Conservative MS backs Labour minister in Welsh language row
Emily Price
A Conservative Senedd Member has defended a Labour minister in a row about the Welsh language and called for an end to “discrimination against non-Welsh speakers”.
In a lengthy social media post, former Welsh Tory leader, Andrew RT Davies, said attacks on non-Welsh speakers were “completely unacceptable”.
Davies expressed support for Labour MP for Cardiff East, Jo Stevens, who was recently criticised because she only used English on leaflets and social media in her role as a Member of Parliament.
Stevens also represents Wales in Sir Keir Starmer’s UK Government cabinet.
Last month, she had told one of her constituents that she only communicated in English because “almost every elector speaks English”.
In an email shared to a Welsh language Facebook page, the UK minister said: “There is no statutory requirement for Members of Parliament to provide bilingual communications”, adding that she recognised the importance of the Welsh language.
The Welsh Labour Government currently has a target of one million people speaking the Welsh language by 2050.
Plaid Cymru’s Cefin Campbell accused Stevens of showing “an incredible lack of respect and a dinosaur-like attitude” to the Welsh language.
In a post published to X, Andrew RT Davies said the Welsh Secretary’s explanation “made perfect sense”.
He wrote: “Attacks on non-Welsh speakers are completely unacceptable.
“I’ll always stand up for those facing them. It doesn’t matter who they are.
“But this does leave me in the unusual position of speaking in support of Labour’s Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens.
“In recent days, Jo has come under sustained attacks for communicating in English.
“Plaid Cymru separatist Senedd member Cefin Campbell called her a ‘dinosaur’.
“Jo’s explanation made perfect sense. English is spoken by almost all of her constituents. Welsh is not.
“To put things in perspective, over 80% of Welsh people do not speak the language. They’re English-only speakers. And that’s fine.
“But Plaid Cymru separatists take a different view. They think they have a monopoly on Welshness.
“Campbell’s vitriol shows how Plaid treats people they don’t consider their own.
“In recent times, we’ve seen more and more discrimination against non-Welsh speakers.
“The decision to choose Welsh-only constituency names for the Senedd elections is a good example.
“For democracy to function, people need to recognise and identify with the electoral units in which they vote. A sense of place is vital.
“In my own constituency, the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend, the Welsh name is not commonly used.
“When people see the name ‘Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg’, they won’t recognise it. They’ll consequently feel excluded.
“Be assured I’ll continue speaking out on this. I don’t care if there’s a backlash.
“My duty isn’t ensuring I have an easy life. It’s standing up for the people I’m privileged to represent.”
It’s understood that Davies’ social media posts are largely penned by Vale of Glamorgan Councillor, George Carroll.
In recent days, Davies has also taken to social media to support Labour Senedd Member Mike Hedges.
The MS for Swansea East last week warned that if Plaid Cymru came to power at the election in May, the party would, “Devolve devolve devolve until there’s nothing left to devolve.”
Sharing a clip of Hedges’ speech to X, Davies wrote: “Plaid Cymru separatists will salami slice Wales to independence, by devolving more powers to the Senedd until there’s nothing left. Mike Hedges is right.”
Plaid Cymru was invited to comment but did not respond.
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Jo Stevens must be so proud
What absolute bilge from Stevens the worst cap doffing secretary of state for Cymru since Redwood & now Cymru’s permanent rent a gob R2 D2. It’s like the “Welsh Not” revisited. These two would be the first in the line to hang the board around the necks of our children. Cymru will never progress while these two political non-entities are still around with their nineteenth century mind sets.
Most Welsh people, whether or not they speak the language, are proud of our language and want to see it thrive. Stevens and R2D2 are old dinosaurs who are still living in the 1970s. They are openly trying to sow division in our country in the hope it will drive voters into their arms. They will fail.
English party backs another English party in refusing to accept the existence of the indigenous native language of our country.
It reminds some of their Germanic immigrant heritage although it’s a mystery why some find that embarrassing when the story of humanity is migration.
Eventually with these 2 clowns blowing hot air from their orifices, the welsh language and later Wales will cease to exist. It nearly happened in past history.
Well just using the derogatory label the English gave us – ‘Welsh’ instead of the Cymry – is a sign of how little interest Jo takes in living in Cymru. The Cymry are a people of immense talents – a holistic-people. If Jo doesn’t want to know Cymraeg and understand the way the Cymry think – then she’s toxic to an extraordinarily clever people. I’m learning as much Cymraeg as I can, I feel very lucky to live with such clever people, and fascinating survivors of so many invasions. The sentence structure of Cymraeg is very very rare amongst world… Read more »
Wales 30p tribute act.
But worse.
Andrew ‘Bilingualism is only acceptable when something’s not in English’ Davies
Adar o’r un lliw … a hed… ymhell i ffwrdd gobeithio!
Anti Welsh gammon solidarity
Davies is, as usual, completely wrong. I am a constituent of Jo Stevens and a Welsh speaker. I am angered that she shows such contempt for the first language of Wales, especially when it is Government policy. How quickly London-based MPs turn their back on their own country.
I suggest that you and others you know write Stevens a letter or protest in some way about her attitude
Anyone who looks different, acts different or speaks different is deemed a threat and enemy to the far-right. The Welsh language and it’s speakers will be attacked and scapegoated in the Senedd elections by these extremists.
The problem isn’t not speaking it. After all you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. The problem is not celebrating something precious. It’s bad faith for any official not to translate all official communications.
Deep down, Unionists like Stevens and RT Davies detest Cymraeg, and Cymru in general. They are advocates of the West Britain strand of thought that sees our nation as an appendage – a plaything – of the mighty, all-conquering England. We could almost certainly add contemporary foes like Dave Reddin and Richard Collier-Keywood to this list.
“”In recent days, Jo has come under sustained attacks for communicating in English.”
No she hasn’t. She has been criticised for communicating ONLY in English.
But that’s probably too subtle for Davies.
ART Davies might have had a point about discrimination if Stevens had issued her statement in Welsh only, but in fact she discriminated against Welsh speakers with her “They all speak English, anyway” approach. Davies has made a number of unfounded comments in the past; add this one to the list.
When he says “discrimination against non-Welsh speakers”, what he means is that English speakers should continue to enjoy unearned privileges at the expense of Welsh speakers. Let’s be perfectly clear where this is heading.
Andrew R T Davies says “80% of Welsh people don’t speak Welsh. They’re English speakers. And that’s fine”. Since the Wales’ conquest in 1282AD the English establishment has done its utmost to destroy the Welsh language. It has enacted no fewer than 3 Statutes containing measures and imposing conditions to do just that. This barbaric, despicable colonial policy has been all too successful reducing the percentage of Welsh speakers to 20% of our population. That’s fine says Davies – for him imposition of English on Welsh people is fine but imposition of Welsh on them is ever so wicked!
Why doesn’t he just shuffle off ever-rightwards, and complete the move to Führer Farage’s outfit? He’d make an apt leader for them.
More Wales hating from a vile racist.