In his regular blog for Caerphilly Observer South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle gives his take on recent news.
Scottish Referendum During the last few weeks I have spent some time in Scotland campaigning ahead of last week’s referendum.
I’ve not felt so energised and such political excitement since the legendary Caerphilly Parliamentary by-election back in 1968.
I was 15-year-old then but remember the Plaid Cymru motorcade with 1,000 vehicles travelling around the streets of Caerphilly.
There were around 4,000 people outside the count at Penyrheol Community Centre when the result was declared.
In those days the voting age was 21 rather than 18. The outcome might have been very different if the lower voting age had been in operation. There was a 29% swing to the Plaid candidate Dr Phil Williams but it was not enough.
The voting age for the Scottish referendum is 16 – the first time young people that age have been able to vote in the UK. It will be fascinating to see the impact of those between 16 and 18.
Certainly, in Scotland it has been great to see so many young people involved in the Yes campaign. There is so much excitement – there were flags flying, posters and badges everywhere and the reaction I got, both on the doorsteps and in the streets, has generally been in favour of independence.
Railways in Wales I was amazed to read that the Tory-led Government in Westminster is pressing ahead with plans to privatise the East Coast rail service which made a profit of £225m in the last year. The state took over when private operator National Express pulled out due to financial difficulties.
It seems crazy to me that for ideological reasons the Conservatives want to hand a profitable operation back to a private company.
It is vital that when the Wales and the Marches rail franchise – which runs services in the Caerphilly county borough – comes up for renewal later this decade, that services are turned over to an arms-length not-for-profit company which ploughs money back into railways rather than into the pockets of shareholders.
This article was obviously written before the result of the Scottish referendum,
“the reaction I got, both on the doorsteps and in the streets, has generally been in favour of independence.”
Perhaps this enthusiasm was due to the widespread intimidation of anyone with a contrary view? As soon as people felt safe and unobserved in the polling station they cast their vote for what they really wanted. This resulted in a resounding vote for Scotland to stay with the UK. Thank goodness for secret ballots.
Yes very true, maybe it was down to some bias reporting by the media but it did appear that the no voters were keeping quiet due to some rather unpleasant treatment that some yes campaigners were dishing out. It also amazes me that when a Scot or a Welshman waves their flags they are merely showing their national pride but when an Englishman waves a St George cross he’s branded a racist.
Richard; The same thing happened in the last local Council election in Caerphilly, if you remember, everyone including the winning party, labour, all thought the result ould be `tight, as it happened, it was a complete landslide for Labour. I
That secret ballot business has a lot going for it!!!!! . I hold the view that nasty people will not continue to have support through the ballot box anyway.