. . . is the public face of the Assembly-led attempt to make people aware of what they can do to slow down the advance of the Climate Crisis. I trust the adverts won’t be jokey, but the idea has to be a sound one. Though there’s a lot of information going around about what we should be doing to improve the situation, far too many if us are doing nothing. It’s a bit like the “smoking kills” publicity, I suppose: the less clever among us used to keep smoking via the excuse “Well, you’ve got to die of something”. So our Assembly and Mr. Bryden have an uphill struggle to overcome complacency among the general public.
. . . for all its “make Wales greener” strategy has a fine – and costly-to-build – edifice at CardiffBay. Other buildings are going up across our land to accommodate Assembly staff. Yes, I know the Bay Watch people will say the new offices must be built to make the Assembly more effective and decentralised. But there are a fair few old barns dotted about Wales which could be re-cycled to hold a few desks and a gang of office-wallahs.
. . . bring Council Tax relief to Englandif they are elected as our next Westminster government. That Westminster government is the central one for the whole of the UK. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own governing bodies. Not so England. Therefore, could this vote-catching Council Tax thing not be simply favouritism? I would ask, as I so often do, if the Tories give relief to their favourite part of the “United” Kingdom, what’s in it for Wales?
. . . is being accused of shilly-shallying over a decision to name the practice-patch where badgers are going to be culled. This, it is alleged, has caused farmers to illegally slaughter the creatures, anyway. Are we sure that those killing the badgers are not simply doing it for sport? Further, I have friends in various rural areas who, though by no means woolly-minded animal lovers, wonder if it really is badgers which are spreading tuberculosis to cattle. Ms. Jones has a tough job in a tough situation.
. . . for another Wales’ National Treasure. Interviewing various top Tory politicians at their Conference, Bethan asked a few questions which they tried to avoid. But, just like a little Corgi, she hung on and pushed them into answering. Well done, cariad – let’s make these over-paid politicians answer what we ask, not what they would like us to ask!
. . . are grown in exotic Anglesey! Just thought you’d like to know that. Mind you, you can’t eat the things. So what’s the point of growing ‘em? It’s as daft as trying to grow bananas in Aberystwyth . . . oh – that’s already been done, hasn’t it?
. . . that try men’s souls.” Because, if you hadn’t realised, our planet is reeling from the results of climate change. Most people who see what’s happening are pondering on what they, as individuals, can do to ease the situation. And the people of Great Britain & Northern Ireland have had an excellent example set for them by their Monarch. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second has eased the situation by buying a “cheap” private jet-plane. It only cost Her Majesty seven million quid. So that’s two examples set in one go: ignore the pollution caused by air travel; and spend, spend, spend in a time of severe financial crisis for those over whom one reins. Congratulations, Ma’am. The question we in Wales must ask now is “How can we distance ourselves from such behaviour?”
our friends and Celtic cousins over in Eirehave only just gone into recession. Later than the UK, of course, and this may indicate once more the advantages of independence.
. . . against a new stretch of motorway which, protests or not, will surely be built at Newport. You will know that we have had a lot of rain this Summer. You will know that the soil was waterlogged and could not absorb that amount of water. So the building of solid roads will lessen the amount of soakaway soil. Yet, everywhere I roam, I see new road construction. More roads produce more traffic. More traffic produces more pollution. More pollution produces a greater escalation of the Climate Crisis. So are new roads built through need . . . or greed?
. . . which causes “Soccer violence”. It is yobs – backward boys. These anti-social ticks brought a disgusting event to Wales after the Cardiff-Swansea match recently. I am no sports fan. And, to judge from their terrible behaviour, neither are these miscreants. I would lay odds that not a one of them has ever played in a football team.