This larger than life pink helium pig took to the streets of Wales today as the official mascot for the True Wales group which is opposed to the Welsh Assembly having extra legislative powers – a decision which will be voted on in a referendum on 3 March.
I recently met their maverick spokesman Len Gibbs who told me: “The pig came out at Newport and was filmed for the Politics Show tomorrow… may be only in Wales, but that’s where we are campaigning. It had an airing for Ed Miliband this morning in Barry and later in Swansea.”
However, I have just seen a tweet from the Politics Show saying that Andrew Neil will be highlighting this on their programme tomorrow from Cardiff, so it could indeed be broadcast nationally.
Len also updated me on his latest development. He is thrilled to learn that his personal campaign, “March 3 is ‘Vote NO! Day'”, is now registered with the Electoral Commission in Wales as a permitted participant to campaign for the ‘no’ vote – and with only less than three weeks to go before the referendum!
He still supports True Wales, which previously refused to register officially as the main “no” group in protest at the costs involved; this meant they could not receive £70,000 campaign costs, and neither could their opposing side, Yes For Wales,. As a result, they have to raise their own funds, and Len says that they have been generously supported.Â
There has now been this unusual twist in developments, and Len’s “March 3 is ‘Vote NO! Day'” campaign is mutually supported by True Wales with their spokeswoman Rachel Banner saying they would continue to work together.
At 74 and hugely energetic, Len and his supporters are taking on the might of the Assembly and its influential politicians – the Yes to Wales group is led by Welsh Rugby Union Chief Executive Roger Lewis and has the support of the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan,in a David-Goliath battle.
Len believes a large number of people want a re-evaluation of the role of the National Assembly of Wales. He says that research indicates that the largest voting preference block, up to 38% of the electorate, wish to review the position of the Assembly, but don’t have a voice or means to express their point of view. He accuses Welsh MPs or AMs of failing to stand up and voice these concerns and represent the electorate who oppose primary law-making power.
To those who question why it was necessary for Len to set up his new group and how it will work with True Wales, he explains this on his website:
True Wales has been an effective umbrella to rally the ‘No’ vote, but because it is a single organisation opposing a multi-group it has difficulty in representing the arguments against further power to the different streams. “March 3 is ‘VOTE NO! DAY’ †is a solution to that difficulty by focusing a message to those who question the continuance of the Assembly. There are some people who cannot understand why someone else who may want to end the Assembly could work with people who want to keep it and vice versa. But that is not the essential issue.
The essential issue is that a large number of people are not democratically represented and they need to have a means to express their voices. “March 3 is ‘VOTE NO! DAY’ †represents that voice.
“March 3 is ‘VOTE NO! DAY’ †is not opposed to True Wales. Although “March 3 is ‘VOTE NO! DAY’ †is separate and independent of True Wales, it works in association with True Wales to achieve a majority ‘No’ vote and both have an agreed joint co-operation agenda. Both use “March 3 is ‘VOTE NO! DAY’ ” on the websites, posters and leaflets. The main True Wales website will continue to have articles individually and jointly signed by Rachel Banner and Len Gibbs. The case against further power doesn’t change because of who presents it.
I will ask Carwyn about that, he is reporting on the event now!
Splendid and eye-catching!
There has been no campaigning near me in Conwy County, for against. It’s getting a bit late to engage with people now.
The poroblem with this campaign is the Electoral Commission rules. The status of lead campaign only provides funds for ‘facilities’ such as offices etc but no campaign material. The appointment of a ‘lead campaigner’ is announced only four weeks before the referendum voting date. This makes it impossible to secure public donations before the announcement in case you are not the lead campaigner and four weeks isn’t enough time to find circa £100,000 to pay for all the campiagn material costs which includes producing a TV video for the ‘free’ broadcasting time.
Public meetings attract about a maximum of 80 people, leaflets cannot convey either the simplicity pof the core argument because it is not the mechanical aspects that we are voting on. Its the consequeces, and this is complex and serious. The best approach is for the voter to be proactive and read the websites. The True Wales site http://www.truewales.org.uk has very detailed explantions and “March 3 is ‘Vote NO! Day'” site supplements it. There are people in north Wales leafleting and we had a launch at Prestayn a week ago. Blame the system!
if wales wants to be independent they should ban english for one thing if i were welsh i’d be furious not to have welsh money, welsh-only packaging on everything in the shops and at least 50 24 hour welsh tv channels
i grew up in wales during my teenage years and got gcse welsh it’s a beautiful language and effortlessly superior to english. oh yeah and the stupid english words welsh is now full of should be extricated by law
best solution for wales is full independence within the eu and low taxes for the rich, so i can be rich and live there
also they want to get a proper rail network with 300mph trains and a road network to match. at present all major roads and rail links go to england! link up wales!
when wales is independent and i’m crowned king, first move i’m making is to bulldoze cardiff
example of an ugly english word in welsh: compiwter when the actual word is cyfrhyfiadur. also sportiau (sports) should actually be mabolgampau, see what i mean
also i’d just love to see the tortured look on people’s faces when they’re put to compulsory degree-level welsh classes. or sentenced to 50 lashes for a first offence of not being able to speak it or death by firing squad for anyone who cannot speak to mother tongue standard within 12 years. those are my policies. do you think i’ll get voted in as king of wales now?
Wonder if pink sends quite the right signal though.
Thanks to everyone for their comments. I saw the Politics Show today and felt it only touched the edge of the issues involved. I hope the Welsh voters will get the chance for a proper debate on this issue.
The pink elephant was certainly eye catching in Andrew Neil’s opening footage.
Update: Len Gibbs and True Wales have parted company http://www.votenoday.org.uk/
Len’s finally been gagged then? After his hilarious Radio Wales phone-in interview a few weeks back, it’s of no surprise! The No Campaign is basing itself on negative spin, playing on people’s typical reservations towards politicians. Shameful really, but they need some kind of angle otherwise they’d have nothing to go on.
I’m undecided at the moment but the reasonable arguments are only currently being put forward by the Yes lot. It’s no use the No lot going on about raising taxes and AMs pay when the referendum isn’t about that, nor will it result in that. Coherent arguments people, not shoddy mud-slinging and propaganda straight out of the war era Politics for Idiots book.
The problem in Wales is that a small minority of people predominantly welsh speaking think they speak for ALL of Wales.
Well they don’t.
The part-time expensive politicians that the majority of Wales including Cardiff didn’t vote for, have over the last 10 years been a complete disaster for Wales.
When Scotland, England and Northern Ireland have seen job growth and massive investment all that the well lets call them dumb Assembly Members (AM’s) have done is bicker and squabble amongst themselves trying to score browny points and get the so called “sound bites” for the media.
Meanwhile there has been a mass exodus of businesses who have left Wales.
When interviewed these businesses have said that the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) were not interested in providing assistance so that the company could sty in Wales or hadn’t bothered to contact them.
The only time the WAG made any contact was when the media questioned what the WAG were doing about the company closing.
Does Wales deserve a part-time Government – yes they are only part-time 70 days per year half of the time the London based MP’s sit and they are on salaries ranging from £51,000 going up to £60,000+ with expense accounts of £13,000 per year – the source of this information is from a letter to the Welsh Assembly Government here’s the link http://tinyurl.com/5v8cmdt .
Given this and the total lack of interest, care and performance from the Welsh Assembly Government, its not a case of giving these clowns more power, the referendum should be on the continuation of the Welsh Assembly Government.
They have been a complete disaster for Wales.
They support of the Welsh language both in finance and in the media is causing £100M’s being wasted and that could be better spent on Hospitals and Schools.
When will the numbnuts in the Welsh Assembly Government realise that the Welsh language is a dead language and not worth wasting more money on – another arguement for another time.
With the Welsh Assembly Government not being able to carry out the current tasks they are being well paid to do why should we give them any more powers – VOTE NO on March 3rd.
Finally the only benefit by voting YES in March 3rd is that these numbnuts in the Welsh Assembly Government will be able to claim MORE money and increased salaries because of so called MORE responsibilities. YOU will NOT see any more productivity from them probably less if that’s possible.
I rest my case