Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Disappointment on Welsh Language
There is more in the media this morning on the disappointment felt by many campaigners concerning the outcome of the Assembly Government's bid for powers to legislate on the Welsh Language. Frankly, I am not surprised at their anger.
The final Legislative Competence Order is a real dog's breakfast. Westminster have tied up the Minister's room for manoeurve and tried to draft the measure for us. The arguments over the level of government funding that would be required before an organisation is required to embrace bilingualism is a valid one but it should be determined by the Assembly when it legislates not by Parliament. The CBI should be talking to us not MPs as the power should reside in full with the Assembly.
The reactions are predictable: Menna Machreth, chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, said: “The Wales Office and Welsh Assembly Government have decided to block the people of Wales from gaining access to the Welsh language. What difference will this measure do to the day-to-day lives of people in Wales? The Wales Office and Assembly Government prefer to please large corporations and anti-Welsh elements within the Labour Party instead of making a real difference to the Welsh language’s status in Wales.”
Whilst Plaid Cymru politicians have focussed their fire on further delays in the approval of this LCO, namely its referral to the Welsh Grand Committee next Wednesday:
Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood called for this “pointless” meeting to be scrapped. She said: “This process has now been ongoing for the past two years, and the last thing the language needs now is more needless delays... Both an Assembly committee and a Westminster committee have looked at this issue at length and had their say. We must now get on with it, and let the Welsh Government legislate as soon as possible.”
Down here in the bay the cracks in the One Wales Government are visible though all the anger is being directed at Westminster, Peter Hain and Labour MPs.
The final Legislative Competence Order is a real dog's breakfast. Westminster have tied up the Minister's room for manoeurve and tried to draft the measure for us. The arguments over the level of government funding that would be required before an organisation is required to embrace bilingualism is a valid one but it should be determined by the Assembly when it legislates not by Parliament. The CBI should be talking to us not MPs as the power should reside in full with the Assembly.
The reactions are predictable: Menna Machreth, chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, said: “The Wales Office and Welsh Assembly Government have decided to block the people of Wales from gaining access to the Welsh language. What difference will this measure do to the day-to-day lives of people in Wales? The Wales Office and Assembly Government prefer to please large corporations and anti-Welsh elements within the Labour Party instead of making a real difference to the Welsh language’s status in Wales.”
Whilst Plaid Cymru politicians have focussed their fire on further delays in the approval of this LCO, namely its referral to the Welsh Grand Committee next Wednesday:
Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood called for this “pointless” meeting to be scrapped. She said: “This process has now been ongoing for the past two years, and the last thing the language needs now is more needless delays... Both an Assembly committee and a Westminster committee have looked at this issue at length and had their say. We must now get on with it, and let the Welsh Government legislate as soon as possible.”
Down here in the bay the cracks in the One Wales Government are visible though all the anger is being directed at Westminster, Peter Hain and Labour MPs.
Comments:
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sooner Hain, David, Baron Von Kinnock and their ilk disappear into the history book the better our country will be. And shame on "Welsh" Labour for letting them do it
We need to be sure that any moves in support of the Welsh language has the full support of the population - I have heard a lot of native Welsh folk being really concerned about the money being spent to do this - and their perspective has merit as well. We should not be giving the impression that the Welsh language is being kept alive on a legislative life support machine - if it is to flourish it must be able to survive without continuous legislative support. Be careful that enthusiasm does not become zealotry!
# posted by 
: 11:45 AM
: 11:45 AM
I dont disagree Sam but it should be the Assembly that does that not Westminster and that is my point.
Efforts to be commended such as
http://www.learnwelshpodcast.co.uk/
have more real impact on the future of the Welsh language than the various parties in Cardiff Bay and Westminister playing hungry hippo's.
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http://www.learnwelshpodcast.co.uk/
have more real impact on the future of the Welsh language than the various parties in Cardiff Bay and Westminister playing hungry hippo's.
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