A prominent member of Plaid Cymru, who is also the Chair of CND Cymru, has questioned whether the nationalist party should support a new military training facility at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Member of the European Parliament, Jill Evans, expresses the view in a paper to a copy of which has been publicised by BBC Wales. Ms Evans says the proposed training academy which it is claimed will sustain 5000 jobs was inconsistent with the spirit of the party's defence policy.
Her comments have been condemned by members of the Labour Party and also the Conservatives
One of her critics Labour MP John Smith has described her criticism of the planned facility as 'madness'.
However, it appears that Ms Evans critics are not students of recent economic history in respect of the Celtic areas where dependence on military facilities of defence infrastructure to stimulate long term sustainable economic activity has proved problematic.
Ms Evans is right to query this plan on both moral principles and its dubious long-term viability. The plan may seem a godsend to the area now but the value of such transient projects must surely be questioned.
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
17/11/07
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