‘Wales generally reflects northern England in its politics’, says Tory MP
A Tory MP has argued that “Wales generally reflects northern England in its politics”.
James Davies, who represents the Vale of Clwyd, suggested that Welsh-speaking heartlands are “exceptions” to this in an essay for Strength in Union.
The Conservative politician argued in the publication, which has been launched at the Conservative party conference, that this was “demonstrated in the EU referendum, when a majority in Wales voted for Leave”.
He also claimed that Wales has “never essentially functioned as a single, united political entity”.
He wrote: “Yes, there are exceptions in the Welsh-speaking heartlands of north-west Wales in particular, but the majority of the population of Wales generally reflects northern England in its politics.
“This was demonstrated in the EU referendum, when a majority in Wales voted for Leave, very much rejecting the nationalists’ claim that our future lies as an independent nation in the EU. That Leave vote extended just as much to the Valleys as it did to borderland areas.”
‘Unlike Scotland’
He added: “Of course, unlike Scotland, Wales has never essentially functioned as a single, united political entity. Its population is only just over three million – one third of the population of Greater London.
“Its shape, topography and lengthy border have, since the industrial revolution, led to the development of several social and economic units involving adjacent areas of England.”
He also said: “A noisy minority, fuelled by Twitter, a skewed media and academia in Wales – and often naive London-based news outlets – might suggest that Wales is itching for independence. Fortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
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Another who has a poor knowledge of History. Wales must have the worst quality of politicians/officials of any country in the world, does anywhere else have such people constantly running their own country down? Is this what it was like for, say Estonia, Latvia, etc?! The sooner that Labour, Lib Dem’s, Plaid, etc., make a deal and rid us of these buffoons the better.
I suppose PR is out of the question, as turkeys will never vote for Christmas
do these clowns actually come up with this drivel themselves, or is there a backroom team writing these scripts,
There is probably a memo full of bullet pointed useful suggestions about what to say.
You wouldn’t expect any of them to read Welsh history or come up with an original thought would you?.
Words fail me. As a dual national (German/British feeling Welsh) and historian. How can this be taken seriously?
M.E. SIEGER, I sympathise a great deal with what you say. I’m afraid that many people in Wales will, sadly, take him seriously. This is largely because Welsh history is not taught to the Welsh people, at least not from a Welsh perspective. As for the – quite literally (the official demographic statistics prove this) – hundreds of thousands of people living in Wales who have moved here from England in the last generation, they know even less about Wales and have only ever been taught a very skewed and misleadingly Anglo-centric version of the history of Britain. Other than… Read more »
Another pathetic attempt to ‘regionalise’ Wales.
Both voted for Brexit
No it didn’t. What’s this fool talking about? Wales during the last Senedd Cymru election wiped out UKIP, Abolish & Brexit party and majority voted for pro-devolution parties in Welsh Labour & Plaid Cymru. Man’s speaking out of his backside.
Similar in the 2019 European parliament election. Pro-EU candidates got 54.8% of the vote in Wales.
This book sounds like an amazing Christmas present. Will I be able to wait until then to read it? Answers on a postcard please?
So many Tories can only see Wales if its described in terms of England.
So there are differences in opinion between different parts of Wales. So what! There are even bigger differences between different parts of the UK. Opinion polls regarding Welsh independence have shown an increase in Pro-independence sentiment from 5% in 2000 to 35% now.
It’s good that this book of ‘essays’ has been published. The two essays I’ve read about can hardly be deemed scientific in their method or conclusions when based on a very dubious version of history. What’s good is it shows how lacking in intellectual integrity these unionists are – as a good friend of mine used to describe such people -‘ceffyle pren, blawd llif fel brens’ (wooden horses – sawdust for brains). Sawdust for brains or not – we mustn’t be complacent – remember Troy.
If you see a wooden horse torch it. It’s not real so will feel no pain.
I’m a different Huw Davies! Can’t resist adding to my namesakes post with, Troy is an anagram of Tory!
Yes he is right the people in the valleys have let wales down again by voting to leave the EU we in wales 🏴 was getting over £550 million pounds from the EU now we are getting only £250 million pounds from the English government we in wales 🏴 have got to stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh it’s time for a new wales 🏴 Start fighting for your children and grandchildren future in wales 🏴
Those old chestnuts! Unionists have tried the divide and conquer tactic for years. Wales never really united? Nonsense. We had the high kings of Wales and an identity as a nation for centuries with linguistic and social bonds across the nation. The other old con is to equate the nation Wales with a mere region of England and claim we’re only little. Size does not define a nation. Ask Iceland. What matters here is the framing is designed to sow doubt. Tories are engaging in psychological warfare against the Welsh once again. Ask yourselves why? What is the Tory interest… Read more »
quote “Of course, unlike Scotland, Wales has never essentially functioned as a single, united political entity. Its population is only just over three million – one third of the population of Greater London.” If we were to apply logic to that argument then Montenegro shouldn’t be an independent country. It only has 650,000 people & only gained its independence in 2006. What about Estonia (just over 1 million people), or close to home Northern Ireland? Northern Ireland has just under 2 million people and never came into existence until partition happened only exactly a century ago, despite this the NI… Read more »
As usual Davies bends the truth about Wales. He really is a useless idiot.
Its really not helpful just to attack those with an alternate point of view…however unpalatable. JD enjoys a long track record of seeing the ‘north wales coast’ as an extension of parts of the northern england….which of course in several local areas it is. His strong Rhyl family roots – a great nephew of the late Beata Brooks MEP late of UKIP – balanced however with a commitment to the health service does give him a voice which many may not agree with but does speak for othersin our area. His comments again on Wales as a historic political unit… Read more »
I think the contributors to “Strength in ‘Union'” are best compared to the lesser known members of the GOP who hope to advance their positions by kissing DJTs backside and supporting the mad, divisive ‘alternative facts’ he spouts. They are simply trying to curry favour with parts of their Nasty Party. So far the jiist of their arguments are not so much pro ‘Union’ as anti devolution, or based on the entirely unrelated issue of a grossly misrepresented and oversold Brexit that is proving to be a can of cancerous worms. If the ‘Union’ is such a good idea perhapos… Read more »
If he is right – I wonder why? Could it possibly be that the north of England has been as neglected as Wales?? By the way Mr Davies – have you ever heard of Owain Glyndwr or Hywel Dda??
Same old drivel. “Wales has never been a nation” etc. Well people of Dyffryn Clwyd vale of Clwyd, you know what to do at the next election.
I actually look forward to reading these ridiculous essays from Tory MPs and their agents in the Senedd. If ever a book merited the term “propaganda”, this is it. I struggle to find one fact in them that might convince the Welsh indy-curious to abandon their curiosity. James Davies has indeed presented Wales with an alleged “fact”, namely that the north-east of the country votes the same way as the North of England – Wrong! Promoting NE Wales as a region of Northern England is not going to win you many Welsh friends, boi bach.