21st August 2007
The deconstruction of Britain
My threat to place myself at the mercy of the local magistracy for non-payment of my TV license has provoked the usual torrent of gentle chiding and downright abuse (the prize goes ‘a view from Penarth’ for ‘what a bankrupt shower our Welsh nationalists really are’ - not much room for agreement there) but it has spurred on a necessary debate. Which was the point, of course. Republicanos attacks it as yet another gimmick - but modern political communication is all about finding new and compelling ways of encapsulating political arguments. Continue reading The deconstruction of Britain
13th August 2007
Rainbow redux
The reaction to my latest proposal for a new model rainbow in Welsh politics was decidedly mixed. But at least it has roused me from my post-coalition torpor. My inaugural Golwg column was variously described as “ignorant trash”, “mendacious” and “barmy” by Huw Lewis, an “absurd rant” by Republicanos, “silly season” material by Tomos Livingstone, and most depressingly of all, a “disappointingly poor piece of mischief-making” by Normal Mouth, the Welsh blogosphere’s nearest equivalent to an organic intellectual. At least the Western Mail’s leader writer was more generous. The criticisms seem to amount to: he’s not serious, he’s not to be trusted and, in any way, it won’t work. My defence, not surprisingly, is something along the lines of: I am and it could.
Continue reading Rainbow redux
