Watch: Tory Minister’s ‘propaganda’ attack on Nation.Cymru
A UK Government minister has attacked Nation.Cymru on TV, saying that the news site is “propaganda” and that it shows why broadcasting should not be devolved to Wales.
Monmouth MP David TC Davies, who is a minister in the Wales Office, was speaking on S4C show Pawb a’i Farn when he made the comments.
He said that Nation.Cymru and Welsh language news site Golwg showed why the responsibility for broadcasting should not be devolved to Wales.
“I don’t trust the Assembly with broadcasting because of things like Golwg that get money and Nation.Cymru,” he said.
“Nation.Cymru is just propaganda for the Welsh Government and members of Plaid Cymru. Basically, you’re very happy to give money towards websites like that to ensure that your propaganda is able to come out.”
@DavidTCDavies yn trafod datganoli darlledu…#PawbaiFarn #DatganoliDarlledu pic.twitter.com/BQvKGS4mlL
— Pawb a’i Farn (@PawbAiFarn) January 27, 2022
In 2019 Nation.Cymru was awarded a £20,000 a year grant from the Welsh Books Council, alongside five other English magazines and news services and 15 magazines and news services in Welsh. The distribution of the grants is decided by an independent panel.
Over 80% of Nation.Cymru’s revenue now comes from over 1,000 financial supporters and advertising.
Nation.Cymru Director Ifan Morgan Jones said: “I think it’s quite telling that the minister could not identify which political party we are ‘propaganda’ for. Combined Labour and Plaid Cymru won 60% of the vote at the Senedd election, so perhaps he is mistaking occupying the centre-ground of Welsh politics for supporting those parties.
“We’re always pleased to carry pieces by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats and have published every opinion piece sent to us over the years by leaders Andrew RT Davies and Jane Dodds and their MPs and Senedd members.
“The truth is that we’re not pro any political party – we’re just pro-Wales, and want a national conversation about what is best for Wales. We will give a platform to anyone who wishes to argue in Wales’ best interests.
“However I think it is always a good sign for any news organisation when a government minister feels the need to criticise them on TV. Nation.Cymru was set up fewer than five years ago thanks to our supporters and readers we’re already making a mark on Welsh politics.
“We have over 1 million readers a month which shows we have become a significant part of the media landscape in Wales and our journalism clearly appeals to a large section of the country.”
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David Davies’ political track record makes for grim reading – he’s on the xenophobic british nationalist hard right of the tory party. Youre obviously doing something right for him to publicly attack you 😉 keep up the good work youre doing for Wales 👏
Welsh Tories, more concerned in keeping that clown in number 10
Doesnt like it when a different viewpoint is put forward, but has been happy enough with years and years of right wing tory propaganda in Wales.
That is true of ALL news sites, any mention of all the Roma and Traveller peoples that died at the hands of the Nazis in yesterday’s holocaust press?
A report on the movements and doings of Fat Shanks’ visit to Ynys Mon and Gwynedd would be expected of a Welsh news channel ?
I have just spotted an interesting piece on the Guardian on-line I was unaware of concerning Pembroke Dock. This tells of the Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon being built in secret in an ‘old hanger’…
This ‘old hanger’ used to house the massive Sunderland Flying Boat (nicknamed the Flying Porcupine) the ‘Star Ship’ of the thirties and forties. Of course this historical fact was not mentioned. There used to be a pub called The Flying Boat if I remember correctly…
I’ll just say that August 2nd is Roma Holocuast Memorial Day…
There is a lovely little Church between Tywyn and Friog called St Celynnin, it is perched on the cliff edge and outside the entrance is the grave of Abram Wood (1700-1799). He was the man who brought the first fiddle to Wales…
This MP for Monmouth have been a Disgrace to wales 🏴 he does a lot of fighting for England but nothing for wales 🏴 stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh kick all English party’s out of wales that’s the Tories Labour and all Brexit party’s it’s time for a new wales 🏴
Capital letter for “England” but why small letter for “wales”. Why not use Cymru instead of “wales” if you can’t bring yourself to use capital letters in only certain cases!!!!!
Why not use a question mark after asking a question?
If you’re going to play grammar police, you need to be whiter than white yourself, David.
I’m glad someone else is on Grayham’s case. I’ve given up on pointing out his errors, but we all get the gist of what he means.
Hands off Grayham please … he offers a clear and simple view of our nation and is wise to keep clear of the spelling and grammar or is it grammer the language of our neighbour or perhaps neighbor has shared with us over all these years.
Free speech…that is why we are here, this site is the best thing we have got and I think it will grow and hopefully provide independent reporting on events as they happen, so N.C will become the first port of call for news of Wales…
Agreed 🎯
I have found Nation.Cymru to be a refreshing change to the usual Reach PLC “local” news sites. Yes, there is still clickbait here from time to time, but so far, it is one of the better news sites (though the bar is VERY low these days unfortunately).
Mrs Trellis of Bangor i persume ….late of the BBC lunchtime comedy slot
There is room for a Mrs Tygwyn on here too…
Don’t forget the Byline Times series of independent news sites. They have very good articles and are full of exposes of Tory corruption and other important issues. There was a report that they might be trying to develop a version for Wales. If Nation Cymru is the Daily Mirror of independent publishing then the Bylines offerings are probably the Guardian of locally based independent publishing. So the bar is higher in other places.
Imagine any other politician in any other country saying that they don’t deserve to run their own media and its better off being run by an occupying nation who is already stealing your nations wealth. They would be skinned alive like the quisling they truly are. Why are these scumbags allowed to say that about our country without any recourse?
I love to see his pain & anguish……
Just after the BREXIT vote in 2016, I was told by 2 MP’s who are members of the Welsh affairs select committee that Davies believed aliens visit earth. I questioned if they were serious and they were. He then spent 15 minutes trying to explain to me why BREXIT would be great using a cup as an example. Their statement fell into place. He needs sectioned rather than given publicity.
Don’t be so sceptical at least this explains the existence of John Redwood
and to Nation Cymru – get off the back foot. You’ve nothing to apologise for. You are doing a grand job. Don’t let idiots like him rile you!
And all this time I’ve been calling it “nation DOT cymru”
That’s what I call it and I set it up so I suppose you’re correct! – Ifan
Nice! And I really shout the DOT part when I say it – hence the capitals.
For his next trick, let’s see him list the media outlets that demonstrate why we should trust the british state with broadcasting.
Ateb dda iawn o IMJ. Darllenwch a dysgwch, Mr. Davies.
‘Early warning signs of fascism’ is a document in the holocaust museum with 14 signs, number 5 being “controlled mass media” do a search on the internet and take a look at the other 13 signs and ask yourself which ones do not apply to this Tory government.
Interesting… Thanks for that!
Something worries ’em. Good.
David Davies doesn’t want ‘being Welsh’ to be devolved to Wales, he would it be controlled by Westminster. A pretty nasty piece of work
Poor sad and pathetic excuse for a man.
He actually voted against the Labour amendment to block the dumping of raw sewage in rivers while campaigning as a “wild swimmer” for a River Wye clean-up.
Not a joined-up thought in his tiny brain.
Before Nation Cymru, it was hard to get any news of Wales.
Now it is normal.
Excellent.
So … he’s rattled then? I wonder what he’d make of the Times, Telegraph, Mail, Express, Sun … Awful all this propaganda business isn’t it.
It is long overdue that a Welsh media platform such as Nation.Cymru shares news stories from a Welsh perspective. I certainly don’t consider Nation.Cymru to be propaganda. However, David Davies is obviously happy that Wales has been subjected to centuries of English state propaganda. He’s a blinkered xenophobe.
By the way, I loved the caption slip to your photo – that the man appearing on “Pawb a’i Farn” was…. “David TV Davies”. 😉 😉
Well: 23 comments so far – and here’s something to contemplate. The majority of the comments are against DTCD’s right-wing views, etcetera. BUT: this is a man who has learnt Welsh, and was speaking it eloquently and with effect. That must be a cause for joy – yes? But the thing to contemplate – the task to understand is this: how does the commitment to mastering Cymraeg sit with these policies? “Trafoder” – discuss – as they say.
Good question Dail. Sadly the ability to speak Welsh does not automatically make you predisposed to being positive about Wales as a country or the Welsh people within it. Davies is not on his own. The Vale’s own Bachan Cairns is well able to negotiate another supplement to his salary through the medium of Welsh. He’s also well able to belittle his own nation through the medium. So here’s another something for you to trafod – why does a relatively small nation like ours produce so many little cvnts ?
There are many reasons to learn it. ‘Know thy enemy’s being one. Plausibility being another… As in ‘on your side’. He may also not have any issue with the language and just enjoy learning it. Many possibilities. The underlying issue isn’t he same here as with others of his ilk. He genuinely believes that Wales is English property and he genuinely believes that the very essence of welshness is ‘prioritise England and never question the conditions of subjugation’. That also happens in the Labour party, so is not purely party political. One of the worst recent examples was a Labour… Read more »
It’s great that he’s mastered the language. All power to his elbow!… unfortunately he uses it to spout nonsense!
In Wales there is a real need for home grown news broadcasting sites, sites that speak for Wales and yes Davies Nation Cymru represents the majority of people in Wales. The Tories want to shut down any other voice other than their own – nothing short of acting the dictator. Well the Welsh people are finally waking up to the fact that – ‘we have a voice separate from England and Westminster’.
Firstly , serial liar David TC Davies shows his ignorance and disrespect by referring to our Senedd Cymru as an Assembly when it is a Parliament, but then to attack Nation Cymru for highlighting his Conservative Government’s attacks on Welsh devolution claiming this is the reason why broadcasting should not be devolved is laughable if not lame. Oh, so this doesn’t apply to far-right GB News. Ones constantly attack immigrants, make Anti-Welsh tropes, spread misinformation & disinformation whilst wrapping itself with the Union Flag, who play, God Save The Queen when transmission ceases. You David like Boris Johnson, are a… Read more »
He is one of the type of plastic faux Welshmen we have in our midst who dress themselves up in the pretend trappings of Welshness. They do so to beguile us whilst hiding behind their true desires to remove the long term security and safety we have of our unique Welsh identity. Their first love is England and being plastic Englishmen. They are no longer fooling most of us who know that our Welsh identity is inalienable despite their masquerading efforts.
vichy
Well he wouldn’t want to trust the natives with their own news would he?
You’re doing something right if you’re noising up politicians!
What would be really interesting is to get an understanding of why people in Monmouth voted for him? Since 2005 and with increasing share of the vote in all but 1 election. Why the other options seemed worse? Unless you voted for him, like me you probably don’t understand why. Far better to ask these questions and get some honest answers than talk about kicking people who have made Wales their home for many years out of Wales !!!
In other words, he by far prefers to see the Welsh media controlled by a Tory government in Westminster than by our own Senedd. A very fair and democratic opinion by this unbiased politician. NOT!!
Da iawn Nation.Cymru. You are doing a great job!
If Tories are getting rattled by Welsh news (‘propaganda’ they call it), they now know how we have felt after having decades of the anti-Welsh Tory papers.
Keep up the great work Nation.Cymru!
A hefyd – diolch yn fawr am bopeth.
What a Welsh MP working against the country he is supposed to look after God help Wales if we had more MPS like him. .we must vote these conservative MPs out of Wales it’s bad enough with the English MPs and press being against Wales in every way possible just remember what he has been like when you vote the next TIME
I do enjoy David Davies outbursts and comments – which to be fair tend to be his own rather than those the party hand out to the faithful to fire. He and his family have a distinguished and long standing part in the history of our nation Cymru …. ( no pun intended ) Ancestor . Archbishop George Edwards our first Archbishop was a strong fighter AGAINST a disestablished Church in Wales and of course when it came – then became our first Archbishop- and a good one… Dad known for his mischievous manoeuvres in the Monmouthshire and South Wales… Read more »
DTCD can’t even get his basic analysis right. Devolution of the media only relates to radio and TV because it is regulated. And as ‘regulated’, the state has control over broadcasting organisations and content – but even so there are general requirements for fairness, accuracy and balance and it can’t be seriously suggested that such an approach would be likely to change following any devolution? Nation Cymru however is part of non-broadcast media which is not subject to compulsory regulation – and which is something his party could have brought about if it had wanted after Leveson. Non-broadcast media submits… Read more »
When i was Vice Chair of OFTEL in Wales we pushed hard for a more Wales focused approach – but guess where our detractors came from ?
the tories ? No
Yes right – It wad Old Valley Labour afraid of the “ Nats “ who hid in BBC Wales and HTV
“bravely against the mass ranks of valleys old Labour”? Does this dismissive statement reflect what we have always come to know was a prevailing attitude of derision by those more fortunate in their life styles towards those in the “mass ranks” experiencing the hardships of a dirty and heavy industry? These so-called “valleys old labour” were in fact very decent men who were endeavouring in modern Tory parlance to “level up” to match the lifestyles enjoyed by the Lord Raglans and His associated Shire Set. Not so much “old” but before their time, having thought of “levelling up” well before… Read more »
As the son of a Caerau Dad and grandson of a Treharris grandfather – who moved from the mines of southern Wales to those of New South Wales butt – i need no lectures.
If you had seen your valleys labour heros attacking our language and culture via oppossing bilingual policies in council settings – organising the 79 NO vote – you might take a more balanced view.
the enemy was never without but closer to home on our nations journey towards a more equal future of self determination.
i’r gad …..yma o hyd !
Hardly a lecture. More a balanced observation to what you said. Raw nerve, sensitive comes to mind.
🎯…..🤔
Unfortunately, there are many in the current valleys Labour party who would support the David Davies view of Nation.Cymru.
If what you say is correct more to their shame. But let’s be kinder to the “valleys”. Using the term “valleys” in this context attracts a suggestion of disdain in association with these communities who have been blighted and disrespected long enough. The many you refer to surely would be better described as “current members of the Welsh Labour Party” just like those outside of the valleys who equally may hold a similar view.
Many in elected positions hiding behind the efforts of Uncle Mark Drakeford .
The strength of nation Cymru is that it does what it says on the box. There are certainly a core group of regular contributions but this only mirrors their interest in Wales which no doubt is a similar pattern to those who take the Spectator or Private Eye or other sites or periodicals that focus on specific areas. David Davies enjoys an independent mind and fearless way promoting his views – however he also has a track record of finding issues that fit his view of a Wales – which mirrors eastern Monmouthshire.. As a passionate Brexit voice – he… Read more »
He’s probably pretty miffed ‘cos nation.cymru has been carrying stories showing just what a clown he is. He’d be better off just staying silent. Unfortunately, for all of us, he’ll find that a difficult thing to do.
So called Welsh Tories sticking for Wales, don’t make me laugh, they always take their orders from Tory HQ in London. Andrew RT Davies proves that, every time he opens his gob.