tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post6869084103710248308..comments2024-03-26T09:38:39.888+00:00Comments on Borthlas: Fanfares and vol-au-ventsJohn Dixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-9708433826898537972011-06-14T09:33:18.268+01:002011-06-14T09:33:18.268+01:00Glyndo,
As I recall, the question that you asked ...Glyndo,<br /><br />As I recall, the question that you asked was a much narrower one about the regional list, and I don't think that I actually said that I would add to what I'd said, merely that I would not do so at that time. I'm not sure who'd gain anything from my doing so now either; and if not saying more means that people will choose to draw their own conclusions based on their own perspective, then I can live with that. I doubt that anything I said would change that anyway.John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-11871004450677655242011-06-13T17:01:08.312+01:002011-06-13T17:01:08.312+01:00Dan said...
You didn't get the mid Wales nomi...Dan said... <br />You didn't get the mid Wales nomination so you left. leave it at that<br /><br />John Dixon said... <br />Dan,<br />I'm sure you're not the only person who doesn't know me very well who will choose to put that interpretation on events. Life's too short to let it worry me.<br /><br />I seem to remember pointing out the possibility of that particular interpretation on this blog some time back John. Your response at the time was that you would explain your reasons once the list was finalised.<br />The list was finalised some time back, did I miss the explanation?Glyndonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-42427260960513192272011-06-10T08:26:34.988+01:002011-06-10T08:26:34.988+01:00Peter,
Thanks for the feedback.
I agree complete...Peter,<br /><br />Thanks for the feedback.<br /><br />I agree completely that the party had to modernise its techniques, processes, and presentation. Indeed, I put a lot of effort personally into doing just that, and I'm proud of what the team achieved in that respect. 'Talking treason' was never going to lead to independence, albeit that we had a lot of enjoyable evenings doing it.<br /><br />But you're spot on - there was no need to lose the soul, or water down the vision, in the process, and the national movement - which has always been wider than a political party - needs to recapture something of that spirit.John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-54257784328410113642011-06-10T08:18:14.892+01:002011-06-10T08:18:14.892+01:00You mean there's more?,
Firstly, a belated th...You mean there's more?,<br /><br />Firstly, a belated thanks for putting up the posters all those years ago!<br /><br /><i>"I nearly left the party though the day I went to Dinky Poos and saw the kind of company Chris Franks was keeping and the views they held."</i><br /><br />Might be a little unfair, although having kept the same company, I suppose I would say that. Plaid has long been a marriage, sometimes an uneasy one, of those who want an 'ideology-free' independence and those who see independence in the context of building a different type of society. And that tension is part of today's problems as well.<br /><br />Cliff was a real character and another strong republican - but perhaps more on that another day.John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-12188791809272194522011-06-09T18:41:20.042+01:002011-06-09T18:41:20.042+01:00I was too young for politics but started supportin...I was too young for politics but started supporting plaid in 1968 when i started at secondary school. I stuck a few John Dixon posters round the vale and ended up standing for the council a couple of times myself. I met Harri several times and still read his poetry the bits I don't know off by heart!!<br /><br />There was also of course Cliff Bere who died the night of the great referendum when his beloved Carmarthenshire delivered the begining of true devolution for Wales - very appropriate when you think it was Carmarthen in 1966 that marked the blaids arrival as a proper party. <br /><br />I nearly left the party though the day I went to Dinky Poos and saw the kind of company Chris Franks was keeping and the views they held. <br /><br />All this talk of Plaid teaming up with the tories though is classic labour smear. <br /><br />My membership has long lapsed, I left to the sound of Cliff spinning in his grave as the party lurched to the right but I still know which way to vote.....You mean there's more???https://www.blogger.com/profile/12736627336832800972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-43180537498120822712011-06-09T14:53:20.058+01:002011-06-09T14:53:20.058+01:00John;
I want you to know, I read your blog almost...John; <br />I want you to know, I read your blog almost every day for two reasons; You are part of my "News of Wales" reading and generally your analysis is very close to mine. Secondly; You bring back such memories.<br />1971 was the first conference I ever attended. I seconded the motion on Bi-lingual road signs. As I recall my speech was televised. I paraphrased Patrick Pearse with "Nid rhydd yn unig ond Cymreig hefyd a nid Cymreig yn unig ond rhydd hefyd." You are right. Those were heady days and there is a great deal of nostalgia for the times when we would sit in the pub and "Talk treason" unfortunately for most of Wales that brought us a similar amount of votes as Screaming Lord Sutch. Yes Plaid had to modernize but did we lose our soul along the way?Peter Freemannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-90509855606033721702011-06-09T13:45:57.350+01:002011-06-09T13:45:57.350+01:00Dan,
I'm sure you're not the only person ...Dan,<br /><br />I'm sure you're not the only person who doesn't know me very well who will choose to put that interpretation on events. Life's too short to let it worry me.<br /><br />But if the blog is sending you to sleep, please bear in mind that reading it is not obligatory.John Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07447224248021209852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-70667002979088234662011-06-09T12:01:24.144+01:002011-06-09T12:01:24.144+01:00a very enjoyable, thought provoking and wistful po...a very enjoyable, thought provoking and wistful post john - nevertheless we are far far further down the road to a self governing wales than we were 40 years ago! <br /><br />Indeed if you had had said to the shattered remnants of welsh nationalists in 1979 that within a little over 3 decades we would be able to make our own laws in wales in our own senedd - following the democratic mandate of the welsh people - you would have been thought mad!<br /><br />So i wouldnt swap where we are in 2011 for where Wales was in 1971 - tho the music was admittedly much much better then.....and maybe even the fashions too lol!<br /><br />Leigh Richards<br />swanseaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-51845871236100353612011-06-09T11:05:54.678+01:002011-06-09T11:05:54.678+01:00Yawn. Another of the daily John Dixon plaid are ba...Yawn. Another of the daily John Dixon plaid are bad blogs. Starting to sound bitter John which is a shame. You didn't get the mid Wales nomination so you left. leave it at thatDannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-46338460557842753382011-06-09T00:18:03.789+01:002011-06-09T00:18:03.789+01:00Excellent post John. Sums up how much idealists lo...Excellent post John. Sums up how much idealists lose in the name of 'respectability'.Radical Waleshttp://radicalwales.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-90004586666797431822011-06-08T17:12:44.947+01:002011-06-08T17:12:44.947+01:00"The class of ’71 campaigned against low-flyi..."The class of ’71 campaigned against low-flying jets disrupting the peace of Wales. The class of ’11 admires them flying past the Senedd."<br /><br />Disingenous I think. And a little insulting.Chadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-14661523972194082102011-06-08T17:09:27.701+01:002011-06-08T17:09:27.701+01:00You could also have added:
The class of '71 d...You could also have added:<br /><br />The class of '71 didn't have a Senedd to stand outside.Welsh Ramblingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17585109264200933570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-78585725450177775582011-06-08T16:43:28.919+01:002011-06-08T16:43:28.919+01:00My short stay in the Plaid started voting 2005 end...My short stay in the Plaid started voting 2005 ended voting after Mary Helen lost. She was angry rightly that the idea of Plaid doing a deal to go into coalition with the Tories upset people in my area, Llanelli is not a place the Tories are accepted to well.<br /><br />I know why Plaid did it, but I think it was a mistake an error.<br /><br />I was looking to day at TV question time when Cameron had a go at Labour in Wales with rising waiting times,(NHS) the response was rubbish. My grandson has been waiting to see a specialist now for fifteen months, they keep phoning up to ask if he still wants the appointment we keep saying yes of course, my GP keeps asking has he seen the consultant yet, it's like a merry go round.<br /><br />Boy has the world changed since Blair and Brown, I'm waiting to go in for my much awaited ESA medical, seems Paraplgia means little these days.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05186557603493331701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411161795798360588.post-1985390772595366172011-06-08T16:39:06.114+01:002011-06-08T16:39:06.114+01:00great post John, very informative.great post John, very informative.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com