Drakeford's Pride Cymru

Welsh First Minister at Pride Cymru August 2022  Source: Twitter                                  August bank holiday traffic traffic congestion around Newport  Source: ITV 

  
On the left, no doubt enjoying the crush, First Minister, Mark Drakeford, can be seen in one of the "best photos from Pride Cymru" says Wales Online. 

Mr Drakeford prides himself on cancelling the desperately needed M4 relief road around Newport in South Wales. 'That decision is over', he said, as though the decision mattered only to him. He added, 'There is no point in people hankering back to it'. It may be over for him. For others it is still the obvious solution to a desperate problem.

On the right, the usual bank holiday traffic chaos on the M4 around Newport, the gateway to Wales. 

When Drakeford vetoed the proposed extension he said, instead he would be "concentrating on the alternatives" for solving the major traffic problems in the area. 

A "Network of Alternatives" suggested upgrading the South Wales Main Line and building six new stations between Cardiff and the River Severn, improving train services between Cardiff, Newport and Bristol:

"The rail backbone would be supported by new rapid bus and cycle corridors across the region, especially within Newport. Taken together, over 90% of Cardiff and Newport’s population would live within a mile of a railway station or rapid bus corridor if the proposals are taken forward. Many these recommendations can be delivered through upgrades to the existing rail and road network.

As part of their strategy "Ministers believe “road user charging” schemes are one potential way of encouraging people to use public transport, walk or cycle instead of driving but Newport City Council "does not support the implementation of a local toll on the M4".

Removing local traffic from the heavily congested M4 is not going to help through traffic held up by frequent accidents because there is no diversion apart from the inappropriate Southern distributor road, another accident black spot. 

It is not clear to me what Drakeford's strategy would be if/when these additional public transport facilities are provided if people do not use them. Something for him to consider in his retirement as he prides himself for saving a few toads and newts thought to be in danger if the proposed bypass had gone ahead. Also for those people stuck in queues on the M4 because there is no proper alternative way around the many road accidents.

So far there has just been more chaos affecting the Welsh economy with people missing events, finding themselves on the wrong side of the Prince of Wales bridge instead of listening to a pop concert. 

One can only imagine the congestion if Cardiff had pursued their desire to host the Eurovision Song Contest there. 

Others still see the M4 relief road as the obvious answer to a major problem. Drakeford's pride is the obstacle. 

The chaos continues.

Monochrome Morgan's misplaced message

Original source: Church in Wales

Speaking from the sidelines at the Lord Mayor’s National Civic service at St John the Baptist Church in Cardiff's city centre on St David’s Day the Archbishop of Wales observed that "Wales is a country of migrants" and should be proud of its record in welcoming refugees.

All of us are migrants of one kind or another he said, even we Celts the original inhabitants of this island came from Northern Europe. "Not one of us is ethnically monochrome".

A predictably charitable sounding message which may appeal to many but it is far too simplistic. A more balanced view comes from US Air Force General Philip Breedlove, a top NATO commander in Europe with first hand knowledge of the problem:

Terrorists who pose a threat to Europe are arriving on the continent every day among waves of "legitimate" refugees fleeing war in Syria and Iraq. Islamic State militants are among those who are "taking advantage of paths of least resistance" to reach Europe alongside desperate refugees.

The extremist group is "spreading like cancer" and "threatening European nations" by joining the vast movement of refugees escaping conflict in the Middle East. Fears about IS fighters infiltrating Europe and the US have fuelled legislation to crack down on Syrian and Iraqi refugees seeking to enter the US.

Whether terrorists or refugees these migrants are not leaving their supremacist ideology behind them. Most are reading from the same book with many prepared to follow it to the letter. Even fellow refugees who have been identified as being Christian have been attacked and murdered by Muslim 'refugees'.

Countless men and women have not sacrificed their lives to defend these islands against aggressive ideologies for later generations to welcome a brutal alien culture with open arms. Had the fallen been pacifists instead of warriors for freedom, the Archbishop would not be free to preach as he does.

If monochrome Morgan possesses a filter to spot the difference between refugees and warriors for Islam he should let us and NATO into his secret.

Crises! - What crises?

Installation of the Dean of Llandaff                                            Original photo: Church in Wales

"Repairs being carried out at historic Welsh cathedral after piece of stone fell from building during funeral." 

From WalesOnline.

I am not without sympathy for the Dean of Llandaff, regarded by some members of the Cathedral congregation as a decent man who is trying to do a difficult job under difficult circumstances but by others as an inappropriate appointment by an unscrupulous Archbishop and completely out of his depth. He certainly seems to have been dropped in it, something Janet Henderson was wise to avoid. 

Despite the mathematical skills of his predecessor, Bonaparte, a number of miscalculations have come to light from doubts about the accounting procedures used for the organ appeal funds, to the appropriateness of the organ project itself, given the financial problems of Llandaff Cathedral and dwindling congregations.

Obsessed by the ordination of woman and now by the advancement of the gay agenda, Dr Morgan's main concern appears to be focused on the acceptance of same-sex marriage in Church. Manipulation towards this end has been in evidence for some time at parish, deanery and diocesan levels, all geared to deliver the Governing Body result programmed by the Archbishop whether consonant with the faith or not. 

Gay activists have learned a thing or two from the feminist infiltration of Anglicanism by using their strategy:

•  Exploit the “victim” status;
• Use the sympathetic media;
• Confuse and neutralize the churches;
• Slander and stereotype [traditionalist] Christians;
• Bait and switch (hide their true nature); and
• Intimidation.

So being gay has become the in-thing, picked up by politicians, bishops and career minded priests. Journalists were not slow in seeing which way the wind was blowing. Honestly held views are attacked under the guise of 'equality' while activists make accusations against anyone who begs to differ. For a flavour of this phenomenon read some of the comments made in response to an article by Peter Mullen for the Church of England Newspaper (here) for questioning "the £360,000 bill for 'facilitated conversations' which, it is hoped, will break the deadlock between liberals and traditionalists on the contentious issue of the Church’s attitude towards homosexuality".

With women bishops firmly in place in the Church of England the emphasis now is on manipulation, abandoning the concept of equality which was the basis of their complaint to ensure that they are considered for preferment above men regardless of ability. But the best laid plans....! Read "Drive to make CofE less 'male, pale and stale' backfires" here.

While the feminist agenda is being fine-tuned and the gay agenda advances, the poor disenfranchised pew sitters continue giving more money than many can afford to support a failing institution which treats them with contempt for keeping the faith rather than kneel before each new sacred cow. It cannot last.

Crises! What crises?