Saturday Sunshine for Swansea’s March for Independence
This weekend saw nearly seven thousand people attend Saturday’s March for Independence, held in Swansea. The march, organised by YesCymru and AUOB Cymru is the first of 2023 and was a huge success – with the sun shining on Swansea and the growing #IndyWales movement.
This is the sixth march to be held across Wales under the aegis of the YesCymru movement, now in its seventh year and growing strongly and consistently. Crowds gathered for the Indy Market at the Waterfront prior to all coming together at 1pm on Wind St to create a procession through the heart of Swansea. There was an excellent local turnout alongside supporters from far and wide, including a supportive Scottish contingent!
Speaking at the rally afterwards, Robin McAlpine, founder of Scotland’s Common Weal said
‘Wales and Scotland can’t spend the rest of their days being an afterthought for a Britain in crisis. We’re more than a holiday home destination or a place to keep your nukes.
“We deserve better than hoping that whatever is good for London isn’t bad for us, because it’s always about what is good for London. That’s why I’m so happy to see our two movements work together to change our own futures’.
In his speech the Welsh author Mike Parker, emphasised the role Wales has to play internationally, and explained that the world needs an independent Wales at the table to make a valuable contribution:
‘The world needs Welsh values – strong community, kindness, sustainability – and it needs them on the widest possible stage. It’s as simple as that.
“This country has so much to share…But that cannot be until we have found our own voice and are able to use it.
“No amount of tinkering around the edges of the current settlement will give Wales its real voice. The UK has shown time and time again that it cannot and will not reform itself. Wales needs independence…our neighbours in these islands need an independent Wales, the wider world needs an independent Wales.”
Naomi Hughes, of YesCymru, bravely stepping up to face a crowd of thousands in her first ever public speaking role, emphasised that Wales must be ambitious, brave and confident in its journey to Independent nationhood, saying:
“If Slovakia can be independent, why can’t we,
“If Lithuania can be independent, why can’t we,
“If the Luxembourgers can be independent, why can’t we?
“And if Iceland, with a population only 30% greater than Swansea itself can be independent, why can’t we?
“We must seize a collective ambition to make this positive change to the future of our nation and the generations to come. To build a fair and tolerant society for everyone in Wales, North, South, East and West.”
Recent polling suggests that support for Independence is again on the rise with the Redfield and Winton tracker poll placing support for Welsh Independence at 36% in the past week. This is a seismic shift in public opinion within Wales where support for Independence was as low as 5% less than a decade ago.