The new-look State of Wales launches, albeit still as a work in progress (expect bugs to iron out), with one of the new recurring features – Word Salad – which will be a sardonic (haters will say nit-picking) take on strange, funny, confusing, flowery and reality-bending statements from our politicians, the media and public bodies.
The 2021 Senedd election is first up with a particular focus on the manifestos. It’s true that nobody really cares about manifestos, but political parties really, really do.
You can see there’s a drop-down menu to skip to different sections. The days of a massive 3,000-word wall of text are hopefully over.
From the Lib Dems:
“Put Recovery First.”
OK, what about after that?
“We will also change planning law so that all decisions draw on the principle of a 20-minute community. That means we can build communities that are close to leisure, recreation, employment and transport facilities.”
You’ve had representatives in the very sparsely-populated Mid & West Wales region for how long now? A “45-minute community” would be good going in most of Powys, let alone 20 minutes.
“We don’t have the provision of news and current affairs we need, which affect the political and civic life of our country.”
Also Lib Dems: #BoycottNationCymru
“We believe in taking down borders, not erecting them….”
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Next, the Greens – who confidently state:
“We believe in the importance of listening to the science….The pandemic reminds us that if politicians ignore the real world then all of us will suffer.”
Then a bit later:
“(The Greens will maintain) Wales GM Free status including imported maize….(The Greens will) prioritise preventing rather than curing illness….Voting for independence could rid us of….nuclear power….”
So that should be: “We believe in the importance of listening to the science – except the science which doesn’t support our worldview.”
From Channel 4 News:
“Andy Davies: Do you think people in Wales are inherently ill-equipped to self-govern?
Mark Reckless (Abolish): I’m British. We’re British. We want a British parliament, not a separatist parliament that’s breaking up the United Kingdom.
Andy Davies: Could you answer that question?
Mark Reckless (Abolish): My answer to your question is that we’re British and we have a United Kingdom independent (sic) at parliament and we don’t want to break up our country by having more and more powers always being devolved. We want to go back to one government.”
The answer to the question was, of course, “Yes”.
From the Propel Party Political Broadcast:
“(Neil McEvoy:) I first got elected to the Senedd five years ago and I found it full of obstacles. It was my job to overcome them and work hard, but nothing prepared me for these barriers; barriers that (prevent) everyday people like you and me being elected here.”
Barriers like 14,192 votes between first and fourth place in Cardiff West.
UKIP’s helpful advice:
“Fed up of politicians? Vote to put them out of a job.”
Islwyn Result: Neil Hamilton (UKIP); 507 votes (2.1%).
