Gwlad Gwlad joins Montgomeryshire battlefield

While Plaid Cymru and the Brexit Party will be watching from the sidelines at the December 12 election, pro-independence party Gwlad Gwlad believes the time is right to contest Montgomeryshire for the first time.

Saying it wants to move away from the “Westminster circus”, Gwlad Gwlad has nominated Gwyn Wigley Evans to take on the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour Party in Montgomeryshire.

The party was only formed last year but believes its independence message will strike a chord with voters. As well as Montgomeryshire, candidates will run in Brecon & Radnor, Cardiff Central and Vale of Glamorgan.

The Brexit Party and Plaid Cymru have pulled out so as not to dilute the votes for the pro-Brexit Tories and anti-Brexit Lib Dems.   

Gwyn said: “We believe that Wales can be a very successful stand-alone nation and we are working hard to promote the cause for independence by attracting the 90 per cent of Welsh electorate who do not vote for Plaid Cymru.

“We really need to move away from the Westminster circus. At least we have the opportunity of running our own country. I feel sorry for the English who are unable to escape from the farce that is being enacted in the Houses of Parliament, at least we can do something about it, as can Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

Born in Machynlleth, Gwyn was raised in Cemaes Road before moving to Colwyn Bay, Wrexham and London for 15 years as a textile agent of fabrics from Europe to main high street chain stores and also became secretary of Plaid Cymru London Branch.

He returned to farm in Aberdyfi, and later Llanddeiniol, taking a keen interest in agricultural politics through the FUW and lately involved with the anti-rewilding meetings in West Wales.

“Business has taken me to Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Pakistan and China and we export fabric from Newtown to South Africa and Pakistan,” said Gwyn. “This has given me a brilliant insight into how other independent nations work.”

He has been a voluntary worker with Cruse Bereavement as counsellor for 21 years, ran Seren (adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse) for 10 years, and volunteered at the Samaritans.

The party describes itself ‘not right, not left – just Welsh’ and its manifesto includes:

·      Support for offshore renewable power generation, whether wind, wave or tidal, and opposition to large scale nuclear projects.

·      Complete freedom of movement with unrestricted, document-free travel across all land and sea borders in an independent Wales.

·      A more decentralised structure with six regional bodies covering different parts of Wales.