By Ben Jones. Image courtesy of Yes Cymru
Last Saturday, over 10,000 people marched for Independence in central Cardiff, in an event organized by YesCymru and AUOBCymru. The event was the fifth march for Welsh independence in recent times, and the second since the start of the pandemic. ‘All Under One Banner’ (AUOB) marches for an end to the United Kingdom were also held in Scotland and Cornwall on Saturday, as was a conference for reunification in Ireland.
Tweeting after the rally, Plaid Cymru councilor in Wrecsam, Carrie Harper, tweeted: “Special day, 10,000 march for Welsh Indy in Cardiff, 7000 for Scottish Indy in Edinburgh, and thousands attend conference in Dublin for Irish unity. Westminster is NOT working!”
All this took place against a backdrop of class strife – workers striking for pay rises and growing anger over the UK government’s programme of making the poorest pay for the economic crisis.
175,000 rail, postal, dock and other workers struck across Britain on the same day as thousands marched for independence, and a day of action called by new group Enough is Enough saw huge numbers take part in anti-government rallies, including hundreds in Cardiff.
Seeking to capture this dynamic was Labour4IndyWales’ Harriet Protheroe Soltani, who told the crowd that the question of Welsh independence and class struggle were inextricably linked.
The activist told the crowd that: “Time and time again the Tory government has left working people like us behind. Towns across Wales have been left to rot. People are growing up without hope…the British state has shown itself indifferent to creating an egalitarian society. Taxes for the rich are being cut in our names. Asylum seekers are being sent to Rwanda in our names. Devolution is being reversed and undermined in our names.”
“The prime minister is refusing to implement taxes on energy companies, meaning vulnerable people will go to bed starving and cold this winter.”
With Liz Truss’ government looking weak, now could be a prime opportunity to push for a break away from Westminster.
Saying that “there has to be another option to this mess,” Soltani called on Welsh Labour to give up on the United Kingdom. “We tried at Westminster level and we failed. We cannot sit on our hands any longer.”
Llywelyn ap Gwilym from AUOBCymru also outlined a more left wing version of Independence, saying that: “Wales needs an alternative to Westminster. Independence will not automatically solve things, but it is the most likely route to a fairer and more caring society for everyone here.”
Other speakers took a more centrist line in their attacks on Westminster, and didn’t seek to relate to the class anger directed at Liz Truss’ government and big energy firms.
Dafydd Wigley said: “It is now our duty to spell out in detail what we mean by independence – to show how it can rescue Wales from hairbrained policies emanating from a mad-dog government; independence can work for everyone in Wales. We need independence and we need it now!”
Gwern Gwynfil of YesCymru said: “YesCymru is here to lead our national conversation. The break-up of the Union is inevitable. There will be an united Ireland, Scotland will be independent and the only secure future for Wales is as an independent nation.”
“We are economically viable and Westminster has repeatedly failed us for decades. This won’t change so we must take full responsibility for our own future and stand tall as a nation on the global stage.”
Tributes were also paid in the memory of popular rugby commentator, broadcaster and supporter of independence, Eddie Butler. His inspirational speech given in the 2019 Merthyr was played during the day and his wife and children were on the march.
Actress Ffion Dafis led proceedings on the stage and there was a surprise performance of ‘Yma o Hyd’ by Dafydd Iwan.
