The tears on a laughing emoji are turquoise
Ben Wildsmith
Nigel Farage! Dan Thomas! Richard Tice! Welsh Dave! Vladimir Putin! Enoch Powell! Oswald Mosley! Friedrich Nietzsche! Ayn Rand! The metaphysical concept of ‘othering’! Sir Rod Stewart! Right Said Fred! Gerwyn Price! The pickled eggs in Gerwyn Price’s chip shop! Bonnie Blue! Jac o’ the North! Your boys took a hell of a beating!
The tears on a laughing emoji are turquoise, you’ll notice. Tasty!
Like many of the 71% who didn’t vote for Reform UK, my predominant emotion on Friday was relief.
Relief that Wales isn’t to be used as a loss-leader promotional government for Nigel Farage’s ambitions in Westminster; relief that Reform won’t have the status of largest party to feed a narrative of grievance; relief that my neighbours hadn’t fallen for this abhorrent, divisive political project.
We had been told a story about this election. The first part of it was true: that Wales has had a gutful of Labour. Because that aspect of prophecy was settled so far in advance of the poll, we haven’t felt its fulfilment as much of a shock.
The scrapping over Welsh Labour’s corpse has eclipsed its actual demise in the Welsh conversation, although in England, where few had been paying attention, it’s been bigger news this week. We had priced that in months ago.
Part two of the story was that ‘The Valleys’ would assuredly turn to Reform in a backlash against everything for which Labour stood. This assumption rested on the Anglocentric notion that all post-industrial communities behave the same way.
Despite the reluctance of South Walians to embrace Boris Johnson’s incursion into the ‘Red Wall’ in 2019, the orthodoxy was that this time, under unpopular Labour governments, we would fall into line with the Midlands and North-East of England.
It’s always a mistake for politicians to tell other people’s stories, and it’s one that’s made about ex-coalfield communities with depressing regularity.
Labour’s assumption that we had nowhere else to turn ended up being mirrored by Reform in this election.
Both had the temerity to assume that economic deprivation produces voters who can be motivated en masse to play a role in someone else’s dream. Both have learned differently.
Responsibility
Plaid’s success in the central and eastern valleys, however, comes laden with a heavy and urgent responsibility. Whilst the political expression of these communities couldn’t be reduced to numbed quiescence by Labour, nor a mindless howl of despair by Reform, the problems here are urgent and structural.
Many, many votes have been leant to Plaid in the sceptical hope that these will be repaid with substantive action to reverse forty years of economic and social decline.
The slim margins of Plaid’s victories in these constituencies reflect the probationary nature of their tenure.
Nobody is dancing around with flags in the street this weekend down my road. Show us the money, or at least a plan we can believe in.
More widely, Labour’s future looks precarious. Whilst Plaid needs to recognise that many of its votes were cast primarily to reject Labour, Ken Skates’ decimated group in the Senedd need to feel the import of that in their bones.
Labour was humbled across Wales and, if it is to survive at all, the party must demonstrate humility in its attitude towards the new government. They are not kingmakers, Nor do they have the moral authority to exploit the balance of power. 11.1% of the vote entitles them to offer constructive criticism, not obstruction.
For Labour to begin repairing its reputation in the shadow of the disastrous Starmer government and the wake of Vaughan Gething’s insult to Wales, they must be helpful.
New era
This could be the dawn of a new era for Cymru. The simple fact of a ruling party that is only beholden to us is a giant leap in political confidence and accountability.
That Welsh problems are best solved by Welsh people is a credo that should underpin our democracy regardless of which party holds power.
The voters have rejected a lavishly funded, external offer to co-opt us into a UK-wide shift in political culture.
Plaid’s honour is to be given the chance to prove our viability as a distinct nation. They will only do that by hearing our stories, not painting their own on to us.
Llongyfarchiadau, now get out there and do it.
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A defeat for the reactionary carpetbaggers, but now Plaid need to deliver for Wales – something Labour failed to do.
A little humility from Labour too may help them start the rebuild – Gething’s hopefully parting shot of “it wouldn’t have happened if I was in charge” should spoil his chances of a seat in the Lords.
Gething’s delusions almost made me laugh but there’s too much of that sort of toxic obsessed self-belief still in power, and fighting for power, for it to be funny.
UK Labour’s history of neglect of and contempt towards Wales doesn’t inspire confidence in their judgement. But I hope there will be some acute enough to see that putting Gething in the Lords immediately after Wales has resoundingly rejected Labour, would be sticking two fingers up to the electorate. His money dealings helped feed the party’s decline. But perhaps they share his delusions
I have always assumed that Ken Skates was politically far closer to Vaughan Gething than Mark Drakeford. Skates political near death experience in Fflint Wrecsam where he was just re-elected in the sixth slot with his party only gaining 8,555 votes must make him recognise that giving Gething a peerage at this time shows that Labour are still not listening and will undermine any chance of rebuilding the Labour party.
Devolution was designed to fail & Labours Welsh branch were in place to oversee that failure. It’s Luke warm attention to our needs & pussyfooting around basic needs of our people. Blaming the Tory’s when they were in power in Westminster & acquiescing to their bosses when they weren’t. It was Plaids pressure on a minority government that brought the increase in legislative powers in 2011. Labours Welsh branch were happy with the original crumbs! Labours Welsh branch has a crucial role now. With humility & a deep sense of our common good they must either support Plaid or abstain!… Read more »
Wales is a different place post-Covid. North Wales has seen Cardiff business leaders relocated – the economic future of the region as having a new train network to support Welsh people commute to Liverpool hopefully will be replaced by economic development along the North Wales coast and Welsh businesses serving Liverpool.
We need to cross-pollinate – if there is a successful organisation in Ynys Mons science park that wants to expand – can University of South Wales allow them to rent some space at Pontypridd campus in return for a small equity stake. USW can lead this.
The new train link to Liverpool, very good, but why were they going to put a new railway station by the Deeside Industrial Park? Where there is already a station, Hawarden Bridge. They will be 2km away from each other. The rub is hardly anybody uses Hawarden Bridge, it is a request stop. How are 10 passengers a day and a dog going to be disturbed between the 2 stations? That sums up Labour’s commercial acumen.
A station in the industrial park will boost the industrial park. 2km may as well be in the next town.
There are no towns there. Both are in the middle of the marsh. But it is 5 minutes drive from the park and ride. Where trains run six times an hour to Liverpool, the tickets are cheaper. cf the projected frequency of 2 an hour and take ten minutes less
Which park and ride? Deeside Parkway is going to be on the A548 so well placed as a park and ride for the new Liverpool via Birkenhead services.
It’s on the map, it’s also called Hooton. Go to the Ariel photos on Google maps you will find over 200 cars parked at Hooton and zero at the Hawarden Bridge car park. Strange
That’s for Merseyrail services. Deeside Parkway will drive up demand for TfW services to Liverpool when these start, and will be more convenient for many. Hawarden Bridge isn’t easily accessible by road and could be closed and replaced by a walking route to Shotton.
Agree with most of your article Ben, and let us hope that Rhun listens and acts upon our “stories”. On your opening paragraph, however, we must remember that Jac o’ the North is a supporter of Gwlad not Reform, and Friedrich Nietzsche would certainly not identify himself with the other names you mention. Nietzsche advocated for the emergence of the Übermensch – sometimes called ‘superman’, who’d be an ideal person with superior knowledge and capabilities who would be able to advance society on to a higher level. I am sorry, but for the life of me, and even if I’ve… Read more »
It’s so hard to understand why people who would have never, ever voted Conservative suddenly decided to give Reform a chance.
Especially as it’s now full of the very same rats who deserted the sinking Tory ship.
Presumably in the belief that a Reform UK Senedd Government would immediately deport the hundreds of millions of third-world immigrants in post-industrial Wales who are stealing their non-existent jobs…
A BBC reporter actually asked a Reform voter in Ebbw Vale why he had voted for Reform; he couldn’t give an answer.
For the second time Reform’s cockyness has seen a fall. However, a two fingered salute by the majority of Welsh voters cannot be taken lightly – there is a lot of work to be done for Plaid to keep them but if any party can do it it’s Plaid, formed to put the people of Cymru first.
Reform lost the election? They increased their seat tally by 32, Plaid managed less with 30. They increased their vote by just under 30% Plaid by under 14% . These are not numbers to be complacent and for congratulations. Reform are speaking for a large section of the community. And please do not call them the far right or Tory rejects because most of them voted Labour the last time. If we do not address their complaints many of which have some justification and their feelings of abandonment then they will only grow. And it has been the established parties… Read more »
They lost, get over it.
If you can’t be right, be trite
Dom you are being presumption
Hahaha I’m surprised he didn’t mention that the election was stolen from Reform.
When someone points out the fact why do you assume it’s the enemy.
A valid and scary point you raise.
Every Reform voter wants what little democracy cymru has to be taken.
Reform want an abolition of our language, culture and nationality.
That Reform result means there’s a lot of people living amongst us who despise us and want us gone.
Dangerous times.
Again don’t think that those that voted Reform are evil. Remember most of them used to vote Labour. You most probably know dozens of them. So ask yourself why have they changed. What has Labour done wrong?
Wanting the online safety laws removed so that child pornography is more accessible = evil.
Removing a country’s right to democracy by removing its government = evil
Removing a country’s language = evil.
Hope this helps 🙂
Not all Reform Voters are Racist, but apart from The Heritage Party the vast majority of Racists voted Reform
That got their following from Labour and the Tories.