WALES - NEW PLAID WEBSITE
"The important issue for Wales is what happens when Scotland moves towards independence?" That is the question being asked in Plaid Cymru's latest video post, `For Wales, see Scotland?' on its new website WalesCan.com.
The WalesCan website, launched last month, is an ambitious attempt by Plaid Cymru to `put its money where its mouth is' and to directly debate issues associated with an independent Wales. The interactive website, which features videos, articles and a section dedicated to "busting the myths" of how Wales would cope if it became independent, allows people to interact by leaving comments on the issues raised on the site.
The newest video post poses the above question, with an article accompanying the video warning viewers that even though there are:
"…several superficial similarities between the Scottish case and the Welsh case, the historical differences were significant and would render a simplistic read – across from Scotland to Wales inaccurate at best, dangerously misleading at worst."
The speaker in the video and writer of the article, Plaid Member of Parliament Dafydd Trystan, argues that in the context of Scotland gaining independence, Wales would need to have "secure[d] the largest amount of powers possible to our democratically elected parliament and therefore build the confidence and build the movement towards independence in Wales."
Trystan goes on to argue in the video that the consequences of Wales not securing the largest amount of powers by that time, with Scotland being independent, would mean that the unequal power that would be in the hands of a "greater England" would be "huge" and "very serious indeed for the people of Wales".
Padding out the argument in his article, Trystan adds that even Wales at the moment is following in Scotland's wake, it is nevertheless important to have the debate in Wales, about Wales' own position and future possibilities "with confidence and vision", so that:
"…we might finally merit a description of `Wales', rather than a read-across from either of our near neighbours."
Launching the website on 9th March, Plaid's Adam Price MP, said:
"Some would say this isn't a great time to be launching an independence initiative as we face the cataclysm of the economic crisis worldwide.
"I say this is the best time to be asking the difficult questions about where we want to head as a nation in the next 20 years."
"The world is changing – old certainties are disappearing. There will be a very different world with different institutions in 20 years' time."
Price added:
"It's this generation of young people that will be occupying leadership roles in politics, in business, in their communities. This process, this debate, this forum, is also about preparing them for that role in a self-confident, independent country."
Link to article Dafydd Trystan's article and video:
Wales Can website:
(Article compiled by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
06/05/09
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