Bys Bach! A curious character on a mission to find out more about Welsh politics...but is there a daily programme that scrutinizes the decisions made about Wales? Wales: Ingredients: obsequiousness (50%), apathy (30%) melancholia (20%). Just add water. Please note: recipe may not work during a rugby international.
May contain nuts. Appropriately it was a chicken Sunday lunch. Indeed, two chickens, between seven. A meal to introduce themselves as new neighbours, to break the ice. Civil, polite conversation, mainly about the wettest start to the year on record. Then eventually things went a bit cheesy with the cheese, a bit whiny with all the wine. Talk of Scottish independence inevitably led to questions of Welsh independence. Like giving the village idiot his song at the end of the village concert. It’s only fair, isn’t it. Polite. ‘I suppose you’re for a breakaway Wales?’ Chris, from Northampton, IT expert, making nationhood sound like a package holiday. And all eyes on me, the only Welsh person present I quickly realized to my horror, though we all live on the same street, in the same capital. ‘Yes. Divan had a ‘Plaid’ poster in his window recently, local council election.’ Bill next door, from Wolverhampton. I nod sagely, reminding myself to count to ten. ‘I can understand where Grahame’s coming from, with the oil in Scotland, and its history of scientists and entrepreneurship, but Wales?’ Alison, from Maidenhead, civil servant (Transport). ‘Even if you wanted it, could Wales afford it? There’s such a reliance on the public sector.’ Grahame, the Scot across the road, financial advisor, Alison’s husband. ‘And we’re all global citizens now, aren’t we?’ Jo, London, Chris’s partner, nurse. ‘What does that mean, exactly? Global citizen?’ Paula, Bristol, high up in marketing. Good question, Paula. ‘I suppose that governments, all governments’ hands are tied to a certain extent, with multi-national companies wielding so much power, so that people are more than ever at the mercy of the global economy, and feel disenfrachised’ Chris ventures. ‘I’ve never understood people’s obsession with places. We’re all in the same boat, aren’t we?’ says Bill, cutting a large piece of brie for himself. ‘A ship called Capitalism, heading for the rocks.’ Dyfan, Carmarthen, translator. ‘We’ll all need a boat too, in this weather’ says Jo, trying to lighten the suddenly tense atmosphere. ‘Isn’t water the new oil? I venture, ‘You know, the most important commodity for the twenty-first century?’ ‘You’ve certainly got plenty of that in Wales’ says Chris. Why ‘you’, why not ‘we’? I wonder to myself. ‘That would be a good investigation for Newsnight’ says Jo, ‘seeing how a small country like Wales could benefit from its natural resources.’ ‘But is Wales responsible for its own water? Or is it London?’ asks Grahame. ‘That’s why we need a Newsnight Wales’ I say, ‘To look at these questions, and others, with rigour, in detail. And by the way, Alison, we’ve a strong history of scientists and thinkers in Wales too.’ Chris eventually breaks the awkward silence. ‘So you’re a fan of Jeremy Paxman, then Divan, old Paxo?’ ‘He used to be good, but he’s past his sell by date, I think’ I answer, ‘And he’d be useless for the Welsh opt out programme anyway as he’s got no interest in Wales. We saw that when Eurfyl ap Gwilym, the Plaid Economics spokesman, ran rings round him.’ ‘Eurfyl ap Gwilym? I’ve never heard of him.’ Bill, scoffing this time. ‘That’s the point. But with a Newsnight Wales opt out you will hear of him and dozens of others, robustly discussing Welsh affairs in a vibrant context. So that we could eventually do the same, with the relevant facts and figures at our fingertips. Instead of existing in this media void.’ ‘I agree with you about Paxo being past his best’ says Paula. Encouraged I take a hearty swig of my Rioja and say ‘Actually I think he’s called Paxo because he’s a perfect example of the kind of stuffing that keeps the British Establishment together.’ I have a feeling of deja vu now, a harbinger of embarrassed silences. Idiotically I change the tone and say a joke. ‘Why did the Welsh chicken cross the road?’ The other six look at me, politely, willing the punch line. ‘We’ll never know, because we never asked it. In Wales we don’t like asking awkward questions.’ Bill’s the first. Roaring a bass laugh, quickly followed by Paula’s shriek and Graham’s guffaw. Then our hosts, Jo and Chris, smiling broadly, their shoulders bouncing up and down. Alison too, mouth wide open, laughing noiselessly, like Captain Pugwash. ‘Very funny, Divan!’ says Bill, holding his wide girth. I want to say that a divan is something you sit on and that my name (for the umpteenth time, Bill) is Dyfan. An ‘uh’ sound, like some dumb idiot’s version of ‘What’? But I count to ten instead. And join in the laughter. Note: The above meal took place in January 2014. Since then Jeremy Paxman has left ‘Newsnight’. Dyfan James has recently left Wales (and now lives in Scotland). That Wales is a nation is thankfully a debate we no longer have anymore.
Wales is a nation and has all the characteristics of one. One of the very recent additions to our national characteristics has been having our own democratic institution, our own parliament. There is one characteristic that has remained stubbornly difficult to establish in our country however; a vibrant and widely-engaged platform for Welsh politics in the media. That is not to say that individual journalists and our small print media in Wales do not work tirelessly to scrutinise politicians and present the political issues of the day to Welsh citizens. Indeed, it is widely acknowledged that Wales’ unique position among the nations of Britain as a country where most citizens read newspapers edited and printed outside the country has been a difficult structural anomaly to overcome. Wales’ relationship with print media is long-standing of course and harks back to the days when proximity to the printing presses dictated the newspapers available on newsstands; the length of the railway line was a greater consideration than the depth of the national consciousness. All the more reason therefore for us to take every opportunity to engage with the citizens of Wales. That is why I fully support the Newsnight Cymru campaign. There is little doubt that Welsh current affairs and scrutiny of those in power in Wales requires further strengthening – after all, it has been generally accepted that Wales suffers from a ‘democratic deficit’ in which the people are made to feel distant from the National Assembly for Wales due to media coverage not being what it should be. That is a big problem for our democracy. Technological advances of course make it possible to share links to programming through social media and innovations like the BBC’s i-player make it possible for viewers to engage with programming in the most flexible ways. A Newsnight Cymru segment would instantly become a flagship programme in Welsh political TV listings. It would add greater status to Welsh democracy and crucially would address key issues from the point of view of Welsh citizens. I am also of the view that increased, high quality scrutiny of our politicians would raise their game too. What is being suggested by the Newsnight Cymru Campaign is entirely reasonable. After all, our Scottish friends already have their own Newsnight segment. When allied to their strong print sector, you could never argue that democracy in Scotland is worse for these extra layers of scrutiny. Sure, it may sometimes provide uncomfortable moments for those who hold the levers of power but that is part of the deal in any thriving democracy. What is being demanded is equality. If not for our licence fee-payers (who pay the same for their license as Scots) then for the sake of national equality. |
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this blog the people of Wales and the world give their support to the call for
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discussion on the way the media should analyse and question political decisions
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November 2015
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