If anyone missed it, here is by far the most reasonable and sensible speech delivered in Tuesday's Senedd debate on the Diamond Jubilee. The rest of the debate is entirely missable unless you have one of these to hand.
A sparkling contribution. Well done, Leanne, I'm proud of you.
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10 comments:
I don't know, I would have quite liked her to say on Record "congratulations etc.. however I do not agree with the monarchy". I didn't hear her say that at all.
I have always thought if an idea is really popular with the masses, but you don't agree with it, the best way to reduce the idea's potency over time is not to attack it head on. Find a way around it like Gramsci said about the Church in Italy.
Read Che Guevara too. Don't fight the enemy on terrain they have chosen and defined. Leanne avoided this trap and delivered a speech that was genuine and not sycophantic. And the rest of the debate was basically a joke, after she spoke truth. She came across as the most in touch AM with the people. People in Wales are proud of the monarchy, but they're proud of other things as well and by being polite and not falling into Labour's trap Leanne was the only AM that talked about workers, members of the armed forces, the rights of minorities etc.
It's her sincerity that comes across most to me. You can feel it. So unlike so many politicians.
Let's hope that over the next couple of years the tide really begins to turn in Wales in favour of Plaid as the people begin to warm to Leanne, whether they agree with all she says, or not.
Neilyn - she is definitely better TV than the soporific sycophant, Carwyn, the absurd RT, and the earnest but inadequate Kirsty.
At a time that the Western Mail is publishing daily stories of no merit whatsoever, but couched in a way designed to harm Plaid (the latest is HERE) while ignoring stories about the Labour MP (Nia Griffith) campaigning publicly - at a demonstration - against the policies of Welsh Government, which is also Labour, on Hospital reorganisation. Now that is a story - no mention in the WM.
I thought Leanne did brilliantly - she is growing into her role with every appearance, and this was a tour-de-force, avoiding Carwyn's trap, and instead springing a beauty on him, which left him flapping impotently.
Sionnyn - "flapping impotently". Let's hope that's confined to the political siambr only!
Plaid Cymru, and the appallingly opportunistic Leanne Wood, have had it.
Many Plaid 'operatives' have told me that her selection as leader was the final straw.
They now concede that Plaid can only retreat back into the quiet little backwaters they have frequented in the past.
When Conservatives achieve better results than Plaid, it really is the end of the line.
Leanne Wood as leader can only make matters worse.
Will this posting be allowed ? Or will it like every other which criticises the joke which is Plaid Cymru, be removed.
The Tories got better results than Plaid before Leanne became leader, Anon.
And remember too that the "operatives" in Plaid voted overwhelmingly for Leanne, because we believe she is the most suitable leader to take us forward.
As always, the simple question to ask is why Plaid's political opponents are the ones who say we have a mistake in electing her as our leader. It rather gives the game away, doesn't it?
Anon,
The defining political issue over the next 2.5 years (from this Autumn onwards) will be the constitutional status of Scotland, and, by extension, the future shape of the United Kingdom post-referendum. Whatever the outcome in Alba, it will in the meantime likely kick-start a more open, mature debate in Wales on our future relationship with England and the UK and the extent of devolution (Of course, FM Carwyn Jones has already staked a claim for a more 'equal' relationship in a future UK with England and Northern Ireland in the event that the Scots say aye).
Almost as certain is the coming debate in England on it's relationship as a nation with the United Kingdom and the form of governance that will best suit it's people's interests in the future. After all, if Scotland says yes will a majority of English folk then feel that England is now free of any Union, and seek an appropriate constitution?
Plaid Cymru and Leanne Wood will, you can be absolutely sure, have a central role in these debates.
I was rather pleasantly surprised by Matt Witters' column in today's Wales on Sunday.
" ... the woman once booted out of the Assembly for calling the Queen “Mrs Windsor” delivered the stand-out speech in a debate on Her Majesty last week in an intervention which astounded her Labour critics.
Outwitting Labour isn't such a difficult thing to do, though; and of course he was wrong to suggest that Leanne went so far as to "praise the Queen’s work". Just watch it again, her words were much more carefully chosen.
Anon #1 "Congratulations... BUT" would sound mealy-mouthed.
"Congratulations AND to the miners and everyone else" was pure genius.
Largely unreported, of course.
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