tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post622063234617543620..comments2024-03-26T09:38:39.888+00:00Comments on Borthlas: How much real influence?John Dixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-37664944359241504602014-12-17T18:00:26.889+00:002014-12-17T18:00:26.889+00:00Spirit,
And there's me thinking that I'm ...Spirit,<br /><br />And there's me thinking that <b><i>I'm</i></b> a cynic!John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-12067624367278528792014-12-17T11:26:29.997+00:002014-12-17T11:26:29.997+00:00Mr Dixon, for once you are behind the curve. Plaid...Mr Dixon, for once you are behind the curve. Plaid support for a Labour administration is not about influence, but to get access to – “The Trough” – as with most parties.<br />Over the last decades Plaid has been led and controlled by a bunch of “Red Tories” who are enmeshed in the monarchist state and their institutions and their first step was to get members into the House of Lords (I did not vote for it). They now have a lot of time-servers coming up for retirement, so the dash for ermine is now on and as these people have spent all their political lives in the world of “lalaland” politics they are totally unemployable in the real world. <br />Spirit of BMEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-87166504262323903892014-12-17T08:28:52.527+00:002014-12-17T08:28:52.527+00:00John - I actually agree with you, up to a point, a...John - I actually agree with you, up to a point, although I'd word it differently. I think it's unfair to suggest that the SNP aren't interested in Plaid or the Greens, but it is certainly true that the overlap of interests looks considerably less in a scenario where the SNP could hold the majority of seats in Scotland. That gives them a very different agenda. I also agree that they want a second referendum, but I'm not so sure about the "as soon as possible". That there will be a second referendum, I'm in no doubt. That it will happen sooner than seemed likely in the immediate aftermath of the first seems also fairly certain. But there's work to be done first.<br /><br />Insofar as the SNP's tactics in the House of Commons post May 2015 are geared more to setting the scene for a further referendum than they are to wringing any concessions from a UK Government, then that inevitably gives them a different perspective and agenda from that of Plaid and the Greens, who between them are likely to have no more than 5 seats.<br /><br />And that sort of brings me on to Bored of Labour's comment, which misses the point that I was making. Of course parties should try to change things rather than managing decline; the question is about tactics. A nationalist party asking for a few concessions on austerity is a remarkably unambitious approach. And in that sense, I agree with your comment about a long term lack of ambition.John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-64844192566282491872014-12-16T19:27:49.805+00:002014-12-16T19:27:49.805+00:00'Articulating an alternative' is an entire...'Articulating an alternative' is an entirely reasonable thing to do; over-egging the likelihood of it changing much is likely to result in unfulfilled expectations.'<br /><br />So what are they supposed to do, adopted the Carwyn Jones/Rhodri Morgan approach of managing decline or worse do nothing, I'll never understand why a man of your experience is so incredibly naive when it come to politics, better to raise expectations and give hope (however false) than never try and change things, that's always been Wales and welsh nationalism's problem, no ambition. <br />Bored of Labournoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-91431799202089436862014-12-16T19:04:17.129+00:002014-12-16T19:04:17.129+00:00The SNP are not interested in either Plaid or Gree...The SNP are not interested in either Plaid or Greens, they have thrown the "Nuclear" option as a red line that neither Tory nor Labour will cross.<br /><br />The strategy is to force a second referendum as soon as possible.<br /><br />John TylerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-13368063352614812362014-12-16T18:10:07.569+00:002014-12-16T18:10:07.569+00:00"at least their trying to articulate an alter...<i>"at least their trying to articulate an alternative to City Banking and privatise everything else approach"</i><br /><br />'Articulating an alternative' is an entirely reasonable thing to do; over-egging the likelihood of it changing much is likely to result in unfulfilled expectations.John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-11270398820353617252014-12-16T17:29:18.409+00:002014-12-16T17:29:18.409+00:00I'm a cynical sort and would agree
the three p...I'm a cynical sort and would agree<br />the three parties might not have much influence, but at least their trying to articulate an alternative to City Banking and privatise everything else approach to the UK economy that Conservatives, Labour, UKIP and Lib Dems favour.<br /><br />Plaid Cymru wont gain much either way, but if the SNP get 30 plus MP's and end up having no influence because Labour refuses to deal with them it would push Scotland further along the road to independence, so it's a win win for them. Bored of Labournoreply@blogger.com