A Severn Bridge ReName Too Far

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well I wake up and go online. What you may ask is the biggest news in Wales? Unemployment? Brexit? The state of unease that has permeated the nation for a long time now and doesn't seem to go away?

No.

Instead we wake up to the news that Secretary of State for Wales and blog villain Alun Cairns announces that the Second Severn Crossing is going to be named "The Prince Of Wales Bridge". Instantly turning it into architecture as curtsy.

Republicans will tell you that when the British nation faces uncertainty or crisis there is always media focus on the Royal family to provide a distraction. So given that there is a wedding, a birth, refurbishment of a ship and various palaces at the taxpayer's expense we must be facing a very bleak future.

This renaming of the bridge, so unnecessary given it's decades old,is just another obsequious icing on that cake. And if you want servile cometh the hour cometh the Cairns.

And what is the toady one's justification for all of this? Well firstly that only Republicans will object. Well speaking as one it's true that Republicans do object, but how does he know that it's only Republicans? Well the clue comes in his next response. That he spoke for "the silent majority" revealing a level of ministerial mysticism unheard of in British politics. I'll come back with my guess of what the "silent majority" thinks in a moment.

Prince Charles, he also said, deserves this renaming for the work he does for charity. Rubbish. I would assume that as a proportion of the finances at their disposal and the time available to them that there are many more people who have given themselves to charity work than Charlie boy. But do you think Cairns is going to rename a bridge for them?

In fact to be fair to Alun Cairns (a statement which if I ever have to read out loud it'll be through gritted teeth) he has only one real argument going for him. That he contacted First Minister Carwyn Jones about the proposed name change and he didn't object. However all that proves is that in front of royalty Labour politicians can be as servile as their Conservative opponents.

My guess is that the "silent majority" will object to the renaming of the bridge because of the Pro Consul way Cairns has acted. Not allowing the people to have their say as to what the bridge should be called is not democratic. I suspect the majority would have picked other names than the Prince Of Wales. Names which would not give the impression of trying to ingratiate yourself with royalty by kissing it's backside.

And my view of what the name should be? Well there's actually nothing wrong with the Second Severn Crossing as it does exactly what it says on the road sign. However if there needs to be a new name how about one that is clearly Welsh, welcoming and actually is close to the Welsh word for bridge?

Ponty it is then.

Until the next time.