In Which Wales Might Have To Deal With An Emigration Problem And Only Plaid Cymru Can Deal With It

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Before I begin properly. What needs to be said first is that everything I'm going to chat about is purely based on anecdotal evidence and nothing more. There are no statistics or charts. Nothing. But then again referendums have been won on a lot less.

No the reason why I'm chatting about this today is that in a space of about four hours yesterday two separate things happened which made wonder whether this might become an issue.

As I've said before my job is not glamorous or on fat cat pay (and one day I'll say what it is...but not today). But I do get to see many people in the course of the working day. People who, whilst getting to know them better you get chat about life,the universe and everything. There'll be no cards exchanged at Christmas or invites to homes but everything's friendly and good natured.

So I was chatting to this guy yesterday and he was saying how difficult things had been at work for him that morning when suddenly said words to the effect that it didn't really matter because he was quitting his job. Something apparently at time of writing his employer doesn't know yet.

I asked what he was going to do next. I expected the response to be moving to another job. However his answer ..........was Australia. Everything had been sorted and he'd be gone by early to mid December.

Later on that day I'd met a woman who just returned from holiday. She had fallen in love with the country she'd visited and as our conversation developed it became clear that she was tempted to move there permanently.

Now of course and I'm happy to stress this, there may be other factors that I don't know of  in play. The man's wife is for example Australian. But it did make me wonder whether there was a possibility that is was the first in what could be a trend in more people leaving Wales post Brexit.

Should the Welsh economy decline people would instinctively and understandably seek a better life for themselves and their families. If they have "skills" they would be able to travel to nations where it would be valued and welcomed. In the UK "skills" are as important as the free market feels they need to be. You might have the qualifications to work in the steel industry. But if that industry is closed down because of overseas subsidised competition then your skills become as redundant as you are. Emigration then becomes an attractive option.

So people would leave Wales to live abroad. Some of whom I suspect Leave voters in the EU Referendum

The Conservative party believes in the power of the free market above all else The Labour Party in Wales (aside from the current civil war it's fighting) the sole purpose is the Rip Van Winkle of UK politics. For the majority governing party in the National Assembly it's stock answer to any economic crisis affecting Wales is to say that they're organising a taskforce. I'm considering applying for a job in the Assembly of shutting the stable doors whilst those horses have galloped off.

Just compare Labour in Wales and the SNP in Scotland. Which party is fighting harder for the people in living in those areas? The SNP takes control of events in Scotland. Labour tries to catch up to events in Wales.

The only other time Labour in Wales seem to be awake is in election times. Where they seem to have a smug attitude of "We're Labour. Isn't that enough?" as an election slogan. But evoking their past only highlights how far they've drifted away from their core values.

UKIP, who at time of writing are at civil war within Wales themselves anyway, will I suspect decline now that their reason for their existence has been won.

And that leaves Plaid Cymru.

Plaid Cymru would be the only party capable of creating a truly Welsh economic plan for those people wherever they have come from originally that have chosen it as home. If you look at Ireland only the economic crash caused by greedy bankers created a fresh emigration issue for the country. Before that, not instantly I'd admit but still, you did not look at Ireland was no longer looked upon as a country where emigration was an issue because  they built an Irish economy post independence and not one dependent on the edicts of London. Such a plan for Wales would not be quick in its effect but imporant for its long term good.

For what I fear is that if the UK economy does decline post Brexit. It's effect on Wales would be catastrophic and a catalyst for people and their families to leave. I feel that the next few months are going to be crucial in seeing how things are going to turn out.

Until the next time.