achieving the party’s longer term economic aims.

I believe a financially astute workforce would become attractive to inward and other

investors, thereby providing the potential to circumvent issues such as off-shoring that have troubled our economy in recent years.

It won’t be done overnight, but this Bill has the potential to deliver long-lasting benefits for Wales and its economy.

For further details, please call my office on (01639) 643549.

How to make school leavers more financially aware Bethan Jenkins AM

The Welsh Nation Spring 2014

Church-goers said a fond farewell to a leading politician,

the former borough and county councillor Glyn Owen, who, for the best part of 20 years, was the principal symbol of political defiance and Welsh Nationalism in the Cynon Valley. He was 81 and had been in ill health for two to three years.

A packed congregation at his funeral service in St Elvan’s Church, Aberdare heard tributes to one of the few Valleys Plaid Cymru politicians who managed to rock the Labour Party machine time and time again with headline-grabbing statements and actions.

He came close to breaking the Labour Party’s grip on power in the Cynon Valley in 1974 by picking up just under 12,000 votes in one of the most closely contested Cynon Valley parliamentary elections in decades.

He honed his debating skills as a member of Aberdare Urban Council and, later, of Cynon Valley Borough Council, where he locked horns frequently with Labour Party leaders Councillors Bill Williams and Bill Morgan.

On their passing, the Chamber was open for Glyn Owen to rule the roost albeit not, as a member of a minority party, to wield the authority.

He made an even bigger impact and nuisance of himself in the former Glamorgan and Mid Glamorgan County Council chambers before the borough and county councils were merged to form Rhondda Cynon Taf.

His efforts in the sixties and seventies paved the way for Plaid Cymru to take control of Cynon Valley Borough Council but by that time he was no longer politically active. He will be remembered in

the Valley as a champion of the common man. He made a habit of exposing rogue traders, long before the practice made for compulsive TV viewing, and embraced many popular campaigns, such as opposition to increased council and water rates, opposition to local hospital closures and the use of NHS facilities by private practitioners.

He was not always in favour with the Plaid Cymru hierarchy because of his unwillingness to toe the party line and his unpredictability. He was willing to make common cause with the Labour Party when the occasion demanded, such as the successful fight against the siting of two massive gas storage tanks in Hirwaun.

A Cynon Valley man through and through, Glyn Owen was born in Mountain Ash and lived for most of his life in Cwmbach before retiring in his latter years to Hirwaun. He was a champion of traditional Welsh values and set great store by Welsh culture, espousing the literary talents of the poet Harri Webb and playwright Rhydwen Williams, both of whom he attended regularly during their latter years of ill health.

To some he was a hero, to others a rogue - to some extent because his money lending business was not considered a suitable pursuit for a people’s representative but, to a greater extent, because of his opportunist tendency to grab the limelight. The implied conflict of interests never manifested itself publicly, but Coun Owen’s publicity stunts occasionally resulted in brushes with the law. In any event, he was the most flamboyant and, some would argue, the most significant politician the Cynon Valley has ever produced.

Plaid CymruCredit Union

Run by members for the benefit of members

The Plaid Cymru Credit Union (UCPCCU) is a practical

demonstration of the party’s philosophy of people co-operating

in building a confident and independent Wales.

UCPCCU is owned by its members and for over 20 years it has worked

for members, their families, party branches & small family

businesses.

Saving money means that you have both something to look

forward to and something to fall back on.

The dividend paid for savings for 2011/12 was 2%.

Subject to status, you can borrow up to £5,000 as a low-cost loan with no hidden charges or fees.

Join Plaid Cymru Credit Union — our national financial institution

For more details go to www.ucpccu.org Click on ‘Forms’ and download and

print the Application for Membership and Bankers Order forms. After

completing them post them to the Credit Union Office.

Plaid Cymru Credit Union (UCPCCU) Tŷ’r Cymry, 11 Heol Gordon,

Caerdydd, CF24 3AJ T: 029 2049 1888 www.ucpccu.org

E: post@ucpccu.org

Councillor who rocked the Labour machinewrites Jack Wood

A leading member of Plaid Cymru in Merthyr Tydfil, Miss Marian

Morris, has died.A devoted Plaid member for

many years, she was a member of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council when the party was the ruling group under the leadership of Emrys Roberts.

For many years she served on the National Executive Council and was the Merthyr Branch Treasurer.

She was also Honorary Branch President.

Paying tribute on behalf of the Merthyr and Rhymni Branch, Brian Thomas said: “I, like many other members, first got to know Marian in the 1970s when Plaid took off as a political force in the town. With other members, such as Emrys, Dafydd Wigley, Gareth and Linda Foster, Gwyn Griffiths (recently sadly deceased), my brother Geoff, she broke the stranglehold of the Labour Party in the council elections in the famous victory of 1979.

“Marian was a dear friend to all, and the Branch held regular meetings in her front room with

plenty of cups of tea and coffee with biscuits.

“She worked tirelessly for her local church the Quar Church, a short distance from her home, and was a long-standing member of CND Cymru.

“We should all be truly thankful to Marian for her friendship and generosity and her love of Wales and the language.”

Emrys Roberts writes: “Margaret and I have very fond memories of Marian from our time in Merthyr Tydfil in the 1970s.

“She was a very quiet and unassuming woman with a great love of her country. Marian never looked for the spotlight or for any praise. She looked for work instead and she worked hard, with conviction and persistence, to help build a better Wales. She often reminded me of the fable about the tortoise whose persistence enabled him to reach the finishing post before the hare.

“When Margaret and I came to

Merthyr Tydfil, everyone (apart from some Labour councillors, perhaps!) was very welcoming and friendly and promised all sorts of assistance. Plaid received a great deal of support from many people. But, unfortunately, many people fail to keep their promises. Marian was not like that. If she gave you her word, she would keep her word and she usually achieved far more than she had promised.

“Although quiet by nature, Marian had iron in her soul. She was loyal, active and persistent in her endeavours for Plaid and for Wales. Diolch Marian.”

Tributes paid to Valleys stalwarts

Councillor with iron in her soul

Congratulations to Jonathan Edwards MP and wife Emma on the birth of Llywelyn Gruffudd Edwards.

Jill Evans ASE | MEP45 Gelligaled Road, Ystrad, Rhondda, CF41 7RQ

T: 01443 441395 E: jill.evans@ep.europa.eu

jillevans.net youtube.com/jillevansasemeptwitter.com/jillevansmep flickr.com/jillevansasemep

The Welsh Nation Spring 2014

It’s an exciting year for us in Plaid Youth, following a very

successful conference held in Corsica towards the end of last year with our partner parties within the European Free Alliance (EFA).

This conference signified the importance of co-operation and it was also helpful in understanding the plight of other countries seeking independence. It also highlighted the fact that young

people above all were hit the hardest during the economic slump and the need to prevent them succumbing to political apathy.

Ahead of the European elections on Thursday, May 22, EFA will be holding a general assembly in Santiago de Compostela. One of the upcoming themes in discussion will be the universal suffrage for young people from the age of 16 - a principle which has

been at the heart of Plaid youth - which would help encourage the democratic participation of youth. Some of the other issues to be discussed include ‘fracking’, the controversial method of gas extraction, which can cause catastrophic effects on the environment. This general assembly will help us shape our manifesto for the upcoming European election and will be a stepping stone for our gaining a second European seat for Plaid.

Plaid Youth in Corsica

We are very happy to be able to say that we are in the process of setting up our new Plaid Youth

local group in Carmarthenshire. Like our other local groups in Cardiff,

Swansea, Bangor and Aberystwyth, this group hopes to hold events and activities that will appeal to young people in the county, especially in the run up to the 2015 Westminster Election. Aside from the obvious political benefit, local groups such as Carmarthenshire are important to give young adults with the same interests the chance to socialise and share ideas.

Early 2014 will see the group hold its first meeting with Jonathan Edwards, MP, and Rhodri Glyn Thomas,

AM and – fingers crossed - Leanne Wood AM. There has already been keen interest

throughout Carmarthenshire and all we need now is you.

If you live in Carmarthenshire and want to get involved with our new local group, like /

PlaidCymruIfancSirGar on Facebook. To get in touch directly with the local Chair, Peter Gillibrand,

please contact Plaid Cymru Youth at plaidifancyouth@gmail.com and we will pass your message on.

New Plaid Youth local group in Carmarthenshire

Plaid Cymru Youth are delighted to extend their

support of the campaign to keep Aberystwyth University’s Welsh-speaking student residence, Pantycelyn Hall, open. Over the years, the hall has become a stronghold for the Welsh language and nationalist ideals, with former residents including a number of Plaid’s leading figures. We share the view of Aberystwyth’s Welsh Student Union (UMCA) that the closure of Pantycelyn would threaten these Welsh ideals.

A number of Plaid Youth members from the Aberystwyth University Branch have been vocal

in their opposition to the closure plans, taking part in rallies and attending meetings.

The University’s Plaid Youth President, Aled Morgan Hughes, said: “Here at Aberystwyth University, we are very proud to boast one of the strongest Plaid Cymru Youth branches through Wales and I believe that Pantycelyn is a central factor behind this. This year alone, 80 per cent of our members are current or former residents of Pantycelyn, and I deeply fear that

the closure of the Hall would have severe consequences for us as a branch.”

To learn more about the campaign, follow its Twitter page - @achubPantycelyn

#AchubPantycelyn

‘The Phenomenon of Welshness II’ along with its preceding

volume, should be offered to every new member of the Party of Wales as an aid to their political education as they begin their journey on the path of Welsh nationalism.

The author, Sion Jobbins, makes a defiant declaration of intent before you turn a page by displaying the symbol of the Olympic Games on the cover: those rings that, during London 2012, represented the most potent attack on Welsh identity by British nationalism in years. It is this symbol, and everything it stands for, that Jobbins strikes at, head-on in this epic.

In the same vein as the first volume, Phenomenon II is a series of articles that addresses and applies a critique and narrative of modern Wales from a nationalist perspective, discussing contemporary issues as diverse as gay rights, Wales on the web and the economic viability of an

independent Wales.There’s often a danger that

collections of articles in one volume can become disjointed but Jobbins succeeds in kneading together such diverse themes effortlessly. His success can, in no small way, be attributed to the brief introduction he provides at the beginning of each article, outlining his rationale and providing much-needed context.

Indeed, these mini-intros provide an interesting insight into the author’s own mind and compliment the extensive introduction at the beginning of the volume.

One such example is the article entitled ‘The Day We Stopped Singing God Save the Queen.’ Here, the author recalls the distant memory of when the ‘Queen’ preceded rugby internationals at the Arms Park. In a challenging article, Jobbins seeks to establish how exactly a people chose to ‘forget’ the words to the imperial

anthem rather suddenly, only to reject, by a titanic majority, an opportunity at the most modest of devolution settlements. The witty (and angry) Jobbins takes on the age old issues of the eighty-minute Welshmen.

And in the year of an European election, party members will find renewed faith in unfashionable Eurocrats from an unlikely source: the European ruling that the word ‘Peint’ on our beer glasses was acceptable as an official denotation the measure of volume. This microcosmic tale offers a thoroughly Welsh internationalist challenge to the current climate of Brit-Nat-Europhobia.

Jobbins is engaging, funny, but above all – empowering. It is this sort of defiant confidence in ourselves that must echo through our party and nation.

Engaging, funny and empoweringSteffan Lewis reviews ‘The Phenomenon of Welshness II’ by Siôn Jobbins. (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, £9.)

Plaid Cymru members in Dwyfor Meirionnydd have chosen

Gwynedd County Councillor Liz Saville Roberts to contest the seat in the 2015 Westminster Election.

An experienced councillor and campaigner, she has represented the Morfa Nefyn and Edern Ward since 2004.

She said: “I’m extremely pleased to have been chosen and very much look forward to working with Plaid Cymru members in the constituency to secure success in 2015.

“The hard work starts now throughout the constituency, from Llŷn to Meirionnydd.”

The present MP, Elfyn Llwyd, is

standing down, having represented the constituency for more than 20 years.

Mr Llwyd said: “I was delighted with the high standard of the candidates who sought the nomination.

“A very large number of members attended the hustings and this also bodes well for the future.

“Liz Saville Roberts is an excellent choice and brings with her a wealth of experience, intelligence, and empathy with everyone she meets.

“I am delighted that she will be contesting this seat on behalf of Plaid Cymru.”

Liz Saville Roberts New candidate for Dwyfor Meirionnydd

This year will mark the first of three exciting years for Plaid

Cymru. With European elections in

May, the Scottish Independence referendum in September and Westminster and Assembly elections on the horizon, there will be plenty to look forward to in this year’s Spring Conference.

Holland House Hotel, Cardiff will be the location of the conference, which is being held on Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, and which will be a great way to showcase Plaid’s recent achievements and ambitions and to discuss what’s

best for the future of our nation.The newly-announced

Cabinet-in-waiting will feature in the timetable, leading topical discussions with panels of experts and grass-roots members.

Highlights will include a speech by the Party Leader Leanne Wood on Friday afternoon, a speech by Hywel Williams, MP, and a discussion session on the Williams Commission on public services.

The European campaign will be at the heart of the event, with a keynote speech by Jill Evans, MEP.

To celebrate International

Women’s Day on March 8, the Chief Executive, Rhuanedd Richards, will be leading a panel discussion with some of the party’s most prominent female members.

The conference dinner takes place on the Saturday night at the Holland House Hotel with the prospect of plenty of fun.

The price of a ticket for the dinner is £40 beforehand or £45 at the conference. To book, please contact Gwenno George on GwennoGeorge@plaidcymru.org or on 029 20475923.

We look forward to seeing you in Cardiff!

Come to Cardiff for the Spring Conference

From small beginnings in rural Ceredigion in 2001, Under The

Thatch has grown into a significant player in the European cottage rental market.

The majority of their properties are still in Wales, but they have also expanded to Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain, Portugal and Poland.

From a gorgeous Edwardian railway carriage on the Ceredigion coast path to off-grid barns and gipsy caravans, every UTT

property is a unique conservation project – no surprise when you remember that the company was set up by Dr Greg Stevenson, architectural historian , author and co-presenter of S4C series Y Tŷ Cymreig and Y Dref Gymreig.

Greg has kindly offered to support Mike Parker’s effort to win back Ceredigion at Westminster by donating 10 per cent of the cost of any UTT holidays booked by Plaid Cymru supporters to the campaign.

Holidays need to be booked during the month of March, but for any time in the future. Last minute deals are always available.

Once members have booked the holiday, they should email its booking reference number to greg@underthethatch.co.uk and 10 per cent will come to us.

All properties, and their availability, can be found at www.underthethatch.co.uk or by phoning 0844 5005 101. Diolch Greg!

Enjoy an idyllic holiday – and help Plaid at the same time