Yes Cymru calls public meeting in Welshpool

A recently formed pro-independence group called Yes Cymru is hoping to form a Welshpool branch and has called a public meeting.

Branches have been springing up all over Wales after well-attended rallies and now the organisers are hoping Welshpool will join the list.

One of the three co-founders, Iestyn ap Rhobert, points out that it’s a cross-party group which may actually contain more Labour supporters than Plaid supporters. Others attracted by the group’s optimistic message have never been affiliated to any party at all.

He said: “What we find is that while many people are interested in local politics and national politics, they are not so keen on the way party politics works.

“Yes Cymru is a bottom-up organisation rather than a top-down one. We don’t have a lot of policies we expect members to subscribe to. Instead we want to discuss the practicalities of Wales as an independent country – what that would mean.”

The group evolved out of involvement by Iestyn and his co-founders, Sion Jobbins and Hedd Gwynfor, in the 2014 Scottish referendum Yes campaign. They saw how local groups were started across Scotland and were convinced that was the best way forward.

Iestyn, a 38-year-old teacher of Welsh to adults, said: “I don’t know whether we’ll succeed or not, but it’s a cause I’m willing to spend the rest of my days at.”

Ben Gwalchmai, who lives near Welshpool and recently failed to win a seat on the Town Council, is a member of the Labour Party as well as Yes Cymru. He told WalesonLine: “For me, part of it is a question of maths. The 40 Welsh MPs are always going to be greatly outnumbered in the House of Commons, which essentially is an English Parliament.

“I’m in the Labour Party because I believe in fairness, and I think wanting fairness for my country is entirely compatible with that.

 “I’ve had conversations with people who say Wales couldn’t afford to be independent. I don’t agree with them and point out how a country like Estonia has made advances since it became independent from the Soviet Union with a GDP half that of Wales.

“I think we’re really at a crossroads now. When we leave the EU, the danger is that we’ll be overwhelmed by England.”

The meeting is being held at The Pheasant on December 20^th at 7pm.