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With the Scottish nationalists in Government in Edinburgh, Irish nationalists sharing power in the north of Ireland, the Isle of Man government announcing a 'landmark declaration', Cornish nationalists gaining their biggest ever mandate and now Welsh nationalists saying that they may also try to form a coalition Government, the next four years could prove to be very interesting in the Celtic nations.
In some respects the changes ocurring in all the Celtic countries are seismic - but while some have the potential for real change others may presage a false dawn.
Alba/Scotland
This week Alex Salmond (Leader of the SNP) was voted First Minister of Scotland for the first time in its history, saying that:
"This century, there are limits to what governments can achieve. But one thing any government I lead will never lack is ambition for Scotland."
Salmond's may be a minority Government, but like he said in the closing remarks of his speech, his will be an ambitious Government. We now have to wait to see if the SNP manage to bring off a referendum vote on independence. This may prove difficult, but if the SNP have ever been in a position to to this it is now.
Éire/Ireland
Developments in Ireland are more problematic than positive. The move to embrace power sharing may be a means to advance the self determination agenda as its nationalist and republican supporters contend. However, from outside it seems to be a return to the status quo of a 'Northern Ireland Statelet' still firmly wedded to a United Kingdom which, paradoxically, in other areas looks more fragmentary. May 8th did see a new 'power sharing' Stormont Assembly take effect with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness officially taking the Deputy First Minister's position. However, we are bound to ask is this the type of institution that so many Irishpatriots paid the ultimate sacrifice for? We think not. The Celtic League aspiration is still complete independence and unity for Ireland as a whole not some 'half way house' derived from belief in a pragmatism which is questionable!
Mannin
This month what has been described as "a landmark declaration" recognising that the Isle of Man "has its own identity and interests in the international arena" was announced. So what does this mean in terms of advancing the Manx agenda on self determination and is it such a landmark after all? An article setting out the Celtic League view will be published in the forthcoming issue of CARN.
Kernow/Cornwall
Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall announced after the election results were declared on 4th May that it was their best success ever. After putting forward its largest number of election candidates (33, of which 24 stood for district council seats), MK won seven district council seats, seventeen town/city council seats and four parish council places.
Cymru/Wales
Also this week, Plaid said that they are still considering forming a coalition Government and a decision will be reached next week. Negotiations are currently underway among all the parties, but it looks increasingly likely that Labour (who won the most seats with 26 compared to Plaid's 15) will not be able to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. Labour are 5 seats from being able to form a majority Government and if they take power they will do so from a minority position with Plaid as the main opposition.
Breizh
In Breizh/Brittany, despite the election of Sarkozy, the nationalist Union démocratique bretonne (UDB) have several members in the Breton 'Regional' Council. On 10th June and 17th June this year there will be Legislative elections for the Paris Government and even though the UDB are currently unrepresented in the central Government in Paris, there is no telling what will happen in June. Perhaps the Breton people will realize that after the Presidential elections last month, where the majority voted for the losing candidate Royal in the second round, they should vote tactically for the UDB to oppose Sarkozy at every turn in the interests of the Breton nation.
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
17/05/07
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