DAFYDD WIGLEY: 'CAUTION REQUIRES A FRACKING MORATORIUM'

The dangers - at both a global and local level - associated with fracking for gas should trigger a precautionary principle and both exploration and exploitation should be “put on hold” until much more is known about the threats such technology poses...

Dafydd Wigley (front, right) with local UK parliamentary candidate Ben Foday (front, second from left) and local Plaid Cymru activists.

This was the theme of a keynote speech by former Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Wigley at a public meeting in Penarth. He has pressed in the House of Lords for the National Assembly to be empowered to impose a moratorium on fracking in Wales, as is being granted to Scotland’s Parliament.

“In global terms, we should be moving away from carbon-based sources of energy and put far more effort into renewables, such as the excellent Swansea Bay lagoon scheme,” said Lord Wigley. “In local terms, I am really worried about using fracking technology in areas which have resident populations who could be adversely affected by the dangers of fracking poisoning water supplies.”

Lord Wigley drew attention to the fact that each fracking “job” requires between a million and eight million gallons of water and the use of up to 40,000 gallons of chemicals; that there are 600 different such chemicals which have been used in America, some of which are carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and others toxic.

He quoted one survey of a hundred water wells in Texas which showed that at a distance of two miles from the well, over 30% had arsenic levels in the water which were above the safety limit. A rig “blow-out” in Organ County, Texas last May caused the spillage of 184 barrels of toxic fluid. In Pennsylvania last year, a spill of a quarter of a million gallons of toxic fluid led to local families being evacuated from their homes and to one company being heavily fined.

“It is because this technology has not been proven safe that towns like Denton in Texas voted in a referendum last autumn to ban fracking, as did the State of Vermont in 2012,” he said. “Both Holland and Germany have implemented a moratorium on fracking and France has banned the technology. In these circumstances, we should have the power in the National Assembly for Wales to apply a similar moratorium without delay so that the communities threatened with fracking don’t find this being imposed on them without the dangers being known and so that the companies considering fracking are duly warned that they won’t have any automatic green light to wreak environmental and human havoc in Wales for their own greedy purposes.”

Dafydd Wigley added that the Assembly was closer to the people of Wales than is Whitehall and Westminster and that an indicative resolution in the Assembly last month had shown AMs on a cross-party basis supported a moratorium.

He warned, however, that until new powers are devolved to the Assembly, they won’t have the authority to implement a moratorium and that implementing a new Government of Wale Bill after the General Election will depend on UK parties being forced, by voters in Wales – as is happening in Scotland – to be forced to show a greater commitment to Wales than has been the case up to now.

Dafydd Wigley and Ben Foday with Penarth's 2016 National Assembly candidate, Dafydd Trystan (left)

The meeting was also addressed by Ben Foday, the Party of Wales/Plaid Cymru candidate for the Westminster election, who said that environmental issues were one of his key priorities.

He called for natural resources in Wales to be brought under Welsh control so that decisions could be made in future by the people who live in Wales and who have the interests of Wales at heart.

The meeting also heard from Coun Ian Johnson, the party’s candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan, who has been actively campaigning against fracking in his constituency.

The speeches were followed by a wide-ranging discussion with topics including the challenges of climate change and the need to develop a suitable energy mix.

Plaid Cymru’s Adrian Roper, who chairs its Penarth Branch, welcomed the speakers and members of the audience to the meeting, which was chaired by Dafydd Trystan Davies, the National Chair of the party and its candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth in the Assembly elections next year.

TRIBUTE TO JOHN DAVIES

John Davies 1938-2015 (Picture: Emyr Young)

Tributes have been pouring in from Wales and beyond to the great historian John Davies who sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 76. Dr Davies, who was responsible for writing the the definitive work on the story of the nation, Hanes Cymru (A History of Wales), was a hugely respected figure not only for his academic brilliance but also for his passion for the heritage and future potential of the country. Among those paying tribute last night was Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood...

 “John was one of our nation’s greatest historians and his contribution in telling the story of our nation has been immense.  Through his pioneering work, as well as his contribution to the national movement, he has also played a key role in shaping the story of our nation. John’s death is a huge loss to Wales.

An academic of the highest standard, John’s work in enabling us to share our history, has received deserved wide recognition.  We are richer for having had John share his talent, insight and wisdom with us.

Through his writing, John has given Wales to the world.  He will be remembered as someone who helped his nation understand and celebrate its past and in order to grow in its self-confidence.    

John was a wonderful story teller. I have fond personal memories too having spent many happy times in John’s company – reflecting on our shared passion for the Rhondda as well as our shared hopes for political progress. 

Following the result of the 1997 devolution referendum, John paraphrased the words of William Wordsworth and proclaimed, ‘bliss is it at this dawn to be alive’ to describe his joy at the result. Yet, for John this was just the beginning of the journey of modern Wales and I know that even in the last months of his life, he had great hope for the future of our country.

Our thoughts are with John’s family and friends at this sad time, but I hope they can take comfort in knowing that his contribution to Welsh life will see John’s work continue to inform, educate and inspire people in Wales for generations to come.”

SCOTTISH REFERENDUM WAS 'DAVID AND GOLIATH' FIGHT SAY PENARTH PLAID CYMRU CANDIDATES

The Scottish referendum campaign has been described as a David and Goliath contest by Plaid Cymru's UK Parliament and National Assembly candidates for Penarth, Ben Foday and Dafydd Trystan Davies...

Ben Foday (left) and Dafydd Trystan Davies

They said the closeness of the result was remarkable, considering that the UK Government threw everything at Scotland in a bid to get a No result.

In a joint statement, Mr Foday and Dr Davies said: “The Yes campaign focussed on the remoteness of Westminster and how it has failed Scotland over the years. Regardless of the result, we hope this will act as a wake-up call to the people of Wales to realise that we have also had a rough deal from central government over the years.

“The Yes campaign worked tirelessly with a positive and comprehensive case for an independent Scotland. On the doorstep and on street stalls they engaged with and inspired a whole generation.

"The No campaign relied on London-based politicians, backed by a motley crew of luvvies, sporting has-beens and ‘comedians’, by the BBC with its institutionalised bias in favour of the status quo and by an increasingly hysterical right-wing press.

“We are delighted that so many Scots saw through their bribes, blackmail, fear-mongering and bully boy tactics and voted for independence.

“Nothing will be the same again in British politics and we will be interested to see if the UK Government has any sops left over for Wales after it fulfils its commitment to throw at Scotland all the money it offered for a No vote.

“We in Plaid Cymru, the Party of Wales, have already started setting out our ambitious plans for our nation to chart its own course.

“We will be campaigning vigorously for the UK General Election next year and for our national election in 2016. It is up to those politicians who want to retain the status quo to outline their vision and plans for the future of Wales - if they have any.”

PLAID PENARTH CALLS FOR ENERGY COMPANY FOR WALES

Wales is an energy rich nation – yet Welsh households face the most expensive fuel bills on mainland Britain.

With the London Government controlling key energy policy decisions, recent figures show that Welsh customers face an average electricity bill of £503 - more than the UK average of £479.

To make matters worse, gas bills here now average £873 – a charge exceeded only by London – which means that combined energy bills in Wales are topping £1,400 for the year.

Plaid Cymru's Energy Spokesperson Llyr Gruffydd with Jill Evans MEP

Plaid Cymru has called for the full devolution of energy policy to the Welsh Government so that we in Wales can benefit from our own resources.

Welsh control would also enable us to switch to renewable sources of green energy while ensuring the benefits stay in our own communities.

Sadly, to date, Labour MPs in Westminster have failed time and time again to support Plaid Cymru demands for Welsh control over energy projects being brought to Wales.

The Party of Wales calls for the creation of a new energy company – Energy Wales, a not-for-profit company to benefit Welsh customers.

Plaid’s Energy Spokesperson in the National Assembly Llyr Gruffydd said: “Energy prices in Wales are a national scandal.

“Customers here pay more than anywhere in England and Scotland, despite Wales generating more electricity than it uses.”

“It is particularly unfair that customers who, for whatever reason, cannot pay through direct debit face paying through the nose for their gas and electricity.”

“Welsh families are paying the highest energy prices in the UK – and these prices are hitting our less well-off households the hardest.”

“Direct debit customers get the best deals, but Wales has one of the lowest percentages of people on direct debit. “

“Customers need advice as to how they can get cheaper bills, because we in Wales are being ripped off.”

“Plaid Cymru thinks it’s about time we stopped paying over the odds to boost the energy companies’ profits – and we call for a windfall tax on such profits.”

“Wales needs to have a not-for-dividend company for energy, as we have for water, so that any profits can be returned to customers and used to improve energy efficiency.”

“It is time that Wales took full responsibility for energy policy, rather than leaving it in Westminster’s hands.”

PLAID CYMRU WARNS OF FRACKING THREAT TO PENARTH

Penarth could be just months away from the start of exploratory drilling in preparation for fracking...  

That's the chilling prospect facing our community if UK Government plans to auction Penarth's geological sub-strata to the highest bidder go ahead, as expected, later this year.

Penarth under threat from hydraulic fracturing

The warning comes from Plaid Cymru Penarth and our UK Parliament and National Assembly candidates, Ben Foday and Dafydd Trystan Davies. 

Mr Foday said: "Fracking has been proved to cause environmental problems, including the release of climate-changing gases, air quality problems, water pollution and large numbers of lorry movements. Health concerns have recently been raised by the Medical Journal of Australia, including bringing radioactivity and heavy metals to the surface from deep underground through fracking, and respiratory problems resulting from air pollution. Fracking is also implicated in falling house prices, with some insurers in the US now refusing to cover fracking-related damages."

Communities across our country are uniting against fracking (image: Frack Free Wales) 

The UK Conservative-Lib Dem coalition has provided a series of increasingly generous tax breaks to shale gas companies in their unseemly rush to drill for gas. Conservative Chancellor George Osborne described his July 2013 tax breaks as the "most generous tax breaks in the world". The Labour Welsh Government is also known to be in favour of this controversial technique, which could take place in areas housing more than half of the population of Wales, with their most senior energy advisor stating they have a "strong interest" in fracking. 

The Welsh Government controls planning for onshore oil and gas, and could put in place a moratorium while it assesses the environmental and health impacts. The Republic of Ireland has just such a moratorium in place for the next two years. However, the Labour Welsh Government once again has shown it has no original opinions and appears to be keen to follow the Tories in London. 

The only party willing to stand up for the communities facing this threat is Plaid Cymru, the Party of Wales. 

Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood, who is an Assembly Member for South Wales Central, which includes Penarth, said recently: "While the technology is untested and the harm to the environment is unknown, we cannot allow any part of our land to be fracked beneath our feet."

Ben Foday (left) and Dafydd Trystan Davies: Standing up for Penarth 

Dr Davies warned: "More than half of the Vale of Glamorgan is licensed for fracking, with three exploratory drilling licences already in the hands of fracking companies. The remainder of the Vale, including the whole of Penarth, Sully and Llandough, will be covered by licences due to be auctioned later this year. It's worth bearing in mind that companies will drill horizontally in order to frack, and that they can drill for distances of a mile or more horizontally. Fracking could end up taking place anywhere in Penarth, although it will be deep underground." 

"For the sake of the future generations in Penarth, for the old and infirm who would be most seriously affected by air and water pollution, and for a clean, green future powered by renewable energy, Plaid Penarth has called on the Welsh Government to stand up for the people of Wales and use its authority to implement a moratorium on fracking in Wales until we know the risks can be adequately managed."    

TRIBUTES PAID TO PENARTH DIPLOMAT WHO FORGED LINKS BETWEEN WALES AND LITHUANIA

Anthony Packer (Image: Wales Online)

Tributes have been paid to a long-standing Plaid Cymru member, who was the Honorary Consul for Lithuania in Wales.

Anthony Packer, of Salisbury Avenue, Penarth, died at the age of 74 after battling prostate cancer at the Cardiff and Vale Marie Curie Hospice.

A man of many academic achievements, a loving family man and an entertaining raconteur, he had a host of friends and touched many lives. He was gregarious, happy to engage anyone in conversation and happy to argue that ‘black was blue’ - with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. One of his major achievements was to build links between Wales and Lithuania, helping to create an international identity for Wales in Europe.

He believed he could advance the cause of Wales by pursuing recognition of the nation, its language, culture and qualities and as a place in which to do business at an international level.

In particular, he sought to develop close links between Wales and the Baltic States, and he was one of the founding members of the Baltic Society in Wales in 1991.

Six weeks before Lithuania’s unilateral declaration of independence, he led a delegation to the country (repeated in 1993) to help the authorities de-Sovietise the country’s education system and other institutions.

Though the country was still under the control of Moscow, he visited the headquarters of Sajudis, the movement for an independent Lithuania, with a message of support from Plaid Cymru. It was a simple note of democratic regard and support for the movement’s objectives, and was the first such message to come from any British political party.

It was this act of disobedience that led to his initial acquaintance and subsequent friendship with Vytautas Landsbergis, the first President of an independent Lithuania.

During his time as Honorary Consul, he forged strong links between universities in Wales and Lithuania as well as organising the visit of Vytautas Landsbergis, the first post-Soviet President of independent Lithuania, to Wales.

He persuaded Landsbergis to publish his memoirs, helping to translate, edit and publish them, and was recently presented with the Order of the Diplomatic Star, the highest distinction in the Lithuanian Diplomatic Service, in recognition of his work.

Presentation of the Order of the Diplomatic Star in January (Image: Penarth Times)

Anthony Packer was born in Caerleon in 1939 and raised in Hengoed. He was educated at grammar schools in Pengam and Barry and studied at the University of Wales College, Cardiff (History), Cuddesdon College, Oxford (Theology), the London School of Economics (Social Administration) and the University of Liverpool (Psychiatric Social Work).

He began his career in London as a teacher before beginning work as a psychiatric social worker in local hospitals.

He later became the Chief Administrator for the Family Welfare Association and Chief Trainer for child counselling at the world renowned Tavistock Clinic in London.

Wanting to return to Wales with his wife, Ann, and his three children (later to become four), he took up a lectureship at Cardiff University. He initially split his time between the Department of Social Work and the Department of Education before moving on a full-time basis to the Department of Education from 1984 through to his retirement in 2001.

He taught himself Welsh and helped to advance its use in education and social work throughout Wales.

He was for four years the joint editor of the academic periodical, The Welsh Journal of Education, and for two years the chairman of the Department of Economics and Sociology of the Welsh Guild of Graduates.

Anthony served as the Treasurer of the International Round Table for the Advancement of Counselling (IAC-IRTAC) from 1983 to 1992.

He was also a trustee of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs and the Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of the United Nations Association in Wales.

He also represented the Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff on the steering committee of the UK 3 Faiths Forum.

As President of the Consular Association for Wales and its Secretary for six years, he presided over its significant expansion and the advancement of its aims towards the active promotion of business and cultural links between Wales and the countries represented by its 29 members.

Anthony Packer is survived by his wife Ann, his mother, Gleeda, children Rhiannon, David, Cerian and Tomos, daughters-in-law Frida and Sasha, sons-in-law Tony and Geraint, and grandchildren Kajsa, Oliver, Tomos, Elis, Alys, Annest, William and Steffan.

PENARTH'S SECRET ROLE IN WELSH HISTORY

An event to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the first meeting of Y Mudiad Cymreig/The Welsh Movement, which led to the formation of Plaid Cymru the following year, is being held in Penarth in January.

The historic meeting was held at 11 Bedwas Place in Penarth on the evening of January 7, 1924, and the commemorative event is being held at the Windsor Arms on Tuesday, January 7 (7.30pm).

It is being organised jointly by the Plaid Cymru History Society and the Penarth Branch of Plaid Cymru.

The guest speaker will be Professor Richard Wyn Jones, the eminent historian, political commentator, author and broadcaster. At the 1924 meeting, a small group of nationalists, led by the lecturer and playwright Saunders Lewis, began drawing up a set of aims and policies intended to rescue Wales from political and cultural oblivion.

As well as Mr Lewis, that first meeting was attended by the historian, Ambrose Bebb, and the owners of the house, the historian and Welsh scholar G. J. Williams and his wife, Elizabeth.They were joined at a later meeting, on February 5, 1924, by D.J. Williams and Ben Bowen Thomas and at their March meeting by the Treorchy minister, the Rev Ffred Jones, the grandfather of folk singer and former Plaid President Dafydd Iwan and of Assembly Member Alun Ffred Jones, who will be chairing the anniversary meeting.

The group met in secret throughout 1924 and, at about the same time, another group of nationalists were meeting in Gwynedd.

Saunders Lewis

Early in 1925, the leader of the northern group, H.R.Jones, contacted Saunders Lewis to invite him to help with the creation of a new political party. The two groups stayed in close contact and, on August 5, 1925, Mr Lewis and the Rev Ffred Jones travelled to Pwllheli to join H.R. Jones and three others – Rev Lewis Valentine, scientist Moses Griffiths and carpenter D.E. Williams - at a meeting which established Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru as the National Party of Wales.

Some of the policies which were forged in Penarth by the Welsh Movement have been long abandoned, but the vision of a party with, in D.J. Williams’ words, “the specific aim of delivering to Wales, in the fullness of time, self-government and its own parliament, along with all the privileges of a free nation” became a reality.

The rebirth of Wales as a self-governing nation can be traced back, in no small part, to those secret discussions at Bedwas Place in 1924.

It is hoped that guests at the commemorative event will include descendants of the Welsh Movement’s principal members and representatives from the Pwllheli branch of Plaid Cymru.

Tickets (£10 a head to include buffet) are available from Rowland Davies, of the Penarth Branch, at ardbear@btinternet.com or on (029) 20702603 or 07769 195025, or from Alan Jobbins, of the Plaid Cymru History Society, at asjobbins@btinternet.com or on (029) 20623275 or 07790 868686.