GOOD STRATEGY REBELLION

Tag: Labour Party

  • IT’S POLITICS: Independent Wales – 2026/01/05

    IT’S POLITICS: Independent Wales – 2026/01/05

    To begin at the beginning…

    Martyn Rhisiart Jones

    Madrid, Monday 5th January 2026

    Does Independence for Wales Make Sense?

    The question of Welsh independence, “Cymru Annibynnol”, is a multifaceted one, blending cultural pride, political aspirations, and harsh economic realities. As of January 2026, it’s a topic of growing debate, especially with the Senedd elections looming in May 2026. Support for independence has fluctuated but remains a minority view. However, it’s rising among younger demographics. This support could gain traction if Plaid Cymru (the pro-independence party) performs strongly. I will draw from recent polls and expert analyses. I will outline a balanced, non-partisan assessment based on key dimensions. These dimensions include political viability, economic feasibility, cultural significance, and public sentiment. Whether it “makes sense” ultimately depends on priorities (self-determination vs. stability) but the evidence suggests it’s theoretically possible yet fraught with challenges.

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  • Keir Starmer: A Cult of Mediocrity We Need to Break

    Keir Starmer: A Cult of Mediocrity We Need to Break

    Afilonius Rex and Martyn Jones

    Picture the scene. It’s Prime Minister’s Questions, the great gladiatorial stage of British democracy, less Gladiator and more Blazing Saddles at a town planning meeting in Swindon. Keir Starmer, sensible Labour’s hero, their knight in gleaming, sensible shoes, rises from the opposition bench. That look on his face, you know the one, shows a man who’s just alphabetised his law books and is ready to go. Across the gallery, Rishi Sunak sits there, gleaming, like a waxwork who’s been told he has to look “empathetic” by 5 p.m. or he’ll be back in the dock. Starmer adjusts his glasses and launches into one of his trademark cross-examinations. It’s like watching a lawyer interrogate a spreadsheet. “Point one, Mr Speaker!” He declares, and you can hear the ghost of Mel Brooks shouting, “What’s wrong with this guy? Where’s the dynamism?” He cites a statistic: a 17.3% increase in NHS waiting times, in case you’re wondering, and it isn’t. Then another: a £3.2 billion shortfall in council budgets. It’s meticulous, it’s legal, it’s as if he’s building a case to prosecute a toaster for breach of warranty. By the time he gets to his witty quip, “The failure of this government isn’t just a policy, it’s a personality trait!”, he drops like a Gregg’s custard tart allowed to fall by a woman worried about her cleaning bills.

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