Idea that the Welsh are the ultimate authority in Wales ‘wrong in both fact and law’ says Tory MP
The idea that the Welsh are “the ultimate source of authority in Wales” is “wrong in fact and in law”, a Welsh Conservative MP has said.
Robin Millar, the MP for Aberconwy, was writing in Strength in Union, a book launched at the Conservative party conference, which includes essays by Conservative politicians about the importance of maintaining the union of the UK.
In the book, Robin Millar says that the continuation of Westminster’s sovereignty will depend on people’s “belief in a covenant between the people of these
islands – in the existence of a ‘British people’” which the Senedd had undermined.
“Every time a UK minister has been pushed around by a devolved administration, they have unwittingly sent a message to voters that ‘one briton, one vote’ does not prevail in Wales,” he said.
“Welsh Government ministers, meanwhile, have explicitly founded their recent attacks on British authority in the tale that the Welsh are the ultimate source of authority in Wales – that there is no such national people as ‘the British’.
“This may be wrong in fact and in law, but it is a tale to tickle many listening ears.”
‘Subsidy’
Robin Millar added that to secure the future of the UK, Unionists were going to have to tell a “story” of Britain that competed with that of the Welsh.
“While the claims of all sides are vested in ancient stories, it is the nationalists who have proved willing and adept at telling theirs,” he said.
“Herein lies the danger – an untold story becomes an unheard story and, over time, will be forgotten. The advocates of Britain, seemingly unaware of (or embarrassed to tell) a rich and contemporary story of British sovereignty, have instead thrashed about for alternative arguments, such as the scale
of fiscal transfers from England to Wales or the economic benefits of the Union.
“Of course, these rational economic arguments are quite persuasive at one level. It is possible to be a Welsh nationalist – to believe in the sovereignty of Wales – and still want to remain part of the UK as a matter of Welsh self-interest.
“Indeed, this seems to be the philosophy of the Welsh Government, which furiously denounces any UK Government initiative in Wales – while simultaneously relying on its subsidy to remain solvent as an administration.”
He added that in telling their story, Unionists could “always throw in a couple of dragons”.
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They are coming for the Senedd, just like I told everyone who said they were going to vote “Leave”, just like I told everyone who said they were going to vote Tory in 2019.
The Tory mafia is coming for the Senedd. What are YOU going to do about it?
The Senedd will be the least of your problems. They will stop your language as “it’s not viable commercially”, “it inhibits business”. They will defund your schools, shut your TV and radio down and take serial steps to make you a fully assimilated second class citizen, although the really compliant boys and girls will be treated like normal Brits. What will YOU do about that ?
They are coming for the Senedd, just like I told everyone who said they were going to vote “Leave”, just like I told everyone who said they were going to vote Tory in 2019.
The Tory mafia is coming for the Senedd. What are YOU going to do about it?
Maybe we should behave as though we are already Independent, because most of us here are. Actually, even RT is getting worried about slavering Tory attack dogs, if you look at his writings lately.
RT Davies should set up a Welsh Conservative Party if he wants our Senedd to remain!
A glimpse of the pre-smash-and-grab-retaking-of-the-Welsh-conservative-leadership RT? The often (OK, sometimes) conciliatory RT? The RT that obviously shared a couple half pints of shandy with Dai Melding? Signs and wonders…
And there we have it. A naked attempt at the cultural assimilation we all worry about. We will hear the usual Unionist “no,no! You can still be Welch, nobody is taking it away from you”. Read this proposal – a competing narrative, a narrative that is in direct competition to the very notion that we are a distinct, separate people. This is beyond politics – this is a moral argument. The establishment idea of “the British people” does not and will never exist. You will not claim me. I will resist. Try and make it so and we will remain… Read more »
The more this goes on the more they will push people away
Maybe, but he’s a poster boy for all those colonists who’ve rocked up in that area and can’t stand the natives or anything remotely to do with the Welsh language, culture, heritage etc That’s why they keep changing names of houses farms mountains and other features. He do alright while those supremacists continue to roll in.
I wonder how much of the “Story of Britain” will continue to be the story of England.
Uber brit nationalists like Millar have been trashing the welsh people and trying to undermine welsh nationhood for centuries – but we (the welsh) are still here and the Welsh nation is very much alive. And the direction of travel is only going one way – and its only a matter of time before the people of Wales take full control of their affairs and Wales takes its rightful and long overdue place in the world as a independent nation
Overdue is the word, Leigh! Blimey, a risk of boring everyone again, as basically a right wing person, I would tolerate even a leftist state for the sake of our culture. So fed up am I of this gad awful shower of s**t that is the YUK!
I will get very nasty though
I have been playing a videgame called Fallout New Vegas and there is a bad guy called Caesar who has based his whole imperialist tribe on the history of the Roman Empire (its set 200 years in the future after a nuclear war). He was saying how the Romans would conquer nations and tribes by basically wiping out any little piece of culture, identity and language, they would brainwash their new slaves into thinking their life was barbaric and insignificant and then forcing them into a one size fits all culture run by him as their despotic leader and straight… Read more »
Nothing left but the jackboot for them soon, another lovely empire invention along with concentration camps and enforced famines
True colours are coming out. Are you listening Aberconwy?
Llanrwst resident here. This man is dangerous. Labour and Lib Dem’s sort it out please and field one candidate between you, Emily Owen would have been far better (likewise with the property magnate Finch-Saunders – to be blessed with 2 Tories is just bad luck!). I read this recent word salad of his a few days ago, to be fair he is consistent in his awfulness. This is a man who seemingly has only ever worked in Wales since becoming an MP, his expenses are interesting to put it mildly, as for his voting record, shameful. Keep it up Robin,… Read more »
YMA O HYD, I think that is all we need to say to them.
Difficult to say when they are kneeling on your windpipe and won’t understand what you’ve just said anyway. We are way past that.
Bradwyr bob un
I am “not allowed” to vote for your comment!
Nor I. Apparently I’ve already voted…
He’s basically saying like the traitor he is. That his beloved English establishment can do what they want with us because we own you like a slave trader would their slave.
As time goes by it becomes increasingly obvious that there is no point putting the word Welsh in front of the word Tory (Conservative and Unionist Party) as the two terms are axiomaticaly incompatible. Their ways and values are not ours.
Although the Torys are good at selling flights of fancy and wild imaginings (e.g. Brexit), it’s no good telling ‘a story’ to try and stem the tide.
There is just History, and it doesn’t paint a good picture of the ‘Union’ at all.
What is wrong with these people? If he could but read a swift google would bring up the Government of Wales Act which proves him to be wrong. Raab is also at it with the HRA only today but if they force it through overruling Scottish or Welsh opposition they effectively scrap the entire UK constitution.
What do you think Brenda and Brian would say if the Tories ended their roles as head of state?
It’s time to kick all English party’s out of wales that’s the Tories Labour and all Brexit party’s stop being little Englanders and and be proud to be welsh start fighting for your children and grandchildren future in wales 🏴
YMA O HYD.
In lieu of voting for Gareth’s comment.
Wow the Tories attempt to save the Union is too take turns in belittling Wales. Great strategy – not. Perhaps if all four UK nations had equal levels of autonomy which was protected under the UK constitution then Welsh ministers wouldn’t be trying to ‘undermine the British authority’ or keep on demanding for more powers as you and your party keep on claiming.
This publication needs to go all voters as its purpose and obvious intent needs to be cascaded….and of course its authors open to debate and justifying their thoughts.
My copy will sit next to an excellent volume on a similar type publication in Wales’ historical journey towards a a more open future. – ‘ Brad y llyfrau gleision ‘
There is no British nation. There are British nations. Four in fact. These fanatical Tory UK nationalists are seeking to impose a confected identity on the inhabitants of this island. I’m as British as I’m European but my nationality is Welsh. No honking Tory lunatic is going tell me otherwise. Their whole motivation is to conserve a state that serves their own hegemonic powerbase. They can get in the bin the lot of them. Their whole state construct is catastrophic for the Welsh nation.
Technically, he is correct. But it is a very unattractive message which can be summarised as …
Know your place, Taff: the Welsh are a conquered nation.
Hmmm.
All that soft soap about the UK being a voluntary and equal partnership of nations is out the window
the mask dropped pretty quickly on the Tory fight for Unionism, they wrongly think that Wales is a mere district of England #IndyWales will be fuelled by this clown so we should say thanks I guess..
Working in newcastle this week and watching n e of england regional news in this the old northumberbria province. The Con Conference getting lots of regional coverage with many of the new ‘ red wall ‘ mps presenting a united front pushing for a range of issuea very familiar to us in Wales Road Transport, Health, Social Care, Sport, Communication and rail routes and frequency… And supprise – are they blaming the mostly Labour Councils and Elected Mayors ? Are they running them down? Are they attacking them for pushing a very strong regional north east programme ( which the… Read more »
Britain is no more a nation than the Soviet Union was. It’s a state comprising four nations, one of which (Wales) did not join of its own free will. It can also be described, like the Soviet Union, as a self-contained empire dominated by one of its constituent nations. The attempt to obfuscate this fact and to promote the concept of a “British nation” is the basis of the constitutional conflict between Westminster on the one hand and Scotland and Wales on the other. The specific conflict between Westminster and Cardiff will almost certainly become more nasty as the Tory… Read more »
Judging by this crock of #### and that by James Davies we really, really do have then rattled. Ive read what they say and laugh. My ‘belief in a covenant between the British State and people”, died when I reached the age of 8. It died when I became able to appreciate the difference between experienced life and the pain inflicted by Thatcher and her minions on the people of Wales during her reign of evil. I vividly remember the poll tax, their anti green / pro business at all cost policies, their gross underinvestment in public services and offcourse… Read more »
If there is no such legal entity as ‘Wales’ then the Act of union of England and Wales cannot be legal – we must then be independant by default.