England-only Covid broadcasts shouldn’t be on Welsh TV screens, Plaid Cymru MS suggests
A Plaid Cymru MS has suggested that England-only Covid announcements should not be on Welsh TV screens.
Delyth Jewell, a regional Senedd member for South Wales East, has called for broadcast rules to be changed to stop “inaccurate information” being spread in Wales.
During a debate in the Senedd, she pointed to an England-only broadcast made by Boris Johnson on Sunday, which was was broadcast on Welsh TV screens but was “not relevant to us”.
In response, the Welsh Government’s Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths argued that Boris Johnson should make it “very clear” when he’s only “speaking on behalf of the people of England” in an announcement.
Jewell told the Senedd: “On Sunday evening, Trefnydd, Boris Johnson’s broadcast was on Welsh TV screens saying that everyone would receive a third vaccination by the end of the year.
“Now, at the time, this was an England-only announcement, and this isn’t the first time for the Prime Minister to have made a statement broadcast on Welsh TV screens that was not relevant to us.
“The one in May was much worse, when Mr Johnson announced that the advice had changed from stay at home to a slogan that was far more ambiguous. This announcement didn’t apply in Wales.
“The advice here was that we should continue to stay at home, but there was no explanation at the time that the announcement was not relevant to Wales.”
‘Causing confusion’
“I think it’s clear, therefore, that we need changes in broadcasting rules to prevent inaccurate information being broadcast here and causing confusion, if not risks.
“I’m pleased therefore that the co-operation agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government includes a commitment to consider establishing a shadow broadcasting and communications authority for Wales, as this body could recommend such a change.
“Could the Government, therefore, timetable a statement on this at some point in the new year, in order to provide details on the next steps?”
The Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths replied: “Thank you. I think it’s very important, when the Prime Minister does make these announcements, that he makes it very clear that, on that particular occasion, he’s speaking on behalf of the people of England, and that’s why it was very good to see our First Minister addressing the people of Wales in a similar vein on Monday evening.
“The point you raise, as you say, it is within the co-operation agreement between Delyth Jewell’s party and my own, and I’m sure, as we work through the 46 policies, a statement will be brought before the Senedd.”
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suggested this in an online Welsh Labour meeting over a year ago and for all my Plaid friends, look at the posters in Welsh Government buildings and spot Boris the Idiot everywhere. I have even spoken to council management who still think that Bo Jo instigates Welsh Policy.
This is an intentional omission by Johnson, I’m sure. I have always felt that he has never forgiven the Welsh and Scottish First Ministers for developing their own strategies and broadcasting them very soon after his original ‘PAN-UK’ covid broadcast in March 2020.
It is, however, useful for Welsh and Scottish citizens to be aware of any new regulations in England if they wish to travel to that country, so the broadcasts should continue being shown here. But Johnson must act grown-up and point out that his regulations are England-only. If he won’t, then the broadcasts should definitely stop.
… and Drakefords’ broadcasts should be fed into England so that eedjits from over the border don’t come here with daft quips like “them rules don’t apply to us, we’re from Birmingham/Cheshire/ etc etc “. There’s a contempt for Drakeford across the border which just shows how effin’ dim those English really are.
You do realize that a death rate of 1/61 means that 1 person in 61 has died of covid and a death rate of 1/84 means that 1 person in 84 has died of covid. That would mean England has the higher death rate, though I don’t think your figures are very accurate if I’m being honest!
Forgive me. Wrong argument.
England 0 0013
Wales 0.012
Scotland 0.0126
So what argument is this one?
No context whatsoever! More importantly your maths is terrible 🙄
So England has ’57 million people to look after’. So what? The health service of any nation is resourced to the size of its population, but you make it sound as if the Welsh NHS (for a population of 3.2 million) is the same size as the English NHS when in fact it is resourced for a population of 3.2 million not 57 million. Grow up.
The real problem is that there isn’t an English Government! It is always hard to discern whether announcements by the UK Government are actually for the UK o’r England only!
For a long time the BBC were confused. It’s taken them an eternity to realise there are four nations in Britain rather than one. England
I totally agree. No wonder there’s confusion , especially when you see England’s Covid rules beamed throughout Britain while Wales announcements are isolated and regionalised in BBC basement tucked out of sight. And no offence to my Scottish friends, but I’ve noticed also how the BBC including other broadcasters like ITV, Sky & Ch4 prioritise England & Scotland Covid announcements but largely ignore Wales and NI. They do this in other aspects of Welsh life too, be it representing Wales in their programming, the Senedd Election coverage etc….. So it’s high time Wales had the devolution of broadcasting. No more… Read more »
The problem is that too many people in this country do not watch this country’s English-language television service from choice but we are not supposed to mention this problem