For thirty pieces of silver.
Most of us will agree that Westminster offers Welsh nationalists little beyond a symbolic presence, and here's the reason why.
Plaid Cymru currently has 4 MPs in the House of Commons, representing Welsh nationalists' aspirations in Westminster. 7 Sinn Féin MPs abstain (they do not take their seats), SNP has 8 seats, the Speaker and 3 Deputy Speakers do not vote, so, out of 639 voting MPs, only 12 are Welsh and Scottish nationalists, the majority of the remaining will be imperial British nationalists who maintain the unity of the British union at all costs.
Heavily outnumbered, nationalist MPs will get very little from Westminster apart from scraps from the table to keep them onside, and, of course, their salary plus expenses. If these parties are sincere about independence, why would they want to play Westminster's unwinnable game? For the reasons given, we can conclude that it is only for financial gain and for what they see as prestige.
To be taken seriously, we must follow Sinn Féin's lead and avoid Westminster's trap.
What does abstention mean for an MP? It means that they do not take the oath to the monarch and do not attend Parliament's sittings or committees. They cannot vote in debates. They can still pursue cases on behalf of their constituents and represent them individually to Westminster on individual issues. They can have an office and staff to manage their cases and draw staff salaries. But the MP gets no salary unless they take the oath and attend Parliament.
Here in Cymru, nationalists need to consider resetting their minds. We need politicians to represent us with principles, not, as some would consider, career grifters. We need representatives who are genuine to the cause. There is no need to tread the same old path to London to swear an oath to England’s king in return for 30 pieces of silver.
If Independence is truly the aim, we need to see the light, sever the link to the Westminster trap, and walk away. Let’s be under no illusion that abstentionism will mean being brave, but it’s necessary if we want to break the chain and get off the endless unionist merry-go-round.
It’s something that should be seriously considered with or without Plaid Cymru.
Gwlad (Nation), a smaller Welsh nationalist party, doesn’t contest Westminster elections because the system offers them no realistic route to representation. They argue that a pro‑independence party contesting Westminster can feel contradictory. The reason being that Westminster is an English‑dominated institution, Welsh politics should be fought in Welsh institutions, and standing in Westminster elections reinforces the legitimacy of a parliament they ultimately want Wales to exit.
Many will say they have a legitimate point.
