Form an orderly queue
When I was handed a copy of Adam Price's speech at the Plaid conference I put a big, red cross next to the passage that included these words:
"I do want to come home. I'm tired of beating my head and my hands against the dumb cold walls of Westminster. I will never feel that I belong in that Parliament, thought I have to breathe its dust-laden air".
I say 'included these words' because the original copy we were given went on to say rather more than was actually delivered to conference. On paper it read to me like an announcement that the Director of Elections was not only standing down from that post but was about to leave parliament too. Listen out for the applause, I said on Conference Live. He's about to tell them he's off now.
Except that wasn't how it was delivered and that's not the version that appeared on Adam Price's blog. I don't have to hand the copy I brought home with me but I know I crossed out at least a few lines, as though the message was being toned down. His delivery was more 'I have a dream' than 'They have found an Assembly seat for me'.
I already had him down to fight Neath in 2011 if you remember. I think I'll stick to that as we learn that it is indeed 'I'm off at the General Election' to the States for a year where he's to take up a Fulbright scholarship.
So who gets their hands on his predicted 46.39% of the vote in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr at the General Election - and Plaid's safest seat? Get in line now boys. I can think of a few local candidates who've done the usual rounds of hopeless seats. And isn't Jonathan Edwards, Plaid's former Head of Strategy an Amman Valley boy? What about John Dixon - doesn't he deserve a shift to a safe-as-houses seat? Could Dafydd Wigley be tempted to find an old Aunt tucked away in the constituency somewhere?
Ok, I'll stop the speculation.
But hang on - then there's the Director of Elections post. Less get in line boys than here come the girls. That job has gone to Helen Mary Jones ... so who gets to be Director Communications?
The response from the party leader? Ieuan Wyn Jones is 100% behind Adam Price's decision. He wants him back as soon as the year out is over to be a part of the team. And this, you suppose, is as neat a way as any to make the transition from the "dumb, cold walls" of Westminster to the transparent - but still pretty sheer walls - facing the Plaid Assembly team.
UPDATE
Monday 0700
The orderly queue, so far, is of Plaid's young guard ruling themselves out. Llyr Huws Gruffydd says he's sticking to his patch in Clwyd West and Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid's Co-ordinator for Dwyfor Meirionnydd and Ceredigion, reckons he has a job to do behind the scenes. There are, he suggests, big(ger) guns who are interested in the chance to represent the people of Carmarthen East. They may not be familiar names to you. Let's see if more familiar names join the no thanks queue ... or stay silent .
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~10~RS~)
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Betsan....
Round and round like a carousel.
Maybe even the 'Windmills of your mind' ...springs to mind.
Who do these people think they are kidding? not a convincing word in any of their statements, as I see it.
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ah yes... after a short departure from form this blog gets back on track as the mouthpiece for Plaid Cymru!
One quote that caught my attention from the BBC Wales news site was where he apparently told delegates at the conference he wanted "a Parliament which belongs to me". gosh he's even more power crazed than I first thought.
Another one i liked:
"I'm tired of hitting my head and my hand against the dumb cold walls of Westminster. I will never feel that I belong in that Parliament, though I have to breathe its dust-laden air."
Classic sound bite, drama queen and emotive Price at his very best :) Perhaps if you practiced proper politics instead of ridiculous and pointless publicity stunts like trying to impeach former Prime ministers you might have had better results Adam bach :)
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Could it be his "wilderness years" have begun ?
He frightened many of the Plaid old-guard, spoke a different language, was more precise with his objectives, he seemed to be driving an agenda out of kilter with the leadership.
For months Plaid have tried to suppress his constant and consistent talk of separation, Price kept it alive, I predict very little talk of independence from Plaid, for the next year or so it rests with the Unionists to keep reminding people.
By-By Adam, the USA has always been good to the non-conformist, long may they keep you.
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TheStonemason.
As a new member and someone who is a socialist first and nationalism second, I offer you a simple few words.
What the devil are you talking about?
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As one of the "nutters",and proud of it the "ponderings" of Adam Price MP as to his future leave me wondering about the role and vale of the BBC Wales salariat. The continual posturing of Plaid Cymru and their bunch of real "nutters" leaves the vast majority of welsh people cold and only the "pathetic" King Rhodricould have allowed them in government,or barely that in the Bay of Irrelevance. For the first time it looks like the Conservatives are making progress in wales,probably because of concern about economy/crime/employment etc and nothing to do with the "nation builders",calling themselves conservatives down Bay. There must to be a grand coalition of parties who are Unionist to combat the PC and their fellow travellers in media (paid for by public). I wonder where King Rhodri's real ambitions lie in the future of wales within the UK,with all its current problems,or a basket case of a "country" that couldnt even feed its people without generous subsidies from next door neighbour.
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Brilliant news I bet it is going to frighten the living dailights out of them in the Assembly.
They might have to start being real Politicians now. He will certainly bring some life into the crematorium.
As for all the dissenters and antis on here, you must be thinking it will be the end of the world as you believe it to be. You must be shaking in your boots already. Now for the vitriol from them. Can't wait, He He.
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Hello Marcus - Welcome!!
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message 7...
One thing for certain, once passed through the crem, there is no bringing back to life, and those that currently habituate that Crematorium of political has beens and wannabees in the Bay, are beyond resuscitation, no matter how you suck and blow into them.
In reference to the WAG/Assembly, to use an American phrase, 'it is a dead man walking', as it heads towards its final point of termination.
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9
mapex55
I know many people who have passed through the crem, me included and we are still here.
As I said can't wait, He He
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Message 5...
Marcuswarner - do you see yourself as a social nationalist or a national socialist? Mmm...... interesting.........
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I would choose Johnathan Edwards. He's a class act, local and passionate for Wales.Adam Price could have sat in London on a safe seat until retirement, but unlike so many British party MPs representing Welsh seats, he's not there for his own career-he's there for Wales.
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I am totaly and uterly bemused as to how I broke the house rules and my comment was removed.
I was only replying to mapexx55. On him saying how he only responds in the way he does when others are first like that to him.
His personal attack to my comment was for something that was not an attack on him.
Does it mean this Blog is afraid to have anything said against him no matter how inofensive. Or no matter how intimidating and ofensive to others he may be.
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message 15...
Humour old boy, humour.
But I suppose, in common with the rest of the nationalist Plaido mob, you were either born without the humour gene, or had it skillfully removed when under indoctrination.
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16
mapexx
Ok, I'll be humorous, old thing.
As I said previously, 7/10.
"Can't wait, He He".
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I hope a Fulbright scholarship allows him to mature a little and then he might be a real asset to Plaid. At present he gives the unfortunate impression that his nationalism is stuck in the past and motivated by hate - hate of Tories (there was a long list of historical 'wrongs' in the speech), Welsh Unionists ("Nobody does imperialism quite as well as a self-denying member of a conquered people"- referring to a Newport Labour MP). High Church Anglicans, Oxbridge, Eton, the Inns of Court - also came in for a dig as part of some conspiracy to oppress the Welsh. All what you'd expect of a party youth wing really, not an apparently serous politician who masquerades as some sort of intellectual. I really hope he grows up a little - for Plaid's sake if nothing else.
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Welcome - Marcus
Have you stayed with Labour or joined Plaid Cymru?
Whatever your path it is nice to see you blogging again !
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Well said fifteenthirtysix! Price is a very pidgeon holeable politician. His immature, angry over the top style appeals to the more insecure amongst us... Some of whom we have the pleasure of sharing this blog with. He needs to refine himself in America. At present he is in severe danger of becoming a bad cliche of himself never to be taken serious by the more intelligent amongst the electorate.
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In Parliament, Adam Price is seen as an ineffective,immature, little squirt.
He can spend as long as he likes in some American "finishing school" when he returns he'll be exactly the same misinformed,petulant litte lad that he's ever been.
The very fact that it's been seen fit to send him over there is proof that he's not up to it over here and requires intensive coaching.
He'll still be a laughing stock when he returns...waste of "someones" money really !!!!
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True to form.
As I said in 7, now for the vitriol.
They are starting to get frightened already.
Can't wait He He
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Yes Alfsplace, how right you are.
We really are all beginning to get frightened now that the wimp Price is going back to college.
Gawd, I can't take anymore of this drivel. I'm off down the club.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp2mxuL5I5w
Scary, very very scary, I can't wait to see him again.....hee hee!!....
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As I said
Now for the vitriol
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Come off it alf, if its vitriol you’re after, just read AP's conference speech. The whole thing is laced with it. The bubbling hatred of Anglicanism is a particular gem. Do you really want to defend this guy? There are much better Plaid people to champion if that's your thing.
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I am Polish worker, my parents from Ukraine.Wales,I think,like Poland!!!
Poland ruled by Germany then Russia.Now independent.Much better to be independent.I see many strange people on this blog,like old Polish,they liked Russians!!! Now Poland much better,Wales the same when independent.Uk treat Poland very bad in War.Now we have memorial
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#27
Nice try gadeloski, good but not good enough, there are a few very small issues .....
Wales is not like Poland, the land and its people West of Offa's Dyke were not ruled by another conquering Nation, it became part of a greater country. This is a fundamental difference.
Your accusation that Poland was treated badly by the UK during WWII is contemptuous.
Nice try Plaidi Troll, reduced to using poor English to mimic a nation we went to war for, pathetic.
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Lol.Stonemason. Your knowledge of European history is even less that your knowledge of Welsh politics...and that is practically zero.Try reading some books on Polish history.You might learn some facts. I agree with the Polish guy
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Insults the last resort of a failing party, Plaid needs a better quality of Troll, try Norse mythology for tips and tricks.
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28
TheStonemason
Wales is not like Poland, the land and its people West of Offa's Dyke were not ruled by another conquering Nation, it became part of a greater country. This is a fundamental difference.
Is that the 'greater nation', sic, (or should that be sick), that is ruled by a family of German descent. A nation which has also in its time been conquered and ruled by other nations.
If we were not ruled but intergrated with them why did Wales not have an input with the laws and how the nation should be Governed.
If we had to accept their rules and laws without them accepting ours surely that is being conqured.
I am happy you realise there is a border betweeen Wales and that other nation east of Offas Dyke.
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30
TheStonemason
Insults the last resort of a failing party,
Nice try Plaidi Troll,
Wouldn't you call that an insult to people.
Remember you said it first about a failing party.
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Interesting points dai7900 and stonemason, but you make no reference to the effects of extra terrestrials on European history.It is accepted that aliens have visited our planet at times of war and other disasters.I know this because as I have said before I was raised in Pontypool to believe I was a Martian.Of course I now realise that it was my mother who had mental problems. However, ever since I have had a special affinity with aliens. I foresee more alien intervention following Adam Price's resignation
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33
momouthisenglish
Would you make a joke out of people with Cancer,Parkinsons,Dementia.
Having 'Mental problems' is a very serious illness and accounts for a great percentage in usage of the National Health service and days off work.
Obviously you have never had any 'Mental illness' or had a close member of your family suufer with it, if you had you wouldn't treat it as a joke.
People like you create the stigma in society of patients with Mental illness being pariahs.
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My apologies Alf.I didn't mean to offend and hadn't meant to make a joke. It is just that as you can imagine her ailment has affected my life a lot. I fully realise that many other people have mental problems, including many of the contributers to this blog, your good self excepted of course.
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#31
Welsh MPs have been sitting and voting in Parliament since the 16th century, so i think we've had decent input by now (as much really as most areas of England). There are very few laws on the statute book that date from before the Acts of Union and Welsh people have been prominent in the development of the common law. So i think we are at the point where we can drop the idea of conquest as relevant to debates about our law, or any other current political issue really.
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35
momouthisenglish
You even make a joke of your appology.
My taking offence is irelevant.
The relevance is to those who suffer from the illness and experience the day to day stigma.
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Just popping in to see if anythings changed. Keep up the good work
Mapex old friend you and Stoney are doing a grand job. Lets see if we
can book a few more political 'jibbers' on that plane for the USA.
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Re 37 should be "contributors"
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39
momouthisenglish
BNP then I take it.
The right wing in Germany in the 1930s had the same attitude to the Mentaly ill.
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36.
fifteenthirtysix
Ok if that is what you want but you haven't answered my other points
Is that the 'greater nation', sic, (or should that be sick), that is ruled by a family of German descent. A nation which has also in its time been conquered and ruled by other nations.
If we had to accept their rules and laws without them accepting ours surely that is being conqured.
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Number 38 What is this mapex you speak of? In Ukraine mpec is turnip.Is it Welsh turnip?
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#42
Confirms another Plaid troll, does it have a valid permit to work in the UK, somehow we doubt it.
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gadelo is leave in Ukraine...not Polish
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number 43 Your company made turnips?
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Betsan.Isn't it about time the BBC created a separate blog for people who are obsessive and write nonsense. I would include the Polish guy,mappex,noahassembly,cadifan2008,gnatswatter,stonemason,the guy who thinks Monmouthshire is in England and the guy who is interested only in Martians.There are several others.I know it would reduce the comments but it would give the rest of us a chance to have a sensible discussion on the issues.
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#41
Would love to answer your other points, but to be honest i'm not exactly clear what you mean. Sure, the Royal family has a fair bit of German blood, but they haven't done all that much ruling since the Germans arrived, or at least progressively less and the role of the Monarch became symbolic than executive. But i really don't see what you are getting at.
On the next point, I'm not aware that the UK has ever been conquered. We might argue the Glorious Revolution was a Dutch conquest of a sort, but that was pre 1707 and in any case the resulting legal order was a (domestic) Whig settlement.
On your last bit, the point i was making is that the current constitution has been forged with Welsh participation. Sure, Wales was conquered, but that was 700 hundred years ago and under a different legal order - so it really has nothing to do with the present day. One could make a case that our current constitutional order dates back as far as the Tudors, but then of course Henry Tudor was Welsh, so that doesn’t really help your case.
On the broader point though, i just can't accept the 'them' and 'us' language you use. Most of us, certainly in South Wales, have partial English ancestry. Does that make us conquerors or the conquered? Or are we say, 50% conquered and 50% conqueror (alter as appropriate)? Of course that's nonsense, which it is why i think it's nonsensical to base arguments about current issues in Welsh politics on the idea that Wales was conquered. It really means nothing after so many centuries of mixing of the two populations and forging of our constitutional settlement together.
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message 50 and 51..
I see we must have some others who believe Ukrainian and Cmraeg are the same, otherwise why take off message that PROVE the person calling himself gadelosi is a WUM.
The Moderators are acting rather strange it seems.
You may say my message were off thread, but so are those from gadeloski.
Message 45, ...Liar! WUM!.
Why have they also NOT been taken off.
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Fifteenthirtysix 49
Common sense & a breath of fresh air at last :)
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dai7900 at 49
Disappointed you left me out - but never mind;
Remember this post back on August the 10th "Throwing down a Gauntlet"
I can't think of any neighbours worse than the English....drunk,fat,often racist,ill-educated....and they are moving to Wales to escape the mess they have made in their own country.When they arrive here they have the cheek to tell us how to run our own country
You suggest;
Isn't it about time the BBC created a separate blog people who are obsessive and write nonsense. - Assume you'll be a regular contributer then!!!
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Message 54:
oh hats off to you west Wales! Trawling through the historical posts of these racist welsh nationalists can't be a very pleasant experience for you but you have well and truely pulled dai7900's pants around his ankles with that post :)
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What so we can't use the word racist now? How else am I to describe dai7900's comments above?
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Are we not fortunate that in the United Kingdom there are the "Freedoms", of speech and expression particularly, without such freedoms the likes of "dai7900" would silence opposition, as demonstrated at #48
Plaid propose decentralised socialism, it is interesting that "Ralph Borsodi", the only person to have published a work on this discredited philosophy, wrote in his manifesto .....
"The minority of concerned and thoughtful teachers and writers, of poets and preachers, of artists and scientists, of physicians and lawyers, who constitute the real leadership of any society, must be. reborn. They should consecrate themselves to the search and realization of what is true, what is good, what is beautiful".
It is notable that in the manifesto there is no freedom of speech or expression, only amongst an elite.
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Phew! I thought I might have missed something!
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# 53
Thanks West-Wales :)
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Message No.60:
That made me go back and read your message 49. It really was an excellent and well informed post to which we are very unlikely to hear a constructive counter-argument to. In fact I can see it's being actively avoided by our fervent friends :)
Reading your post does somewhat make a mockery of most of Adam Price's recent over the top, drama queen speeches! As you said:
"Of course that's nonsense, which is why i think it's nonsensical to base arguments about current issues in Welsh politics on the idea that Wales was conquered. "
Based on that statement, Adam Price's entire political approach is nonsensical... something many of us have known since we first cast eyes on him on Question time :)
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# 55 - Noassembly - you said:
"If someone dares to spell a word or placename incorrectly, you Dai7900, come down on them like a ton of Welsh cobbles. "
'Placename' - is two words of course.
Carry on.
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Thanks Cardiffian2008, and agreed!
The idea that 'they' conquered 'us' really is nonsense in this day and age and mustn’t be allowed to pass unchallenged - especially when used to whip up nationalist agitation.
It's a real shame that AP doesn’t engage with world as it really is, but then if you have a rabble to rouse i guess reason is very inconvenient, so is probably best ignored.
I think his speech should be sent to every voter in Neath or wherever else he stands. I'm sure they'd see it exactly for what it is - absolute ... well, i suppose i can't really say that here.
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62. At 11:49am on 21 Sep 2009, Cilmyn wrote:
# 55 - Noassembly - you said:
"If someone dares to spell a word or placename incorrectly, you Dai7900, come down on them like a ton of Welsh cobbles. "
'Placename' - is two words of course.
Cilmyn...correct as always.Though sadly no-one will never know.
Can we now assume that you have taken over on here as resident pedant/word-speller general?
Are you and Dai7900 by any chance related?
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Betsan, You ask who will get the predicted 46.9% in Carmarthenshire East Labours Cllr Madge of course the champion of the county's old age,
sick and infirm a real socialist who appeals to those who are fed up with
Plaids under achievement. What has AP done for the people of Carmarthen East? Throughout his term he has indulged in self promotion by proposing
the impossible in order to milk the limelight and boy haven't you in the welsh media fed his insatiable ego.
It is a poisoned chalice for Plaid now that AP has shown his contempt for the people of Llandeilo,LLandovery, Ammanford and Llanddewi Brefi Plans to bring back the Plaid leader in Carmarthenshire's son Llyr Hughes Griffiths (changed to Llyr Huws Grufydd since moving to Clwyd West)has failed.They won't pick Dixon because he's failed to make an impact on his chance at Carmarthen West.They could pick outspoken Cllr Speake but then again he doesn't speak welsh and voted to fly the flags on Services Day a taboo amongst the inner circle who feel that Owen Glyndwrs colours are the only colours flown in Wales.
So who's left Dai7900,Returnee,Fi Dafydd,Penddu,Cilmyn not much of a
choice for Plaid.Really scraping the barrel as they say.
How about you Betsan?
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Is it surprising that AP said ....
"I do want to come home. I'm tired of beating my head and my hands against the dumb cold walls of Westminster. I will never feel that I belong in that Parliament, thought I have to breathe its dust-laden air".
.... a few weeks before he asked the following question ....
(17 Jun 2009)
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek the addition of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to the UN's list of territories in the process of decolonisation.
Chris Bryant (Foreign & Commonwealth Office; Rhondda, Labour) gave him short shrift when he wrote .....
The arrangements of Chapter XI of the UN Charter (Declaration regarding Non-Self Governing Territories) relate to former colonies for the purposes of domestic and international law. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are part of the UK.
Is there any wonder that AP went ape and decided to quit, a quiet room should be found for the poor deluded man.
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66....
Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Wales being a other than a region, was the reply.
We need a lot o more of such put down commentary, maybe after a period these folk will get it into their obtuse heads that they are only stirring up Westminster, to the extent, someday, in the not too distant future, all the cant they have been spouting since 1997, will get so far up the noses of everyone in the right places, that the whole lot will be reversed and abolished.
Can't wait for the day.
Quote...
'.....The arrangements of Chapter XI of the UN Charter (Declaration regarding Non-Self Governing Territories) relate to former colonies for the purposes of domestic and international law. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are part of the UK.....'
Colony, no more a colony than my colon.
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