Deputy Mayor Robbins

This elected municipal thing is catching. Belated congratulations to my in-law, Greg Robbins, who was made the Deputy Mayor of Llandudno District Council for 2010/2011 (and I assume will become Mayor 2011/2012?).

Greg is on the left hand side of the picture wearing the bicorn hat next to my very proud sister-in-law Debbie.

It is a very grand looking traditional costume and pendent that he is wearing.

You never know perhaps wearing red for the next year or so will help Greg “see the light” and leave the Welsh Nationalist Party Plaid Cymru and join Labour?

:)

A Plaid Cymru Councillor in the family

At the New Year’s family meal I posted upon yesterday I had a long chat with my niece Holly’s step-dad, Greg Robbins, who was elected as a Plaid Cymru Councillor for Llandudno District Town Council last May.

Greg is enjoying being a Councillor and is active in the Plaid Cymru Party. I must admit that I was surprised that Greg hasn’t experienced any “problems” being a card carrying Welsh nationalist. Greg looks “Welsh” and speaks with a North Walian lilt but he was born in England and his mother is English. His Dad did have family in North Wales but Glen admits he is only “technically” half-Welsh.

Interestingly, Greg also does not speak Welsh either. In the best traditions of British (and Welsh) local government when he was elected councillor he was appointed as a governor of the only Welsh speaking school in Llandudno. When he attends school governor meetings he therefore has to rely on the interpreter who also translates for the 4 or 5 parent governors who are also non-Welsh speakers.

Greg said he has never experienced any difficulties in the Party over his background and lack of Welsh. I am astonished by this since in the past I have come across “some” (not all by any means) Plaid Cymru activists who frankly put the BNP to shame for their views of the English (and anyone else they deem to be non-Welsh and therefore “sub-human”). Nowadays such views are now seen as being clearly racist. When I lived in Scotland, “some” Scot Nats were just as bad.

Greg said that Plaid had changed and there was a new face to the Party that welcomed English migrants who believe in self determination for Wales regardless of their origin or the fact that they speak Welsh or not. He reminded me that there is a Bengali Plaid Cymru deputy mayor of Colwyn Bay!

I have now lived longer in Newham than Wales so I really don’t know what Welsh nationalist sentiment is nowadays. I hope Greg is right. I do have my doubts. While I think independence for Wales would be a disaster (not only for Wales but also the rest of us) I hope my fears are wrong.

Picture is from the Llandudno Plaid Cymru website attacking the expansion of local offshore wind farms. Which I think are a good idea!