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Allowing schools to choose whether they receive Queen Jubilee book part of independence push, Tory MS says

30 Mar 2022 3 minute read
Left, James Evans picture by Senedd TV. Elizabeth II & Philip after Coronation. Picture by Cecil Beaton.

A Conservative Senedd Member has suggested that the Welsh Government’s decision to let schools decide whether children will receive a book celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is part of a push towards independence.

The UK Government want every school child in Wales to receive a copy of the “patriotic” book, but the Welsh Government has said that the decision will rest with schools on whether they want to ‘opt-in’ to receive it.

BUT Brecon and Radnorshire Senedd Member James Evans said that refusing to distribute the book to all children in Wales was part of a drive towards separation from the UK.

The Welsh Government are on a clear path to slowly withdraw Wales from the UK and this is another tactic towards achieving their goal,” he said.

“I will be reaching out to all schools in Brecon & Radnorshire and encouraging them to sign up to receive this amazing book.”

‘Republican’

The contract awarded to DK books notes that 211,000 copies of a bilingual version of the book will be sent to pupils in 1,290 schools and other educational establishments in Wales.

But the Welsh Government told Nation.Cymru last month that the decision on distributing the book in Wales, which will cost £12m to produce, would be up to Education Minister Jeremy Miles.

They said: “Education is a devolved matter. We have been clear that the book should be available in Welsh and English and schools only receive the book on an opt-in basis.”

They added that a number of events to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee were planned in Wales and there was nothing stopping schools from ordering the book in May.

The Welsh Conservatives have criticised the decision, suggesting that Mark Drakeford’s own republicanism had influenced his stance to distributing the book.

Senedd shadow education minister Laura Anne Jones said: “This book is about teaching the next generation about how our country functions and its history.

“The only reason Labour would not want children to have them is because they believe it is not in its interest for them to take pride in British institutions and the UK’s past.

“Of course, it might also be down to Mark Drakeford being a republican who would rather not have the Queen at all. Either way, it’s Labour that needs to go back to school and learn how to govern.”


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Mark
Mark
1 year ago

I wonder if this book explains why the queen has secret offshore bank accounts, or maybe it will go in to some detail about how it was only 2015 that the british tax payer finished paying off the debt incurred by the governmnet when they compensated the slave owners in 1835? Abolish the monarchy.

R W
R W
1 year ago

“The Welsh Government are on a clear path to slowly withdraw Wales from the UK and this is another tactic towards achieving their goal,” James Evans said. It’s not often that I hope a Tory has got it right!!

Cathy Hill
Cathy Hill
1 year ago

I would like to echo the excellent comment made by Mark…and I would like to add that this story is another way the Tories demonstrate to us what they are REALLY about. They are about Monarchy, but then so are many Labour MS+MPs, but they are also about NOT having the freedom to choose, about NOT knowing the truth about the institutions that they pledge to conserve, they are NOT for democracy and they are NOT able to put up with any principles that are not exactly in line with their own philosophies. …and the fact is, its time to… Read more »

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

James Evans MS get off your knees you grovelling little man!. He makes the hilarious claims how independence is part of the reason why schools in Wales should have the right to give our impressionable children effectively the groomers guide to the Monarchy. No James Evans, its called the right to choose i e democracy your corrupt Conservative idiocracy knows not of. Okay, let’s talk independence. So James, the idea of independence is wrong, eh? Oh, but only if it’s Brexit and involves England leading the charge. You hypocrite! He forgets. Independence is a natural state, where dependency only occurs… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Y Cymro
Kurt C
Kurt C
1 year ago

Indy and royalty are nothing to do with each other. Indy is a political decision alone. For me not wanting a book of propaganda about a family built on crimes, is an awareness that history in manipulated by those with wealth and power.

Arwyn
Arwyn
1 year ago

Tory dogwhistling again. The Welsh Government advocate a federal UK. They are Unionists. Just not of the same flavour Unionism as the British Nationalist, Libertarian Tories. I really wish Welsh Labour would advocate the formation of a Welsh State and a British Confederation. This would not be “Seperatism” but a new “togetherness” on more democratic and progressive terms. There is ample room, some would say even greater potential for, solidarity and internationalism in such an arrangement. Might someone ask James Evans if he believes that England should be governed by Labour owing to their majority in Wales? He seems to… Read more »

Richard
Richard
1 year ago

I had understood that being a Conservative was all about choice and options not the starlinist one size fits all!?

Why then on the day one of his MP Tory colleages has chosen to come out as trans/no binary – his brave option … does this new MS seek to stop choice ?

Or is it only choice when it ticks a policy that one agreea with 🤔

Argol Fawr!
Argol Fawr!
1 year ago

So all those anti Monarchists in England, a significant proportion of the electorate and growing, are pro Welsh independence as well James Evans?

Dai Rob
Dai Rob
1 year ago

Ban The Book!!!

Richard
Richard
1 year ago
Reply to  Dai Rob

Never ban a book mate ! Thats what autocrats do of right snd left …
If its rubbish – then it will fall by itself

Grayham Jones
1 year ago
Reply to  Dai Rob

Very true no English royals in wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Gareth
Gareth
1 year ago

How would the population of England react, if somehow, the gov of Cymru published a book about Owain Glyndwr, and told them they have to accept one for every child in England whether they wanted one or not. I know what the answer would be, so the Tory party in Cymru must learn to accept our answer, to being fed brit nat propaganda, that we do not want.

Grayham Jones
1 year ago

Kick all English party’s out of wales vote Plaid Cymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
1 year ago

It strikes me that in the interest of ‘Balance’ schools should be given copies of the Royalty Book but also copies of “The Myth of British Monarch” by Edgar Wilson (Available from Republic and all good bookshops). It is a very good read and not a long book but it does make a very thorough case about why Monarchy is bad for you and this particular Monarchy is bad for the UK.

David RJ Lloyd
David RJ Lloyd
1 year ago

it truly worries me that welsh children are being force fed’our’ history as a series of english (austro german in reality) royals & english wars!!! it has little if any reference to the way wales has evolved over the centuries & these tories want us to be grateful for that. well NO!!! & no again thanks

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
1 year ago

Interesting, they seem very so stressed out over this damn book. It’s not going to save their precious Union – it’s on its last legs. So it really doen’t matter whether the book gets into schools or not – it’s too late.

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