Claim Labour don't care about Welsh

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Claim Labour don't care about Welsh Jan 24 2006

Daily Post


LABOUR will be accused today of "paying lip service" to the Welsh
language's future. Conservatives tabled a debate on the language in the
Assembly over what they described as "warm words and aspirations" in the
government's language policy Iaith Pawb (Everyone's Language). Welsh
language Tory spokeswoman Lisa Francis said culture minister Alun Pugh
lacked the ideas and commitment to encourage greater use of the language.

She feared the "politicisation" of the language when the Welsh language
board was abolished and its responsibilities given to the Assembly
government in 2007. Last week the board called for an independent
regulator to monitor the rights of Welsh language speakers in the public
sector. Mid and west Wales AM Ms Francis said: "I fear that by abolishing
the board and transferring responsibilities to the Assembly Government
Labour risks turning our language into a political football."

Conwy Labour AM Denise Idris Jones said yesterday: "The Tories have
nothing of substance to say on the Welsh language and so have to resort to
process issues and yah-boo politics." . Language minister Alun Pugh
refused to attend tonight's public meeting on the future of the language
organised by pressure group Cymdeithas yr Iaith, after its recent graffiti
campaign in which slogans in support of a new act were daubed on Assembly
offices.


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