| Tourist Tax, Exceptionalism, Language, Farm Purchase, Pollution |
A Political Diary |
| Language and Politics , Wales Over the Year , November 30, 2022 |
This sequence “A Political Diary” began as occasional reports of elections written for the Institute of Welsh Affairs. During the years of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the inactivity that it enforced, this site was edited to ease navigation. The various entries on public life were collated in a sequence. As a site for culture the more relevant entries are those where politics impinge on culture. Culture is most powerful when it expresses itself invisibly. Those who bear it are unaware that they are bearers of tradition, devoted in an untesting manner to its continuation. Twenty years likewise of a political authority in Cardiff Bay is little in the making of a political tradition. “National identity has both a political expression, through government, and a social expression, through culture”. That was Robert Hewison, an authority on public funding of culture, in his 1995 book of fifty years of Arts Councils “Culture and Consensus”. A common theme in the articles is the lack of distinction between these categories. Thus 20 December 2021: “Governments "build" or "create" societies. There is no recognition that societies are emergent phenomena, self-organising entities that exist in tandem with the state. Government and people are fused as one. It is essentially an aliberal position, liberal theory preferring to posit humanity as a plethora of differing groups with different purposes, politics acting as a mediating function.” The central force against a liberal tradition is expressed in the article of 28 December 2020. The opacity of power is best described 28th February 2020. The fusing of nation, government and party is regular, 31 January 2020. 31 July 2019: the Welsh Government did not take part in a conference on open government. The nature of what is often declared to be “political theatre” is discussed 13 July 2018. * * * * The political culture featured in book form. The most trenchant was written by Ann Clwyd in her memoir. “To say the reality of a Welsh Assembly did not live up to my expectations is understating the case. I feel bitterly disappointed and let down by an institution I campaigned so passionately for...One of our greatest weaknesses as a nation is that the giant chip we carry on our shoulder, a symptom of the centuries of being a poor relation to England. As a result, we view any criticism, even the constructive kind, as an attack and immediately pull up the drawbridge. Translated into institutional behaviour this becomes dangerous as it means organisations do not learn from their mistakes or the experience of others.” Refs: https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2017-03-28/devolution-was-wrong-says-long-serving-welsh-labour-mp https://www.pressreader.com/uk/western-mail/20170329/281805693766110 * * * * Richard King's “Brittle with Relics” was a rich compendium of oral sources. Andrew Davies is frank on his party. "It was quite extraordinary, really, this idea that Labour was Wales and Wales was Labour and it was said in an unconscious way, but I think it was very revealing, almost a sense of entitlement." As for the quality of government "local government corruption was quite endemic." Rosemary Butler remembers: "It was an era when people who you wouldn't have automatically assumed to be of the highest ability emerged as head teachers at local schools and then, lo and behold, they were members of the Labour Party." Kim Howells: “all those Valleys Initiatives were rubbish, bloody rubbish." * * * * 14th November 2022: Nation Cymru reported: “The First Minister has said that Welsh Labour is the most successful political party “in the democratic world” as it celebrates 100 years of winning every Westminster and Senedd election in Wales. “Tomorrow will mark 100 years since November 15, 1922, when Labour became the largest party in Wales at a General Election. “Since then it has won every election in Wales at a UK and Welsh level, falling short only in EU elections in 2009 and 2019 where they fell behind the Conservatives, the Brexit Party and Plaid Cymru. “Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s events, First Minister Mark Drakeford told the Daily Mirror: “Labour has much to celebrate by being the most successful political party in Wales – and indeed in the democratic world. Even when the party had difficult times across the UK, in Wales support remained solid – especially at the local government level. “A part of the reason for that success is because we have never been complacent and we do not take the Welsh public for granted. Our politicians are rooted in our communities and we retain a strong link with our trade unions which gives us a real sense of what the public wants. “Our work is never complete and we will continue to fight for social justice at every opportunity adapting to the demands of a changing society.” “Baroness Eluned Morgan, who has organised the centenary events, said: “‘Identity politics’ is a recently coined phrase, but throughout the last 100 years, Labour’s unique identity in Wales has meant we’ve built and maintained that special connection with the electorate. “We haven’t always got it right, but we are big enough and representative enough to reflect upon the times when things have gone wrong and sought to put them right. It isn’t always easy, but we have done it in election after election. “We have also demonstrated that above all we are pragmatic and practical politicians who will compromise and work with others if it helps us to achieve our political ambitions. A commentator: “Part of the ‘blind allegiance’ is due to the corrupt practices of the Labour Party. Historically, if you wanted a job in the council, or a teaching job being in the Labour party helped your application. Some people even paid part of their wages on a weekly or monthly basis to councillors who helped get them jobs. This is particularly true in the valleys. People know that if your electoral ward elects councillors other than Labour ones you’ll be neglected for the next 5 years.” https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-labour-most-successful-party-in-the-democratic-world-as-it-celebrates-100-years-of-election-wins-says-fm/ * * * * NEW TAXATION Everything that is said contains the unsaid. There is interpretation. Some public issues ran and ran. All the edge areas of Britain suffer a lack of economic vitality. All have the same indicators of empty properties and seasonal employment. Adam Price went once so far as to call tourism the latest extractive industry. The proposal of a tourist tax for Wales raged and rambled. It was evident that the notion was a price Labour in Wales had to pay for Plaid Cymru's support. Labour dressed it up as a exercise in sustainability. The word “tax” was avoided in favour of the term “levy”. When a longer word is substituted for a shorter one it is a give-away. The tax was promoted as being all to the good of the payers. The concept was presented as a hypothecated tax, its purpose visitor infrastructure enhancement. Plaid Cymru’s Designated Member Cefin Campbell MS said that the “measure will help support a sustainable rather than an extractive tourism sector”. A tourism tax would raise revenue for local authorities enabling them to manage services and infrastructure which makes tourism a success, according to Labour and Plaid. “ This measure will help support a sustainable rather than an extractive tourism sector, which will help bring the greatest benefit to communities and the local economy.” (https://nation.cymru/news/next-step-in-developing-tourism-tax-announced-as-part-of-labour-plaid-cooperation-agreement). Swiftly, in interview on the Sunday politics programme Adam Price was asked for the funding for a policy on new current spending. He immediately responded the tourist taxation. So a tax that does not exist and stated for one purpose is already being eyed for general expenditure. On the issue of second homes the BBC reported "The Welsh government has been accused of offering a "paltry solution" to the second homes crisis in Wales.” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-59938949). The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: "We've struggled to understand exactly what the Welsh government wants to get out of this investigation into second homes and what their policy priorities should be." (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-60233229) * * * * EXCEPTIONALISM The exceptionalism of Wales is a regular part of the political culture. Wales is more friendly, hospitable. It is sociologically false. The suffering imposed by the virus was universal from the psychological scarring, the long-term debilitation to the deaths. Mark Drakeford used it to promote his view of his government's higher moral quality. "We still have a greater attachment to collective ways of doing things. A powerful sense of social solidarity.” (https://nation.cymru/news/wales-diverged-on-covid-because-it-has-has-a-greater-social-solidarity-than-the-tories-according-to-mark-drakeford/) * * * * The decline in the quality of public language is a central fact of the governance of Wales. Rebecca Evans and Cefin Campbell wrote about the tourist tax: “A warm Welsh welcome. That’s what people from Wales, England and further afield can expect to receive when they visit the spectacular tourist destinations we have to offer. And to be able to continue doing this, we need to make sure communities are supported.” Allied to this is the lack of urgency which shows Labour is unenthusiastic: “Nothing is happening overnight; the process of creating legislation and implementing a levy would take many years.” * * * * ADVOCACY “Too often getting older is linked to illness and decline." Yes, It is known as ageing. Government in Wales often appears to want to be an advocacy body. “The Welsh Government has announced details of a new strategy which aims...to challenge the way we think.” Cognitive amendment is not a role of the sovereign political body. Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan said: “We want to create a Wales where everyone looks forward to growing older.” (https://nation.cymru/news/plans-unveiled-to-champion-older-people-in-wales/) * * * * COMMUNICATION The purchase of Gilestone Farm in the Usk Valley accounted for 0.025% of the Welsh government budget. It was the most discussed topic that lasted for months. Questions were asked on the floor of the Senedd. The valuation was questioned. The reasons for the purchase were not made unequivocally clear leading to ever wilder theories. Freedom of Information requests foundered on “I can confirm we hold the information relating to your request. I have concluded that the information requested is exempt from disclosure under Section 43(commercial interests) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.” As an end result it left unknowing in its wake and did not assauge commentary and critique. * * * * POLLUTION In October BBC Cymru Wales broadcast a documentary “What's Killing Our Rivers?” The presenter Wyre Davies pointed to two arms of government doing incompatible things. That is not uncommon. The Welsh government is sovereign with responsibility for the environment. Davies interviewed the Minister. Leslie Griffiths: “We need to work with our local authorities. It's about working together to make sure that where you can get bigger wins it's an issue but we need to look at quick wins too...We have to look at the regulations. One of the things we are bringing forward.” Wyre Davies: “Do you take responsibility for what is happening to our rivers?” Minister: “Of course. I'm part of the solution. Just as other people are. We all have to take responsibility. Each and every one of us.” |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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