Politics

The Catalan crisis and Cymru

Published

8 years ago

November 3, 2017

Rallying for independence: Some Catalans seek self-determination

THE CRISIS in Catalonia has made for some strange political bedfellows, with Plaid Cymru and UKIP – for different motivations – railing against those seeking to preserve the Spanish state intact, while the Conservatives remain equivocal and Labour – as in Brexit – prefer to keep their heads down and hope it will all go away without anyone asking them what their position actually is.

And the reasons for those contortions, at least in Welsh politics are not too difficult to establish. While a core text of young socialists always used to be George Orwell’s ‘Homage to Catalonia’, the establishment of an independent Catalan state would only serve to stoke the well-banked fires of Welsh independence from the UK. With the Labour Party in Wales not only fundamentally unionist in the sense of wishing to ensure the UK stays together but devoted to the idea of the European Union, it does not want to see other European regions assert their independence.

In addition, at least part of Labour’s opposition is borne out of the thought that Catalonia – one of the richest Spanish regions – is seeking its independence partly because it does not want to continue funding poorer Spanish regions: a bit like Surrey declaring UDI because it did not want taxes raised there to contribute to the building of schools in Llanelli.

UKIP’s position has the merit of being both robust and transparently intellectually dishonest. A party built around the recreation of an independent UK is all in favour of other member states of the EU splitting up, especially as – they argue – the conflict highlights the fundamentally autocratic and centralising impulse of the EU. However, UKIP’s anti-unionist and pro-democratic position is not translated to national politics in the particular, only to foreign affairs in the abstract

In that, it is at least consistent with the keenest Brexiteers on the Conservative side, who are all in favour of using the trials of the Spanish state to illustrate their own view of an over-mighty EU without for one minute advancing the logic of that argument to the UK’s status quo. Which is, perhaps, why they are so reluctant to talk about it.

Of more moment, perhaps is that the EU has turned its face against Catalan separatism on the principle that it does not want to see its Union subject to further division. That attitude should be causing raised eyebrows in Edinburgh, or at least giving campaigners for independence considerable pause for thought. A key notion floated at the time of the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 was that Scotland would be an independent nation within the EU. That position – provided of course that the EU is intellectually consistent, coherent, and not prone to dabbling in its members’ internal politics – appears to be shot full of holes by the EU’s current attitude towards Catalonia. And it is worth bearing in mind that SNP supporters supported leaving the EU by a significant majority, which suggests that at least some of its members are prepared to see the lunacy of seeking to leave one union only to join another straight away.

And for Plaid Cymru, or at least those within in it who seek independence for Wales, who believe in the right of the Catalans to self-determination, Welsh self-determination, and who want to remain within the EU – or at least closely tied to it – the position is even more intellectually contorted. The EU – as an institution – shows no appetite at all to allow the federated parts of republics or semi-autonomous regions to divide themselves from the nation states of which they are constituent members. Quite how the attitude of the EU towards the Catalans gives intellectual succour to Plaid Cymru for their own hopes for an independent Wales within the EU requires a leap of logic that suggests faith and not rationality.

News

Kurtz calls on Labour MPs to back release of Mandelson papers

Published

12 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Staff Writer

Opposition motion follows Epstein-linked document disclosures

A SENEDD Member has called on Labour MPs to support a Conservative Opposition Day Motion demanding the release of papers linked to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as the UK Ambassador to the United States.

Samuel Kurtz said the motion follows the publication of new files and photographs involving Lord Mandelson, which were released as part of a United States investigation into the disgraced and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Speaking out, Mr Kurtz said that during Prime Minister’s Questions, the Prime Minister admitted he was aware of Peter Mandelson’s ongoing relationship with Epstein at the time of his appointment.

“That means the Prime Minister knowingly appointed Peter Mandelson to one of the most important diplomatic roles in government despite his links to Epstein,” he said. “This raises serious questions about the Prime Minister’s judgement.”

Mr Kurtz went on to accuse the Prime Minister of attempting to prevent transparency over the appointment process.

“Now, instead of being open and transparent, the Prime Minister is attempting to block the release of documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment in order to protect his own position,” he said.

He warned that Labour MPs who oppose the motion would share responsibility for withholding information, adding: “If Labour MPs support blocking the release of these papers, they will be complicit in covering up the process and judgement that led the Prime Minister to appoint Peter Mandelson as Ambassador, despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.”

News

Welsh peace campaigner removed from court during Palestine protest case

Published

14 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Concerns raised over use of terrorism laws against silent sign-holders as Welsh activist among those ejected from London hearings

A WELSH peace campaigner was among several protesters removed from court by security staff this week as plea hearings continued for people charged under terrorism legislation for holding pro-Palestine signs.

Angie Zelter, aged 74, from Knucklas, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday as part of mass proceedings linked to the Government’s ban on Palestine Action.

Campaigners say hundreds of people across the UK – including some in Wales – have been charged under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after quietly holding handwritten signs reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Zelter, a long-time anti-war activist and founder of Trident Ploughshares, attempted to read a prepared statement criticising the prosecutions before being escorted from the courtroom, according to supporters.

She told the court she did not accept being labelled a terrorist for what she described as peaceful protest and opposition to the war in Gaza.

Outside the building, fellow campaigners said she had sought to argue that international law and freedom of expression should protect non-violent dissent.

Also removed from the hearing was Tim Crosland, co-founder of Defend Our Juries, who said he had tried to raise legal objections to the charges before being asked to leave.

Arrests nationwide

Organisers of the “Lift The Ban” campaign claim nearly 3,000 people have been arrested across Britain since late 2025 for taking part in silent vigils, with several hundred now facing prosecution. The offences carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison.

The group argues the legislation is being used to criminalise peaceful protest. It is calling on the Government to lift the ban on Palestine Action and to change its stance on military cooperation with Israel.

However, ministers have defended the proscription, saying the organisation has been linked to criminal damage and disruption at sites connected to defence manufacturing.

Welsh perspective

While most hearings are taking place in London, campaigners say demonstrators in Wales have also taken part in sign-holding protests.

Civil liberties advocates have warned that applying terrorism laws to non-violent protest risks setting a troubling precedent.

For many in mid Wales, the sight of a pensioner from rural Powys being removed from a courtroom has sharpened debate over where the line lies between legitimate protest and criminality.

Further hearings are scheduled in the coming weeks, with more defendants from across the UK expected to appear.

Business

Bid to convert office space into chocolate factory, salon and laundrette

Published

20 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for the retrospective conversion of office space previously connected to a Pembrokeshire car hire business to a chocolate factory, a beauty salon and a laundrette has been submitted to county planners

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr M Williams, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission for the subdivision of an office on land off Scotchwell Cottage, Cartlett, Haverfordwest into three units forming a chocolate manufacturing, a beauty salon, and a launderette, along with associated works.

A supporting statement said planning history at the site saw a 2018 application for the refurbishment of an existing office building and a change of use from oil depot offices to a hire car office and car/van storage yard, approved back in 2019.

For the chocolate manufacturing by ‘Pembrokeshire Chocolate company,’ as part of the latest scheme it said: “The operation comprises of manufacturing of handmade bespoke flavoured chocolate bars. Historically there was an element of counter sales but this has now ceased. The business sales comprise of online orders and the delivery of produce to local stockist. There are no counter sales from the premises.”

It said the beauty salon “offers treatments, nail services and hairdressing,” operating “on an appointment only basis, with the hairdresser element also offering a mobile service”. It said the third unit of the building functions as a commercial laundrette and ironing services known as ‘West Coast Laundry,’ which “predominantly provides services to holiday cottages, hotels and care homes”.

The statement added: “Beyond the unchanged access the site has parking provision for at least 12 vehicles and a turning area. The building now forms three units which employ two persons per unit. The 12 parking spaces, therefore, provide sufficient provision for staff.

“In terms of visiting members of the public the beauty salon operates on an appointment only basis and based on its small scale can only accommodate two customers at any one time. Therefore, ample parking provision exists to visitors.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing and commercial laundrette service these enterprises do not attract visitors but do attract the dropping off laundry and delivery of associated inputs. Drop off and collections associated with the laundry services tend to fall in line with holiday accommodation changeover days, for example Tuesday drop off and collections on the Thursday.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing ingredients are delivered by couriers and movements associated with this is also estimated at 10 vehicular movements per week.”