A fairer, wealthier, more welcoming independent nation is in our hands
Rob Hughes, Chair, YesCymru
They say that a week is a long time in politics. For the independence movements of the Celtic nations, there has never been a truer phrase.
YesCymru will hold our 11th march for Independence in Aberystwyth on Saturday (26/09/26). We will do so riding the crest of a a wave, and one the world didn’t see coming.
Social media and news outlets have been scrambling for anyone to give a comment on the meeting last Monday of the leaders of the three nations of the UK.
Although we have known since May that all three were now being governed by parties that want to end their nations’ participation in the UK, it has taken their Memorandum of Understanding to make the world sit up and take notice.
The commentary has been interesting. From scorn to a general dismissal of the aims to a lazer like spotlight on Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wales tended to once again slip under the Radar. When it was raised, it tended to focus on Wales being somehow incapable of following the others.
That suits us. We have become very used to slipping under the Radar and it works well for those wanting independence.
Only a couple of weeks before the meeting in Cardiff, YesCymru commissioned a poll from Survation, a company we recognise whose results usually give the lower end of independence support amongst pollsters.
We also asked the question as to whether people would vote for an independent Wales tomorrow. We did this knowing that we wanted a very real view of how the vote goes on any given day. The result with don’t knows removed was a 68-32 success for the pro-Unionists.
From that polling we have identified a core group of voters (20% of those intending to vote) who don’t just sit on the fence, they are the fence, having scored themselves 5 on a 0-10 scale of independence. And we know who they are. Convince them and we win the day.
We also know what matters to them. Over 40% of voters gave economic fears as the biggest barrier to them voting Yes for independence.
In the summer, YesCymru launched our 2032 campaign.
We believe that a referendum is deliverable and more importantly winnable in that timeframe. We still do. Our strategy had changed. It has become far more streamlined.
Rather than throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing how much sticks, YesCymru’s output will now focus on those who make the difference and to those who support independence.
We know we have the ear of the Welsh government, having had our first face-to-face meeting with them in the summer and with the First Minister agreeing to address our supporters in Aberystwyth.
An independent Wales in 2032 is more than a realistic possibility. And this week it has started to really hit home. Our future is in our hands.
If you support independence, join YesCymru. Do whatever you can to get to Aberystwyth this Saturday.
A show of support worthy of the nation will further cement the message that Wales is on the move. Within Wales at least.
For everyone else, we’re happy to stay under the radar, chipping away at gaining the support that results in a fairer, wealthier, more welcoming independent nation ready to take our place in the world.
The March for Independence, Aberystwyth takes place on Saturday 26 September. Meeting at 11am at Castle Gardens, Aberystwyth, the March is then scheduled for 1pm. Find out more here.
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Wealthier? Wealthier how? You don’t say. What figures do you have and, more importantly, have they been properly peer reviewed? We have a poor economy, we have the massive massive UK debt to consider too (unless you propose doing a runner in the middle of the night and destroying relations with our closest partners, international funding bodies etc?).
There would be a better case for independence if devolution had delivered quality services and a prosperous country. As it is Wales has a terrible health service even compared to the abysmal service in England and a totally destroyed education system which is also inferior to the pretty bad outside London system in England. Major issues of post industrial damage and pollution need addressing and bizarre pseudo ecological activities like planting trees on farmland thus eradicating Welsh communities for so-called Carbon credits covering firms in other parts of the World need to stop. The Senedd needs to sort out a… Read more »