Saturday 7 April 2018

A rock and a hard place


The anger of many over the re-naming of the Severn Crossing is understandable, and was entirely predictable.  And the disappointment with the First Minister in ‘raising no objections’ is equally unsurprising.  I do though, almost feel a little sorry for him – he was caught between a rock and a hard place.  If he raised no objections, then he was obviously going to get the criticism now being hurled at him by some politicians and through social media.  But, had he raised an objection, I think we can be certain that the Secretary of State would not simply have forgotten the idea and gone away; royal sycophancy is his natural state.  And any objection raised by Carwyn Jones would certainly have become known to the media (anyone really see Cairns missing an open goal like that?), as a result of which he would have been pilloried by the tabloids for a snub to His Royal Charliness and family.  So, weighing up the options – a storm of protest from the usual suspects on social media or a front page tirade in the most widely-read newspapers in Wales - which would you choose?
But that brings me back to the ‘almost’ a few sentences ago.  He either weighed it up in the calculated fashion I’ve suggested above and opted for the quiet(er) life, or he gave it no real thought and went for Labour’s traditional deferential approach to the monarchy.  In neither case does he actually deserve much sympathy; but the latter case looks the likelier, and getting off (comparatively) lightly is just a bonus for him.  The biggest mistake is being made by anyone who ever thought that his response would be made on the basis of any thought about what’s best for Wales.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Surely 'what's best for Wales' is a thorough re-examination of all the lies and myths that have been built up over the past couple of hundred years and a little bit more honesty from those occupying seemingly responsible positions in Welsh society.

It's time for an open and honest debate about 'who we are' and where we see our future.

Transparency is the new game!

Sad Welsh Politico said...

Simple question would Nicola Sturgeon hide away like Carwyn Jones if this happened in Scotland, of course not, Carwyn maybe Wales' First Minister but he deserves the same contempt as Bootlicker Cairns because he's hiding waiting for this to all blow over.

But since Carwyn's been AWOL and soon to leave his job as First Minister, this is a golden opportunity his successor of member of his Cabinet to speak up and defend Wales but we've heard nothing from the rest of the Welsh Cabinet either.

They are right about the Assembly being the next target of the Brexiteers and they are playing right into the hands of the anti assembly bridgade, Wales as things stands wont be a political entity much longer it wont survive relentless attack from outside and spineless indifference from our so called leaders from within.

Anonymous said...

Even on the English side there is little support for a name change.A poll on Bristol Live gives 12% support for Prince of Wales.

Anonymous said...

We are told by royal watchers the prince is unhappy and looking for people to blame. Is this the reason Alum Bach is refusing to answer questions about his decision to rename the bridge?