Listen Assembly Member, This is Democracy

Posted on January 23rd, 2007 filed in Christine Chapman, Politics, Welsh Assembly

The Walk Against the Wind Farm was the front page story in Aberdare’s local newspaper last week. Several hundred people met at Dare Valley Country Park for a ‘ramble in the rain’. They braved the wettest and windiest weekends of the New Year for their walk. The message was a clear “NO” to the Welsh Assembly Government plans to see wind turbines erected in their community.

There is a very edgy Head Saleswoman for Cynon Valley’s first Wind Farm. That saleswoman is the local Labour Assembly Member Christine Chapman. In an unusually verbose letter printed in the Cynon Valley Leader, January 4 2007, the Labour AM attempts to belittle those who oppose the wind farm : “some people’s views are strong and emotive” and “I am very aware of how emotive the case against wind farms is”.

Christine Chapman - in the full knowledge that there has been many anti-wind farm public meetings held across the Cynon Valley in the past few months - then writes in her letter : “I do have some reservations about the usefulness of large public meetings” etc.

We have a message for you, Assembly Member : democracy is not like a sweet counter at your local corner shop (if one still exists in your village) where you can pick and choose what you like, taking only what tickles your fancy, fits in with your one-dimensional political ideology, or happens to help you or your political and business friends.

Democracy can be untidy, boisterous, loud and it comes in all shapes and sizes including large public meetings - like Nebo in Hirwaun - attended by mothers and fathers wondering why they are breaking their backs paying your Government taxes to fund your lavish lifestyle in Cardiff Bay.

Listen to your colleagues, if you don’t want to listen to your own constituents. Leighton Andrews, Rhondda AM, wrote in his book “Wales Says Yes - The Inside Story of the Yes for Wales Referendum Campaign” (1999) :

The [Yes for Wales] coalition was an important element in shaping the new politics of Wales. It created a dynamic in which people came to understand that monopolies on ideas did not exist.

You, or the Assembly Government, the local newspaper, this old blog… the people rambling in the rain in protest at your excesses, not one of these has a monopoly on ideas or the truth.

Listen Assembly Member, This is Democracy.