Why Are Unionist Welsh Politicians Afraid Of Upsetting England? Example One: Smacking

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have in this blog chatted about how Unionist Welsh politicians appear to tug their forlock over the nearest neighbour so I decided when any further examples crossed my path I'm going to put it into a series.

So the first example is of a proposed ban on smacking children in Wales. This would abolish in Wales the current defence of "reasonable chastisement".

However Conservative AM Janet Finch-Saunders (who I'm guessing is English by birth - nothing wrong with that says I but there was nothing I could see which advised on this online) is worried that English parents could be prosecuted whilst on holiday because of being unaware of the new law.

Her view is that once aware English parents would not visit Wales (particularly seaside towns) because of this.

Now for this conversation put to one side your view on the subject of "reasonable chastisement" of children one way or the other. The issue I want to focus here is the idea of it's effect on England. 

Firstly with regard to the issue of awareness it would surely be up to the Disunited Kingdom mainstream media to publicise this. How many times have I seen policies affecting England only being broadcast on the early evening and evening news programmes and yet don't apply to Wales? So it would be nice if effort was made the other way.

It is a proposed Welsh law. Consequently why should Wales consider England's interests in whether or not it's implemented? Indeed Scotland as well is proposing a similar ban. So it's England who is the odd one out.

Furthermore let's invert Ms Finch-Saunders' stupid argument. Does a ban on smacking in Wales mean that should Welsh parents seek to punish their children they will go to English seaside towns? Thus as a group making Welsh kids the only ones in history afraid of going out to the beach with mum and dad?

This idea of "What will England think?" is a pervasive slave mentality that is shows itself a lot in Welsh Unionist political thinking. Whatever the rights or wrongs of the issue Wales will never be respected if it looks over it's shoulder for every decision it makes.

Until the next time.