Decision not to distribute Jubilee book to all schools in Wales ‘insult to Queen’ says Andrew RT Davies
The Welsh Government’s decision not to distribute a history book made for the Royal Jubilee to all schools in Wales is an “insult to the Queen,” the leader of the Welsh Conservatives has said.
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.
Andrew RT Davies slammed as “woke” the Welsh Government’s reasons for not distributing the book, after they revealed that they had asked historian Dr Elin Jones her opinion on whether it was appropriate to distribute it.
Dr Elin Jones, whose own book History Grounded / Hanes yn in Tir is to be distributed to all of Wales’ school children to aid in the teaching of the new national curriculum, had said that the book did not make enough mention of the indigenous languages and cultures of Britain.
In a letter to Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Labour education minister Jeremy Miles said: “Dr Elin Jones provided Welsh Government with an unpaid independent opinion on the content of the book.
“The advice from Dr Jones was that she felt its failure to address the early history of Britain, so as to explain the reasons for the existence of the indigenous languages and cultures of Britain, was a basic flaw in this book.
“This was exacerbated by the lack of reference to – let alone celebration of – these languages and cultures today. Concerns were also raised about the old-fashioned interpretation of English history and the lack of historical awareness.
“Dr Jones also felt the book did not support the Welsh Government’s Welsh language policy and undermines the efforts being made to develop an inclusive approach to culture in Wales.”
But Andrew RT Davies said the Welsh Government policy and reasoning was “an unnecessary insult to the Queen in her Jubilee year”.
He went on: “It’s sad that Labour, weeks before Her Majesty’s 70th Jubilee, have overcomplicated a simple way of sharing the story of her world-beating rule with our children.
“This woke justification won’t land well with the people of Wales who are proud of the UK’s compassionate history and Her Majesty’s leading role in our national story.”
‘Devolved’
The UK Government said that the aim of the book was to help children understand how the four nations came together as one United Kingdom, and that would include details such as Owain Glyndwr’s rebellion against the English in 1400 to take the title of ‘Prince of Wales’.
It also features the renaming of the Welsh Assembly to the Senedd, and a section on Hywel Dda, noting that he united most of Wales from his kingdom Deheubarth and “brought in laws that focused on fairness and justice”.
A page in the book reads: “During [the Queen’s] reign, the world has changed in so many ways… (this book) will help you understand the amazing life and times of our Queen and the magic of the unique, unshakable bond she shares with the people she serves.”
The UK Government had originally said that they wanted every school child in Wales to receive a copy of the “patriotic” book, which cost £12m to produce, whether they asked for one or not.
The contract awarded to DK books by the UK Government 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 said that education was a “devolved matter” and that they had “been clear that the book should be available in Welsh and English and schools only receive the book on an opt-in basis”.
‘Excited’
Created with the help of royal historians, The Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration will allow children to trace the highlights of the Queen’s reign through a story featuring a young girl called Isabella.
She is told all about the Queen and this year’s Jubilee during a visit to her Great Granny Joyce’s house.
Famous quotes from the Queen, along with details about the lives of significant Commonwealth figures such as former South African President Nelson Mandela, are to feature in the book.
Facts on the coronation ceremony, information about notable kings and queens and a timeline of Queen Elizabeth’s life will feature in the book aimed at “celebrating and showcasing the Queen’s incredible living legacy”, according to England’s Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi.
Mr Zahawi said: “Queen Elizabeth II is the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee and Her Majesty’s dignity, commitment and grace continues to inspire people all over the world.
“Millions of children will soon receive their own commemorative Jubilee book, celebrating and showcasing the Queen’s incredible living legacy.
“I hope all our pupils are as excited as I am to read about Her Majesty’s amazing life and the people and events that have shaped history during the last 70 years.”
The book is also part of the National Literacy Trust’s Platinum Jubilee Royal Reading Challenge.
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Typical of the fawning forelock tugging class, he should at least have some self respect and get up off his knees.
And grow a backbone and some guts along as well. Some moral fibre would be good as well.
Why . Is he too straight for today’s world of weirdness .prefer hetro royals than Rainbow flag waving , knee taking . Idiots .who overlook facts that Wales as nation more abused than ANY denomination we see our police and sportsman bow to . Do yes prefer Royalty to today insanity
Well, as a mother of three Welsh children I think it is an insult to have several palaces, own most of the land and have a big hat made out of gold whilst the “subjects” (gross, I am a citizen of Cymru, I am no one’s subject) of “your” country go hungry and whilst “your” ministers and private companies use usury and frauds to steal money off them and even ratify laws that ensure that the energy price market becomes a fixed game that only benefits the rich. I wonder why RT Davis is about as popular as having a… Read more »
About sums up the whole RT debacle.
Long may he remain to further poison the Tory brand.
Mae e’n mynd yn dwpach wrth y dydd!
Yea cos Tony war criminal Blair really done Wales favours . Really don’t just reel off rubbish . Tell me ANTTHING positive last Labour govt did for Wales
Don’t hold back now, say what you mean!
You are actually correct in comments , because our MPs , from all parties steal off the people without contributing one good thing to our economy. The Royal family bring in money . . I AM IN NO WAY aRoyalist don’t really have a view , but say what YOU think not this crazy left media and schooling you have today . Do your own research on how Wales has been s**t on by every political party throughout history . Whereas name the Time the Queen has done the dirty on Wales . Are you aware how much money and… Read more »
What else besides compulsory imperialist indoctrination does RT favour? In being against the voluntary acceptance or rejection of this book he takes us back to the time when the Welsh were forced to pay tithes to a church they neither understood nor attended.
Anyone have any idea of what the take up rate was, for this book, amongst Welsh Schools?
Is there even a Welsh Language version of it?….
There is and even that version is not compulsory.
Not heard of my sons primary asking parents about this. But as Welsh medium, why would they consider it.
If it can be spun as high we’ll hear soon enough. If (as seems likely) it’s low we’ll hear no more about it.
And the anti-Welsh nature of the Tories in Cymru is an insult to our nation.
I’m sure the pampered old lady will get over it
Mare do research . Labour under Blair was historically bad for Wales . Oh and just to add , ensure you know what you think Tories done so bad. ,as Labour party has ruled Wales since devolution. . In most areas so consider your answer carefully ..we have a minister leading our country , who really shouldn’t be . He has a race baiting sidekick too I implore people to check out. An historian called Thomas Sowell . AND HE IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN….HE is one of a handful left allowed in media who will say Facts about most things… Read more »
This man would not know an insult if it kicked him in his small holding. Partying while her husband died, telling lies to her face, her ministers watching porn and being arrested on suspicion of rape, while part of her gov. He should look at his own kind before throwing allegations of “insulting the queen”. While his lot in London insult four nations of 60 odd million people, he remains silent.
The fat bootlicker forgot to say “our queen” like she is everyones gran instead of a thief and an afront to democracy.
I hate him, but what has his weight got to do with it? Please don’t use weight as an insult, that’s discrimination.
He is fat. He’s obese, probably clinically.
His very party have an anti-obesity strategy that they were about to put into practice, but have now u-turned and scrapped it.
And therein lies the problem with Marxism . Everything is upsetting to someone . APART from wrongs done to your own people . Man up
Didn’t his dear leader Bozo lie to that old biddies face? And he talks about insulting her? Hypocrite!
Remember WMD , and a million deaths in Iraq many Welsh soldiers Inc . Where is Tony Blair’s war crime trial. He. KNOWINGLY sent troops in after being told zero WMDs found . A labour leader to be proud of eh . Makes me sick. If you want to hear somebody with anti Welsh views look no further . Easily found online .. then watch Matt Damon film Green Zone . True story of the Iraq war . Blair mosy and partly Bush responsible . And all for his mates in Israel .. also Hussein went into Kuwait as it… Read more »
Your moms an insult to the queen
Said Andrew RT Davies a man who makes a living insulting Wales.
Nothing ‘Woke’ about it RT but that won’t stop you and your dog whistle will it.
Perhaps we’d all feel better about the Royal Family if our so-called prince lived here instead of making biscuits in Kernow?
He’s not our ‘Prince’ though, Erisian, they – the English Royal family murdered our Tywysogion and tens of thousands of our people, robbing us of our freedom centuries ago. That’s why Westminster and England’s elite rule over us today and are forcing this Jubilee down our throats and attempting to brainwash our children with this book!
Wtf . Right if you want to go back in History. .the Royal who really done a number on the Welsh was Henry VIII . From house of Tudor . Agree. The English political parties have been the evil in Welsh history . What exactly in last 70 years has Queen done. While piticians have done best to crippleus
Or shooting wild birds yn Yr Alban.
Decision to try and distribute jubilee book to all schools in Wales an insult to the whole of Wales and its’ people. How’s that for a correction RT? This book is promoting the wrong ‘patriotism’ to Welsh people and is clearly attempting to stamp the authority of Empire upon us when the clear direction of travel is freedom from it.
Mate if rather be loyal to Elizabeth than some non indigenous fad of the day politician .
The Welsh (supposedly) Tories and the British Establishment just don’t get it. Just because its been almost 800years – we haven’t forgotten we have been conquered. Our culture and language still exist regardless of numerous attempts to eradicate it. Why do our children need a book that technically just rubs our noses in it? .
Mate why mention Tories . And go back 100s years ago we conquered ourselves with in fighting. Powys v Gwynedd etc . The Labour party has been running Wales for 23 years. And have done more to bring us to knees than anybody . NAME ONE GOOD THING IN LAST 70 YEARS LABOUR HAVE DONE FOR WALES. .then one atrocious thing Queen has done. . Then we can have civil dispute . I can name many atrocities Labour have committed Upon the Welsh people .as have all parties .but in last 70 years unaware of the evil doings off Elizabeth
Dear Mr A R T Davies,
What the children of Wales do not need is the history of Wales written by a colonialist outsiders view point, this is English establishment anti devolution propaganda. We will send a clear message to the England biased Westminster government that this waste of public money is not wanted and not needed in our country, perhaps you may want to keep the rejected copies of this unnecessary agitprop on your farm with the rest of the bull s
A book celebrating another 70 years of being sacddled with a head of state selected neither on the basis of merit or the democratic principle — but rather on the basis of heredity and privilege.
These are not values I would want to be normalizing for the children of Wales in the mid 21st century.
What an appalling specimen Davies is.
Not all us Davies,s are like him.Thank god.
Sorry Dewi….I was referring to Vidkun Davies of course…. Lot’s of Davies’ in my family will be annoyed with me too!
Judging by the page sample you are displaying the mistreatment of Wales and Ireland (e.g. Blue Books, forced evictions, Black and Tans, suppression of the Chartists etc.) have clearly been airbrushed out.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: I am a teacher. I will not be handing out this propaganda in my classes!
Yea .you’ll be handing out literature , praising transgenderism in 5 year olds. And the evil of White male Hetrosexuals .. .FOR ALL pro left comments. Tell me o e good thing Labour done for us in Wales . . Stopped Welsh speaking schos in Mid Wales under first Wilson in late 60s . Then 1966 aberfan disaster where the Labour govt totally ripped the community apart and the NRB lord whoever cannot and don’t want to remember name , a labour LORD who was heading to the top , but he treated Welsh people with contempt. As do many… Read more »
Has Mr. Davies learned nothing from the walloping his Wales-based branch got in the recent Welsh local elections? Appealing to British or English sentiment may have been official policy in Cymru pre-1960 but today it “won’t land well with the people of Wales”. Surely no school in Wales worth its salt would consider this facile piece of propaganda as a valuable tool for education.
She has done no evil to Wales. Every politician has and Esp Labour party . But overlooked .I want my children to be safe . They are sinners by being white and straight . Today’s world is finished
I think the best way to celebrate the jubilee is to throw horse dung at a burning effagy of the English queen.
Are there not more important things that the Welsh Conservatives should be focusing on at the present time? The cost of living crisis perhaps?
Stop listening to media morons . Don’t tell me Brexits fault ..THE BREXIT WE IN WALES VOTED FOR WITH ONE OFBIGGEST MAJORITIES . blame Drakeford . Lockdown nonsense and Marxist beliefs
I’ll pass, I’m going to wait for Kim Jong-un’s book, it’ll be based more in reality.
Dear leader, we love you…..
Amazingly, many western men have copied the shaved-side haircut? lol!
“..but the Welsh Government has said that the decision will rest with schools on whether they want to opt in to receive it.”
You’d have thought RT would be happy with this, what with the Tories being the party of offering choice to the individual and all that.
It’s only real “choice” if you choose to be a revolting Tory sycophantic farmer. Isn’t that right Vidkun?
QE2 deserves a good send off and ‘ diolch ‘ for her service of 70 years and occasional trips here plus patience with fawning ‘ ‘welch toady ‘ politicos awaiting their honours…
Once this is over we need to start a national conversation on WWW (what wales wants ) post Charlea Regency.
A resident, directly elected, non partisan and inclusive individual who cam reflect our aspiring and confident nation 🏴……..
Whilst it can be fun to throw mud at Mr Davies, I rather feel that those of who read and comment on YC articles should now be moving to a more intellectual approach. Mr Davies calls the decision not to distrubute this book “Woke”. I wonder if he really understands the meaning and origins of the word. It is apparently of Black African American origin and means “being aware of the truth behind things ‘the man’ doesn’t want you to know”. In this instance ‘the man’ is the ruling white male class. So, at one level we could agree that… Read more »
As far as I’m concerned, as soon as the W word is mentioned, the debate is lost.
Majesty? Elizabeth the last.
Good, she is not my Queen. Leave royalty dress up to Disney, its the 21st century. I would burn the book with my flamethrower. My son knows who he is, not a subject of a flag shagging imperial excuse.
Take comfort. When the English monarchy becomes the mascot of Welsh Conservatives, you can be sure its days are numbered.
I would rather have Literature, pro Royal , than the Woke Left rubbish condemning everything white and historical . And hetro .. .living in Mid Wales you realise how bad Welsh Labour have been . People need to travel an hour to get to English hospitals , If they have no English priorities. .peoe have died due to an asthma attack etc . My local town has to use Shrewsbury hospital which is worse than anybody can imagine . .even though Wings were historically built on Mid Wales donations . Then Welsh Labour Did cross border NHS deal , which… Read more »
Do away with woke teachers and politicians , and keep ERii who has Never in my 53 years done a dirty on Wales . Hope bypass Charles and go Will and Kate . I’m not really a royal lover BUT let’s hold on to this one tradition. . everything else is deemed evil etc. But unbelievably the Welsh left forget the damage ALL POLITICAL PARTIES have done to Wales . Esp Labour . Esp Mid Wales ..the forgotten land . Do you really want a fool like ms sturgeon running out country or the open door policies of lab and… Read more »
See , this is another site which does not publish anything the left don’t like . Labour in power 64 to 70 in UK . In that time capel Bangor was flooded and Labour done the dirty on their so called core voters in Aberfan . Their lord ?? Can’t speak his name , was heading to labour leadership .these are the people along with apart from Thatcher , to y Blair worse ever . No party has done much for Wales , but Labour done worse . . That’s why the constant knocking of Queen Elizabeth who did more… Read more »