Reform flags ‘stir up division’ near Eisteddfod entrance
Stephen Price
Two Reform UK flags flying near the entrance to the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham have caused controversy – with a grassroots Welsh independence group accusing the land owner of ‘taunting’ Eisteddfod-goers.
The flags appeared on poles on the grounds of Net World Sports, Bryn Lane, Wrexham and images were quickly shared on social media, with Reform Watch Carmarthen among the first to share the image.
They wrote: “Reform have put flags up on land next to the entrance of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham, clearly to stir up division.”
Writing on Instagram, with their own images, Mudiad Eryr Wen shared: “The Tory millionaire running Net World Sports thought it fit to taunt Eisteddfod-goers with Reform rags yesterday evening.
“He’s now replaced them with a union rag and a token Welsh flag.
“We thought we’d add our own little message.”
“Welsh Not British”
Picking up on the potential damage to the business’s reputation, the Reform flags were later switched with the Welsh flag and a Union Flag which itself is a cause of aggravation for many in Wales with its lack of Welsh representation.
Net World Sports describe themselves as ‘the number one supplier for all your sporting equipment. Football to golf, cricket to tennis we have everything you need, even next day delivery’.
Net World Sports is owned by its founder and Managing Director, Alex Lovén. He established the company in 2009 and continues to lead it as CEO.
He was recently recognised with an MBE for his contributions to the economy and community of Wrexham.
View this post on Instagram
Next year’s Senedd elections are being hotly contested, with Welsh Labour losing ground with traditional Labour supporters who have been unimpressed with a catalogue of issues, particularly the Crown Estate and war in Gaza. Distrust has continued following the controversial tenure of Vaughan Gething.
In an interview with Sky’s political editor Beth Rigby for the Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Eluned Morgan described the threat from Reform UK as “very serious”.
She said: “We’re taking it very seriously, and we think the threat from reform is a very serious threat.
According to a new poll on voting intention for next year’s Senedd election, Reform UK are currently in the lead, with 28 per cent of the vote, followed closely by Plaid Cymru on 26 per cent.
The exclusive More in Common survey for Sky News saw Labour’s vote share among Welsh voters fall to 23 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Welsh Conservatives find themselves on 10 per cent.
According to the projection, less than half (48 per cent) of Labour’s 2024 voters would back the party in a Senedd election today.
Mission
Mudiad Eryr Wen, who shared photos of their protest on Instagram, describe themselves as a brand new and energetic approach to defending our nation and campaigning for our eventual independence.
They say they are “a movement and community created by the youth, for the youth”.
According to the group: “Our nation stands upon a precipice. Westminster is growing increasingly heavy-handed towards devolution and nationalism in both Cymru and in Scotland, second home ownership and a failing education system is endangering our language, the reckless pursuit of growth and unfettered capitalism is destroying our environment…”
Their mission is to “rally the youth of Cymru as one united front, stood firmly in opposition to the destruction of our self-determination, language, identity and environment.”
Mudiad Eryr Wen release a statement on Sunday 3 August, saying: “Welsh Not British.
“A statement of truth and pride for all in Wales, especially in the face of attacks from Reform UK and its hateful collaborators like Mr Lovén, whose imperialist fantasies of a “united” Britain excludes the existence of a Welsh identity.
“The actions of Net World Sports are a preview of the tactics and attitude we should expect leading up to the 2026 Senedd election, where Nigel Farage and his personality cult of British nationalists will escalate their campaign of cultural erasure, pushing a false “Britishness” over the native language, traditions, and rights of the Welsh people.
“Mudiad Eryr Wen will continue to campaign against the oppressive agenda of British nationalism. We remind Mr Lovén and his ilk: Wales is its own nation, with a people who speak their own language, who are proud of their home, and who will not tolerate colonial posturing from those clinging to a collapsing Union.
“To the youth of Wales our message is one of a united front. To stand in defence of our self-determination, language, identity, and environment. For over 1,000 years, our people have resisted subjugation. It is now our responsibility to carry that flame forward, to defend and assert what makes us Welsh.
“Dros Rhyddid, Sosialaeth, a Democratiaeth.”
Net World Sports has been invited to comment.
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I am sure that an enterprising soul can get flags made with Trump and Epstein from the public domain and put a label on it, “Reforms owner is best mates with one of these”
Well the latest Senedd opinion poll has given Reform 29%; Labour 25% and Plaid 24%. I must say, as someone who will vote Plaid, that poll is awful for the party. Just get the feeling they are not cutting through in the east of Wales. They must start espousing an attractive vision for all in Wales. All we hear in the media is Plaid banging on about the Barnett formula, attacking cuts to pip and our HS2 money. Yes that’s important but I don’t think the Welsh voters think that’s the most important policy that will change their lives; Plaid… Read more »
The “East of Wales” & the South East in particular is gradually being hollowed out by incomers mainly from the Bristol area although accents from other parts are noticeable too. Here in Torfaen the advertising blurb for the new housing estates at South Sebastopol/ Befans lane area are mainly aimed at the population of Bristol & surrounding areas with the added bonus of no more bridge tolls.
Fair enough. But to win Plaid have to inspire those who are not generally Plaid voters – including those who have moved from Bristol. After all Bristol is a left leaning area so they may find these newcomers don’t want to vote Reform or even Labour. If they don’t reach out they will lose again. That’s simply the reality of the situation.
I couldn’t agree more. The most depressing thing at the moment is that people, plaid, and websites like Nation cymru seem to focus only on attacking Reform through what feels like a smear campaign (though perhaps ‘smear’ isn’t quite the right word, since reform often arein the wrong often enough). I’m surprised Labour aren’t going after them more, but the Westminster party seems to be just sitting back and waiting for them to implode. Personally, I think the best way to challenge Reform is on Brexit, and their backward-looking vision of the world. And crucially, to offer a positive and… Read more »
What exactly are reform offering?
National British nostalgia.
And the destruction of Welsh nationhood in the process.
More like slow attrition, I’d anticipate; but then the end product’s the same.
Nostalgia and pictures of spitfires, don’t forget the spitfires and bulldogs british bulldogs, so nostalgia, spitfires, bulldogs, and the butchers apron plastered everywhere, that will do the trick. That will boost the economy and create jobs.
Yesterday the Butchers Apron and the Ddraig Goch were joined by a flag proclaiming “No Woke Zone”, whatever woke is supposed to mean. But at least in the Eisteddfod you can forget all that nonsense.
I saw the flags going into the Maes yesterday, and it’s clear that the owner of a major company is trying to provoke a reaction. But I’m always surprised that people on the left don’t seem to recognise they can also cause offence. While I’m not personally offended, I could very easily see how displaying ‘Welsh not British’ alongside the Free Wales Army emblem could be interpreted as divisive or even threatening by some. Not many people in North east wales feel that way. As polling shows, Reform is likely to win the most votes in the next election so… Read more »
When it’s done within the context of the Eisteddfod and the people who attend it, it’s completely appropriate to place the sign there. Furthermore, the Eryr Wen symbol precedes the Free Wales Army as it was designed by socialist Harri Webb in the 1950s.
It also doesn’t make sense as the Celts were the original Britons.
It didn’t take long for Reform to reveal their ambition to finish the Germanic invasion.
I’m amazed no-one pulled them down and torched them.
Publicity, that’s what it’s all about. They knew the flags would cause complaints and get news coverage. Organisations need to be aware of these tactics to prevent them happening again. The poverty in Cymru is what leads people to look at Reform, many not realising the party doesn’t give a toss about their plight, only wants power, is working on behalf of businesses that will actually make things worse for them and is an English nationalist party. The only way to address the issue is for progressive parties, in power, to address the issues of the poor. For Plaid, the… Read more »
Some associate “true British” with the earliest inhabitants of the island, potentially the Welsh or those with Celtic ancestry who came later….. Scots and Irish.
We need to learn from the experience of Ukraine. They were stuck in a union with Russia for at least a century as a annex country. The Russians consider Ukraine to be Russians and traditionally part of the Russian empire and then the Soviet Union. We can see from Ukraine experience that we could easily end up in the same position as the Ukraine is today with our lands occupied, if the our people continue to appease the British rulers (the English nationalists). The Welsh government must press for a passage towards self determination and independence from the UK system.… Read more »