Could It Be That The Renaming Of The Severn Bridge Is Actually A Good Thing?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well Blog villain and Secretary Of State for Wales and Poison Dwarf wannabe Alun Cairns has got his wish. Yesterday the Severn Bridge was officially changed to the Prince Of Wales Bridge by the bridge's namesake. You wouldn't have notice it mind. For Chucky Cairns has perfected the art of the secret ceremony (he must surely be a Mason).

No screaming schoolchildren at the sight of royalty waving flags and giving flowers on the Royal "annual week in Wales" (that's from the govt's Twitter feed). No just a visit to the "plaza office" by the royalty. An unveiling of the design for the bridge signage (more of that later) a couple of speeches by the royal Charlie, Chucky Cairns and First Minister Carwyn Jones (who I bet didn't think this was going to happen when he said he wanted to be invited to the ceremony).

And that basically was it. No publicity. Very little fuss. Hardly any media that was that.

Let's quickly chat about the signage design. A basic looking red dragon with what seems to be a white chain along it's neck (which to some, including me, symbolising England). It would not surprise me at all if it was designed outside of Wales. Typical Cairns not caring about the detail just the image.

So to the question why was the opening so cliché Masons in it's secrecy? Especially as when Chucky announced it a few weeks back it was in a in your face glitterball manner?

Well the answer is simple. Despite Chucky having said that he spoke for the "silent majority" polls revealed widespread disapproval across Wales at the name change (thus showing Cairns lacks the mystical powers he previously suggested he had).

People, whatever their political beliefs otherwise felt railroaded about this. Demonstrations were planned. What Cairns didn't want was any kind of trouble in front of royalty. Chucky was....in other words...scared.

And that is why I would suggest the the renaming of the Severn Bridge is actually a good thing. For it stirred people in a way that would have been unexpected a few years ago. They wanted a say in this which was denied them by Chucky.

Let me explain one thing. I am a Londoner. But unlike Cairns I am not London's man.

People will not forget this. No matter how much Westminster would like them to.

So perhaps if it has stirred an anger no matter how small in the hearts of the people living in Wales against the diktats of Westminster then the renaming of the Severn Bridge has in a weird way helped in the cause of Welsh Nationalism (though I'd still wouldn't thank Cairns). And when the time comes to rename the bridge I still hope that my suggestion pulls through.

Ponty.

Until he next time.