Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bob un ohonoch. Mae'r flwyddyn hon yn flwyddyn llawn potensial i'n mudiad ieunectid. Bydd etholiadau llywyddiaeth y Blaid yn gyfle i ni drafod ynglyn a dyfodol ein Plaid a’n mudiad ieuenctid, elfen allweddol o unrhyw blaid wleidyddol. Edrychwn ymlaen at gael gweithio gyda phob un ohonoch i sicrhau bod Cymru X yn mynd o nerth i nerth – rhaid i ni sicrhau ein bod yn parhau i fod yn lais radical a ffres yn ein cenedl a'n plaid.

A Happy New Year to all comrades. This year promises to be a year full of potential to our youth movement. The Plaid presidency elections will give us a chance to reflect and debate about the future of our party and youth movement. We look forward to working with all of you to ensure that Cymru X goes from strength to strength – we must continue to be a radical and fresh voice for change in our nation and party.

Leanne Wood 2012 (English post)

Here is the translation of the Blog below, that I have promised to a few people!

Last week, I was heartened to hear that Leanne Wood, Assembly member for South Wales Central, had put her name forward to stand in the Plaid Cymru leadership elections in 2012. Being of Rhondda stock myself, I know Leanne well, as my family hails from the same village, Pen-y-graig. And like many a young Plaid member, I’ll be behind Leanne one hundred per cent.

Leanne is a natural choice for many on many counts. Like me, she’s a socialist, a nationalist, a republican, a keen environmentalist, and importantly she has experience of life outside politics. Her experience working for the Probation Service and for Women’s Aid shows that she understands the serious problems facing many parts of our society. Those who doubt her skills in the Welsh language may be pleased to her that she has been hugely supportive of Cymdeithas yr Iaith campaigns – much more so than many a fluent Welsh-speaking AM from the West. Leanne’s vision for a Greenprint for the Valleys that would radically change the Welsh economy puts economic regeneration and green issues on the forefront of her political agenda. Moreover, Leanne’s love towards Pen-y-graig, the Rhondda and her nation sets an excellent foundation in her bid to become the leader of our national party.

I am aware that many of the more traditional members in Plaid Cymru will be dubious of Leanne’s ability to lead our party. Even though Leanne is learning Welsh, she is not a fluent speaker, and after all, Leanne doesn’t have a traditional, rural background. Leanne is a valley girl, an area where Plaid Cymru has succeeded in becoming a credible party of opposition but has not progressed to become a first choice for many voters. But that is the exact reason why I believe that she is what we need in Plaid Cymru. What is needed is somebody who can represent the interests of everybody in Wales – not only the farmer and the Welsh speaker, but also the hairdresser from Caerffili and the Nurse from Aberdare.

As a Welsh speaker, born and bred in the Valleys, (I represent both sides of the party in that respect!) I am convinced that Leanne has the ability to lead our party into victory in the Assembly elections of 2016. This is our opportunity to change the party – not to lead our party astray, as many more traditional members may believe, but back to the radical and nationalist values of Plaid Cymru. After all, it was in Valleys that the red flag was waved for the first time – and I hope that it’ll be a Valley girl that’ll be the one to restore the radical values of our party and our nation in 2012.


This is a blog by Emyr Gruffydd, the Chairman of Cymru X Caerdydd. These views are entirely my own.

Leanne Wood 2012

Wythnos ddiwethaf, roedd hi'n hynod o galonogol i mi gael clywed bod Leanne Wood, Aelod Cynulliad dros Ganol De Cymru, wedi cyhoeddi ei bod yn bwriadu sefyll am arweinyddiaeth Plaid Cymru yn 2012. Yn ferch o Ben-y-graig yn y Rhondda, rwy'n nabod Leanne yn dda, gan bod fy nheulu i yn hannu o'r un pentref. Ac fel nifer i aelod ifanc o'r Blaid, rwy'n bwriadu cefnogi ei hymgais gant y cant.

Mae Leanne yn ddewis naturiol i mi am nifer o resymau. Fel fi, mae hi'n sosialydd, yn genedlaetholwraig cadarn, yn gefnogwraig brwd o achosion gwyrdd, yn weriniaethwraig, ac yn bwysig iawn, mae ganddi brofiad o fywyd y tu allan i wleidyddiaeth. Mae ei phrofiad yn gweithio yn y Gwasanaeth Prawf ac i elusen Cymorth i Ferched yn dangos ei bod yn deall problemau dyrus ein cymdeithas. I'r rhai sydd yn cwestiynu safon Cymraeg Leanne Wood, mae hi wedi bod yn hynod gefnogol i ymgyrchoedd Cymdeithas yr Iaith - yn llawer mwy cefnogol na nifer i AC Plaid Cymru o'r Gorllewin sy'n rhugl ei Gymraeg. Mae gweleidgaeth Leanne am Gynllun Gwyrdd i drawsnewid economi Cymru yn rhoi materion gwyrdd ac adfywio'r economi yn glir ar ei hagenda wleidyddol. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae cariad Leanne tuag at Ben-y-graig, at y Rhondda ac at ei chenedl yn gosod sylfaen ardderchog i'w bwriad i arwain ein Plaid genedlaethol.

Bydd nifer o aelodau mwy traddodiadol Plaid Cymru yn debygol o fod braidd yn amheus o allu Leanne i arwain y Blaid. Er bod Leanne yn dysgu Cymraeg, nid yw'n siarad yr iaith yn hollol rhugl, ac wedi'r cyfan, does dim cefndir gwledig, traddodiadol gan Leanne. Merch o'r Cymoedd yw hi, ardal lle mae Plaid Cymru wedi sefydlu ei hun yn wrthblaid cadarn ond heb dorri trwyddo i fod yn ddewis cyntaf i nifer o etholwyr. Ond dyma pam rwyf yn credu taw hi ydy'r union beth sydd angen ar Blaid Cymru. Yr hyn sydd angen yw rhywun sydd yn cynrhychioli buddiannau pob un person yng Nghymru - nid yn unig buddiannau'r ffermwr a'r Cymro Cymraeg, ond hefyd rhai y ferch trin gwallt o Gaerffili a'r nyrs o Aberdâr.

Fel Cymro Cymraeg sydd wedi fy ngeni a'm magu yn y Cymoedd, rwy'n gwbl argyhoeddiedig mai gyda Leanne mae'r gallu i arwain ein Plaid i fuddugoliaeth yn etholiadau'r Cynulliad yn 2016. Dyma ein cyfle ni i newid cyfeiriad ein Plaid - nid i arwain ein mudiad cenedlaethol ar gyfeiliorn, fel y dywed nifer o'n haelodau mwy traddodiadol, ond yn hytrach yn ôl at werthoedd radical, cenedlaetholgar Plaid Cymru. Wedi'r cyfan, yng Nghymoedd y De y chwifiwyd y faner goch am y tro cyntaf - ac rwy'n fawr obeithiol mai merch o Gymoedd y De bydd yn gyfrifol am ail-ddeffro gwreiddiau radical ein cenedl a'n Plaid yn 2012.

>Gan Emyr Gruffydd, Cadeirydd Cangen Cymru X.Caerdydd. Dim barn Cymru X yw hyn o reidrwydd. >

This is a blog by Emyr Gruffydd, the Chairman of Cymru X Caerdydd, in support of Leanne Wood's campaign for leader. This is not necessarily the opinion of Cymru X.

Prifysgol Caerdydd / Cardiff University

Hoffai'r Pwyllgor Gwaith Cenedlaethol estyn longyfarchiadau cynnes iawn at ddau o aelodau CymruX, sydd hefyd ar bwyllgor CymruX Caerdydd (Myfyrwyr Plaid Cymru), Emyr Gruffydd a Dan Lawrence yn eu llwyddiant yn is-etholiadau Cyngor Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd.

Pam na ddewch chi draw i noson gymdeithasol CymruX Caerdydd i ddathlu'u llwyddiant heno 'ma? Hon fydd y noson gymdeithasol gyntaf. Bydd yn dechrau am 7yh ym Mango's (Cathays, Caerdydd).

Llongyfarchiadau eto, fechgyn!

The National Executive Committee wishes to extend its congratulations to two of CymruX's members, who are also committee members of CymruX Cardiff (Plaid Cymru Students), Emyr Gruffydd and Dan Lawrence, in their success in Cardiff University's Student Council by-elections.

Why don't you come along to CymruX Cardiff's social evening tonight to celebrate their success? This will be the first social evening. It will start at 7pm in Mango's (Cathays, Cardiff).

Congrats once again boys!

Cerith Rhys Jones
Ar ran y Pwyllgor Gwaith / On behalf of the NEC

Noson Gymdeithasol CymruX Caerdydd Cardiff Social Evening

Chwilio am rywbeth i'w wneud heno? Dewch draw i noson gymdeithasol CymruX Caerdydd (Myfyrwyr Plaid Cymru) am 7yh ym Mango's (yn agos at dafarn y Flora yng Nghatays, Caerdydd) i gwrdd, trafod a mwynhau gyda'ch cyd-genedlaetholwyr!

Looking for something to do tonight? Come to the CymruX Cardiff (Plaid Cymru Students) social evening at 7pm in Mango's (near the Flora in Cathays, Cardiff) to meet, talk and enjoy with your fellow nationalists!

Cynllun Polisi / Policy Programme

Mae CymruX yn y broses o ddechrau ymgynghori cyn inni ysgrifennu'n Cynllun Polisi newydd.

Mae cyfansoddiad CymruX yn gofyn ein bod yn adolygu'n polisïau bob hyn ac hyn, ac yn hyn o beth, dyma ni'n gofyn ichi fod yn rhan o'r broses hon.

Os hoffech chi fod yn rhan o'n hymgynghoriad a chyfrannu at ein Cynllun Polisi newydd, cysylltwch â'n Swyddog Polisi Luke Nicholas, drwy'i ebostio ar luke_nicholas@hotmail.co.uk.

Diolch.

*****

CymruX is in the process of beginning its consultation for its new Policy Programme.

CymruX's constitution states that we have to review our policies every so often, and as such, we're asking you to be part of this process.

If you would like to be part of our consultation and contribute to our new Policy Programme, please email our Policy Officer Luke Nicholas at luke_nicholas@hotmail.co.uk.

Thank you.

=====

Cerith Rhys Jones
Swyddog heb Bortffolio - Pwyllgor Gwaith CymruX Plaid Cymru Ifanc
Non-portfolio Officer - CymruX Young Plaid Cymru NEC

The Divine Right or The Rights of Man?

On the eve of the Royal Wedding and as the media frenzy intensifies I almost feel sorry for this old institution. It seems almost inevitable that it will end in the wrong way, it wont be a new surge of rationality and liberty that finally defeats it, it will be cynicism. There are some things around this Royal Wedding that I like, a sense of national occasion (British in this case however), a renewed sense of community and of course the celebration of two people committing their lives to each other. Some things that many people now seem to think are unimportant ideas.

I did initially think that the responses of most people I had talked to about it was a positive thing “I couldn't really care less” seems to be the stock phrase. But I am slightly worried that this doesn't for a lot of people relate to a concern for more democratic and republican principles but a genuine lack of respect for anything associated with the state or what one might call the establishment. If only we were sceptical of it rather than cynical, but it seems part of a wider trend.

I will watch the Royal Wedding mainly because I find it interesting and I wish William Windsor and Catherine Middleton all the best for their future together. If only that future didn't mean that one day somebody I have no choice over will have to sign off legislation created in our National Assembly. When will we finally wake up and look at this system for what it is, not only unfair on the people who live under it because of what it implies, but also unfair on those for whom it was initially constructed because of what it robs from them – a normal life.

On that point I wish William and Catherine the best of luck for the future. From the little I have seen of them they seem like good people who have a quiet strength, something they will both need in the strange world that Kate has opted to become a part of.

By Daniel Lawrence
Non-Portfolio member - National Executive Commitee