The People Illuminate the Path

Just a few days ago the first anniversary of the referendum to give the Welsh Assembly full law making powers passed. On March 3 2011 the people of Denbighshire voted overwhelmingly to grant the National Assembly the right to make laws on behalf of the people of Wales. What is striking about this result is that in 2011 Denbighshire voted by 62% to 38% for the law making change. However in the referendum of 1997 Denbighshire voted against the establishment of the Assembly. As Ron Davies said at the time devolution is a process that is just beginning. The BBC poll on St David's Day clearly showed a huge appetite amongst the Welsh people to take further control of their own destiny.

Despite the growing clamour for a greater say in the running of our society the Labour party lags behind the people. Come election time they wrap themselves in the Welsh flag yet when it comes to fighting for the rights of the people they prefer bow down to the self interest of a handful of their own MPs.

As the British parties have come to learn to live with the current settlement Plaid Cymru has allowed itself to be robbed of its traditional political clothing, that of the defender of the Welsh peoples best interests.

The St David's day poll results should be very encouraging for our party in that they show strong demands for a furtherance of the devolution process but also a strong commitment to social justice in the attitudes of the people to the English NHS reforms. The majority of respondents clearly understood that it was Welsh self governance that is preventing the same reforms from being carried out in Wales for the moment at least.

Plaid Cymu must ensure that we articulate to the people that we are the party of social justice and that we will use the devolution process to defend and further the cause of social justice for all of the people of Wales.  

 Devolution is indeed a process that as it proceeds increases the self confidence of the Welsh people in their ability to run their own affairs. The inevitable conclusion of this growth in our national feeling is an independent nation where we commit to build a just society free from the mistakes of the past and be prepared for the struggle for better future.