I'm the Hen Ferchetan. This is my take on the world through the eyes of Wales. While mostly about Welsh politics (that most famous of dour topics!) I try to scatter some humour around, but I doubt anyone but me will find it funny! Have a read, and if it bores you then feel free to never come back!

Monday 13 October 2008

The Irony of Truth

The laughably named True Wales now have a website! It doesn't contain much yet, but it's already a step further than the Yes campaign. Interesting to read their Vision Statement though:

VISION STATEMENT

Our Wales is a beautiful, diverse country which belongs to all who live here. There are many versions of 'Welshness', all to be respected and celebrated. We believe in equality and fairness for all citizens, regardless of linguistic preference, ethnicity, faith, political persuasion or gender.

There is no place in our Wales for discrimination or prejudice against any group or country. We value all the settlers who have contributed to our cultural diversity and our shared heritage within the United Kingdom.

True Wales advocates:

  • spending priorities that reflect the needs of all the people
  • restoration of a cohesive, tolerant society
  • no increase in the current number of AMs and MPs
  • keeping the Secretary of State for Wales
  • the maintenance of a strong position within the United Kingdom
  • that any application to draw down Legislative Competence Orders from the United Kingdom Government must have the support of the majority of Welsh people
Wait a second..."restoration of a cohesive, tolerant society"? "No place for discrimination or prejudice"? I thought this was supposed to be a No campaign for the referendum? Is the implication supposed to be therefore that those who want a Yes vote are discriminatory, prejudiced bigots? That's the picture True Wales seems to be painting.

It's also interesting to note their vision that every LCO should have a referendum on it. Are they mad? We're talking anything between 5 and 11 LCO's a year, how many millions do they intend to spend on referendums (seeing as how they've declared themselves the protector of public money)?

Betsan also comments on the lies and slights of hand printed in the No Campaign's first door to door leaflets. It makes a mockery of their name, "True" Wales indeed. It's also interesting to note which part of Wales has received these scaremongering pamphlets. The leafy suburbs of the South-East, the most likely of areas to vote No and therefore the least likely to pick up on the spin and deceit in the No leaflets.

The problem is that while the two Davids are peddling lies and innuendo the Yes campaign is still waiting to be launched. What's that saying about lies being able to run twice around the world before the truth puts it's shoes on? We need a Yes Campaign now, not tomorrow.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Could you post up one of these leaflets so those of who don;t live in leafy bits of south-east Wales know the kind of deceit we're up against? It would be useful for people writing letters and constructing rebuttals - these liars are going to stop at nothing.

Hen Ferchetan said...

Have a look at the link to Betsan's blog. Unfortunately there's only quotes, not a full transcript.

Hen Ferchetan said...

(if anyone else has a copy, I'd love to see a proper transcript, their website was entertaining enough after all)

Anonymous said...

If True Wales is so into the riches of 'settlers' then why is it that the Tory MPs behind this group are also the ones most against immigration? Do they believe that only the English have the right to 'settle', and that anyone else needs quotas? As for David Davies's comments on gypsies... well, we know what sort fo peopel these: they are anti-Welsh, interested only in the Anglo-monoculture, and xenophobic.
We know what they are and who they are. What are Labour members doing getting involved in this? What are progressive tories going to do to dissociate themselves from it?
A front organisation for the conservative party's hard right, telling lies and frightening peopel, all the while sending out dog-whistle signals to the Welsh-haters...

Unknown said...

Theres more here.....

http://true-wales.blogspot.com/