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Gwynedd Council to considers Supreme Court ruling on definition of woman
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Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Reform UK's rise reveals how out of touch Keir Starmer and John Swinney really are
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It is a strange form of criticism to brand some parties dismissively as 'populist'. Political parties operating in a democratic landscape need to be popular or they will not get elected. Why would any political party or leader of a party want to be branded as 'elitist' or 'condescending'? Being unpopular is what became of the old Liberal party. When it was replaced by the Labour party, did that make its leaders – Keir Hardy, Arthur Henderson and Ramsay MacDonald – populists? In time, they became popular and Labour eventually formed governments, so what's changed? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One thing that has certainly changed is how the established parties are very similar. Of course they and their die-hard supporters will seek to argue they are very different, but it is becoming increasingly obvious to many people that, since the arrival of Edinburgh's own Anthony Blair, there really has not been a great deal of difference in many of the policies or laws that have become embedded in modern Britain. Keir Starmer jokes with John Swinney and Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan at a meeting in Edinburgh last year (Picture: Andy Buchanan/WPA pool) | Getty Images The 'Uniparty' Indeed it is easier to find policies that started with one party in government and have been followed through by the party replacing it. This has led to Labour and the Conservatives being branded as the 'Uniparty' – a term which in most respects should include the Liberal Democrats too (who were in power with the Conservatives between 2010-15). An example of this phenomenon is the treatment of Northern Ireland by successive Conservative governments since the Brexit vote of 2016. Theresa May started by conceding the Northern Ireland Backstop because the European Union threatened the imposition of a border with the Republic of Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This was changed by Boris Johnson's government to become the Northern Ireland Protocol, and although early economic data showed that it was resulting in trade displacement, and although article 16 of that Protocol allowed for it to be suspended in such circumstances, Rishi Sunak gave up on standing up to the EU and instead doubled down on the concessions with his Windsor Framework. In typical Uniparty style, Labour cheered on this process just as it did with other bilateral policies like ending non-dom tax status and raising taxes to dangerously harmful levels where revenues would begin to fall. This week under Labour, the second of two physical border posts opened in Belfast, the first already completed in Larne. These border posts are to inspect GB goods going into Northern Ireland. Even in the 'Green Lane', such goods are treated like exports to a foreign country, requiring an export number, customs paperwork with a compulsory percentage pulled-over for physical checks. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So, despite our governments telling us repeatedly that all the backstops, protocols and frameworks would prevent a hard border, our political elite – of all mainstream parties – have agreed to a concrete-and-steel border within and between our country. Surely, as only the EU wanted a border, it should have been the EU that built one where its jurisdiction started, not inside the UK. Time and again, we are deceived by governments doing the opposite of what they say they will do as if we might not notice. Sturgeon should have abandoned gender self-ID Another example of the detachment of our elite political class came from the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who has said she should have paused her legislation on self-ID. No Nicola, you should not have paused it, you should have abandoned it and instead sought to enshrine the rights of women – as defined by their sex – so, unequivocally, they would have safe spaces they could call their own. No ifs, buts, maybes or pauses, just a recognition that the public was not supportive of her ideologically driven policy. You might call Sturgeon's approach an elite, condescending, arrogant position – I'm with the populists who campaigned long and hard to protect a women's right to a private safe space. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The pursuit of Sturgeon's policy by her replacement, Humza Yousaf, was just as undemocratic as hers, and the Janus-faced approach of John Swinney in facing one way and then another rather than firmly enforcing the Supreme Court decision condemns him too. The populist approach would have been for him to withdraw the Scottish Government's legal defence, but in true patronising style the SNP establishment new better. UK control of policies Back to Brexit and last week we found that an academic poll which asked where decisions that affect people's lives should be made revealed our main established parties are still trying to pull the wool over our eyes. Carried out by YouGov for Queen Mary University London, it found that Labour, Conservative and even Liberal Democrat and Green voters gave majority support for all 20 areas of policy on taxes, trade, quality standards, border controls etcetera being decided upon by the UK Government alone. Of those 20, 17 had an overall majority for 'the UK alone', while for three it was the largest of the three options. And yet we are told by the Labour government we badly need an EU reset (contrary to the data on trade). Keir Starmer's reset will bring EU laws (present and future) with price increases – and even business taxes that will drive the cost of energy up – yet here we go again with Labour and the Liberal Democrats pushing for a 'reset' and the new Conservative leadership showing little enthusiasm for repudiating it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Again, I'm with the populists. There is nothing wrong in having cordial relationships with one's neighbours but there is no need to concede our hard-won sovereignty to make decisions for ourselves. We should trust the people. Our political parties in Westminster, Holyrood, the Senedd and Stormont need to recognise that popular policies should be reflected in democratic choices. Only then will they challenge Reform UK – which is doing better than all of them because it seeks to listen and speak up for those who feel nobody is listening to them.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
The staggering Whatsapp messages sent to the new Archbishop of Wales by her colleagues
The staggering Whatsapp messages sent to the new Archbishop of Wales by her colleagues When Cherry Vann was added to a Whatsapp chat, some of her more orthodox colleagues were 'dismayed and horrified' a gay bishop had been appointed to lead Church in Wales Cherry Vann has been chosen as the 15th Archbishop of Wales (Image: Church in Wales) One of the largest Anglican provinces in the world has severed its ties with its Welsh counterparts - all because the new Archbishop of Wales is gay. Cherry Vann, the Bishop of Monmouth for the past five years, was chosen as the 15th Archbishop of Wales at the end of July. Originally from Leicestershire, Archbishop Cherry Vann was elected as the the leader of the Church in Wales with a two-thirds majority and will be enthroned at Newport Cathedral in due course, she has pledged to bring "healing and reconciliation". Yet already, she has also come into conflict with colleagues from more orthodox countries. The day after she was elected, Vann was added to a WhatsApp group containing every Anglican chief in the an interview with The Sunday Times, she said two immediately criticised her appointment to their ranks. "They were dismayed and horrified," she says. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The Church of Nigeria, one of the largest Anglican provinces in the world, said it would sever ties with the Church in Wales. Henry Ndukuba, the Archbishop of Nigeria, said: "We do not recognise the so-called Archbishop of Wales and cannot share communion with a church that has departed from the teachings of the Bible." The chairman of Gafcon, an influential conservative group of archbishops and bishops, called her election an 'act of apostasy'. Other Christian groups and publications have also criticised her appointments. She told the journalist interviewing her that on the morning they were meeting she received a letter through the post calling her "an abomination". But she said it didn't impact her faith, although it was "hurtful". "I just rest in the fact that a lot of people are rejoicing, and I know where God wants me to be". In the interview, the new Archbishop of Wales criticised the institution she is part of, a "number of times", the author says with Bishop Vann saying the institution is "full of human beings who are flawed and failing" "I think the church can so often get in the way of God," the 66-year-old said. She was ordained into the Church of England in 1994, and was one of the first female priests, before spending 11 years as Archdeacon of Rochdale in Manchester. But she said she knew because she was gay, she knew her career wouldn't last in England. The Church in Wales has different rules to the Church of England, gay clergy in England are permitted to enter into civil partnerships only if they remain celibate. So, for almost 30 years, she had kept her relationship with Wendy Diamond, a retired council employee, secret with her partner "hiding upstairs" when visitors came to see them. "It was an appalling state of affairs," says Vann. "It felt as though I was being dishonest but I didn't feel at the time that I had any choice. I was living in fear." When she became Bishop of Monmouth, she said she finally felt comfortable enough to be open about her sexuality. "When we first came to Wales we had a party," the new archbishop of Wales told The Times. "We invited guests to my home and for the first time Wendy was able to come to the front door with me and welcome people as my partner. That, for her and for me, signalled what a massive change it meant being here." She has taken over after the resignation of Bishop Andy John, in the wake of two reports, commissioned by the Church in Wales over concerns about the culture surrounding the Bangor Diocese. Bishop Vann said: "I don't think there's something rotten in the clergy themselves,' says Vann, "but the church has a culture of wanting to protect its own. It's a shocking thing to say but perpetrators have been protected and the survivors have been left to flounder". Article continues below
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- South Wales Argus
Reform candidate wins Goetre Community Council by-election
The Conservatives had been looking for a fourth successive victory in by-elections to town and community councils in Monmouthshire after successes in Caerwent, Wyesham in Monmouth and Portskewett near Chepstow. But it was Reform that triumphed in the election to Goetre Community Council with candidate Martin John Stevens topping the poll in the Goytre Ward to become Monmouthshire's first Reform councillor in the village between Pontypool and Abergavenny. Though town and community councils are non-partisan, with decisions made by the full council and no division along party lines, candidates can stand for political parties and Reform considers the victory to be significant. Stuart Keyte, who is a Reform councillor on Torfaen Borough Council, and chair of its Torfaen and Monmouthshire branch, said contesting the community council elections has been preparation for next year's Welsh election when the constituencies will be combined to elect six Senedd Members using a proportional system. Referring to comments made by Richard John, the leader of the Conservative group on Monmouthshire council, Cllr Keyte said: 'So much for being a Reform-free zone. The Tories threw the full weight of of their campaign machine with dawn leaflet raids on the day of the election and big names knocking on doors.' The Torfaen councillor said former MP David Davies had been leafleting for the Conservatives and described the recent elections as 'preparation for when the Senedd elections start to kick off.' When the Conservatives won the Wyesham ward by-election in July, just days after Conservative Senedd Member Laura Anne Jones who had represented the ward on Monmouthshire County Council defected to Reform, Cllr John had hailed the Tory victory. He dismissed Reform as offering no more than 'soundbites' and said: 'Monmouthshire remains a Reform-free zone.' The victory in Goetre came on a night of celebration for Nigel Farage's party as it won the previously Labour held Llangennech seat on Carmarthenshire County Council. Cllr Keat said Reform is challenging across Wales: 'We are polling in the high twenties or projected to win in seats across Wales.' The Goytre Ward by-election was called due to a councillor automatically losing their seat due to failing attend meetings and the eight member council now has one councillor each from Reform, Labour and the Conservatives. Goetre Community Council, Goytre Ward result BUTLER Andrew Michael (Local Conservatives) 97 PARRY Neil James 115 STEVENS Martin John (Reform UK 150) Elected WILLCOX Maureen Catherine 48 Spoilt papers: 0 Turnout: 37 per cent
