defendingthelanguage.
legislative powers.
The rise of Welsh national aims hastaken many forms. and has coincided with the wider social and poncarcrisis.
Struggles have been launched around the destruction of arable landunderreservoirs; actions on the language have ranged through occupations, pickets, continuetomount. SINCE THE mid-1950s, when 250,000 people signed a petition backing a Parliament for Wales Bill, there has been a revival of national aspirations in the country.
In 1962 Cymdeithas Yr laith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) was formed, whose militancy has resultedinthejailingofhundredsofyoung Welsh people The Welsh Labour Party conference passed a pro-devolution resolution in 1965, andin 1974the Welsh TUC - itself formed against the opposition of the British TUC - called for an elected assembly with demonstrations, destruction of TV transmitters, painting out English, defence of militants, and many forms of civil disobedience.
Other issues have also been raised, including the desperate position of small farmers, the forced emigration arising from unemployment, the decline of RECENT statementsby Northern Irelandsecretary Roy Mason have now placed him to the right of the Young Conservatives. Demands for the sacking of Mason the mining and steel industries, and the RAF low flight paths overruralareas.
Asaconsequence, the Labour government has made a number of concessions since 1974. These include legislation language in education, broadcasting and daily life; as well as the setting up of the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales.
though, isthe Wales Act The Act is a gamble for th government. The political base of the Labour Party was being arrested eroded by the corruption of the Labour Party and the growth of PlaidCymru.
The Act is an attempt to stem this. But it is opposed by the capitalists. Both the CBI and the Tories are actively campaigning The latest COMICHES week on Northern Ireland's Downtown Radio He was discussing an opinion poll which suggested a growth support for Party and Unionists (led by Harry West and Enoch Powell), decline in support for the Social Democratic and Labour Party and lan Unionist Party Mason said 'reveals picture moderate Alliance Party, sectarian gulf, are growing and THOSE have in recent times turned a little more greener, will have powers than 'development" issues.
establishment most important, language, andsoon.
Assembly's rOW follows Mason made last -they're losing ground towards Ine alance the Official Gerry Fitt recentiv and a Paisley's Democratic tives Inal the poll that the Unionists and the North of Ireland, a bridging the like the SDLP, who 'duplicity', wanting Their fearsdon' tarise because the Act contains radical socialist measures —the Welsh Assembly even more limited the Scottish Assembly, which will at least be able to legislate on a number of stituencies What motivates the CBI and Toryoppositionisthat, far from reducing political tensions, the to the of an elected Assembly would increase them.
Inside it would be dominated bythe Labour Party and the left populists of Plaid; outside it challenged. would beimpatiently watched to The seeif it was solving the problems of unemployment, housing, the 1 March The Wales Act may define the powers •In direction; but the class struggle maydefinetheminanother. referendum.
Overall, the Wales Act is not a Irish unity above all, and the DUP, the extreme Protestants The "So it looks as if there's a gradual undererati of feeling power-sharing.
moderation crossing the sectarian divide.
Embarrassingly for the 'wee Napoleon ' — as SDLP leader dubbed Mason - his remarks about the being commenting 'moderate' came in the same week as the Young Conservadescribed the organisation as too extreme.
In a report on a visit to th gard Young sentative. accused the Official Unionists of commenting: *whatever is suggested to them or whatever is offered they will recognition of the right of Wales to self-determination. It is more an attemptto bury the question. Yet the fact that the voting in the CC COus Conce Lorene 36 Welsh parliamentary conevidence that self-determinationisanissue.
Socialists must not leave this separatists in Plaid Cymru. The message socialists must get across in the coming fortnight is that the concession should be taken and its limits International Marxist Group will thus be calling for a 'Yes' vote in the referendum or The most pressing limits to challenge are the ballot-rigging and consultative nature of the refertion of the clause which There must push for something more.' requires a majority comprising 40 per cent of all those entitled to vote for the Wales Act to be enacted.
This is a live question, as the most likely outcome of the referendum is a "Yes' majority below the 40 per cent threshold Socialists should therefore be preparedtocampaign forarecall of the Welsh TUC and Welsh Labour Party conferences in the event of a majority being obtained, mobilise the working class against parlia mentary governmental WHaHOCUVICS.
VOTE 'YES' meeting sored by Socialist Challenge Morning Star, Tribune, and Faner Goch, Monday February debris, tel. Cardiar 394755. Cardiff Full 1 renewed calls for his sacking in