G.I. James's Blog

I’m thrilled to announce the launch of M2M Books, (m2mbooks.com) a publishing company born out of a passion for storytelling and a commitment to nurturing diverse literary voices. The journey to establishing M2M Books has been one fuelled by a deep love for literature and a desire to create a platform where unique narratives can flourish.

At M2M Books, our mission is to champion stories that resonate, inspire, and challenge perspectives. We believe in the transformative power of words and are dedicated to bringing fresh, authentic voices to readers worldwide.

Next week, 25th September, marks an exciting milestone as we unveil our inaugural publications:


I Zig and I Zag – A captivating poetry anthology that dances through the complexities of emotion, identity, and the human experience. This collection weaves together voices and verses that will linger in your heart long after the final page.


📖 Love and Happiness – A compelling novel that delves into the intricacies of adoption, relationships, exploring the fragile yet profound connections that define our lives. With rich storytelling and unforgettable characters, this book promises to be a resonant read for anyone who’s ever sought meaning in love and joy.

We can't wait for you to dive into these extraordinary works. Stay tuned for more updates, author features, and exclusive insights as we embark on this literary adventure together.

Thank you for joining us at the beginning of our story. Here’s to many more chapters ahead!

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 21 February 2024)

I do my best to be a jovial barman for our customers – duty bound to be as hospitable as possible. But over the past couple of years my patience has been increasingly tested by a growing number of brain-disengaged pillocks strolling into Irie’s Bar and trying to school all comers in their latest instalment of social-media-sourced nonsense.

With a worldview centred around spoon-fed beliefs, conversations with cult converts are an exhausting torment – like talking to a stone – frustrating. Any facts offered to challenge their latest conspiracy theory, taken as proof that you are stupid, or part of the conspiracy. Give us all strength.

Nowadays, I reckon we all know a few individuals who belong to what used to be called the lunatic fringe, spending far too much time nodding along with their Twitter (X) or Facebook feed, setting themselves up as unwelcome mouthpieces for the swamp-like outreaches of the internet that more rational people prefer to avoid.

These are the same guys who banged on and on about Covid, its origin and its spread. Remember how they became convinced that Covid was related to 5G mobile phone networks until realising how profoundly bonkers was their contribution? Did they give up? Of course not.

They went on to claim that the virus was engineered; then, that it was a Chinese or United States bioweapon – the usual suspects suggested a Jewish plot to force mass vaccinations or sterilisations – others said it was spread as part of a Muslim conspiracy; a government population control scheme – a moving feast of paranoid gibberish amplified by the wild pontifications of waning celebrities desperately seeking our attention, some relevance, and your money – I give you Russell Brand, Neil Oliver, and David Icke. Bewilderingly, conspiracy theorists are convinced by these self-serving and deeply suspect sources.

The truth is that conspiracy theories are no more than a project in fundraising proliferated by latter day snake oil salesmen monetising controversies through their Tik Tok, Instagram, and YouTube channels – divisive messaging routinely and seductively intertwined with unrelated no-brainers such as, do you love animals? do you care about children?

The situation would be laughable were it not for the fact that conspiracy theories have long been a breeding ground for dangerous ideologies that prey on the anxieties of the public in order to advance a political agenda. Whether it’s the demonisation of immigrants, anti-Semitic claims about globalist agendas, or the vilification of mainstream media, these theories thrive on stoking fear rather than fostering constructive dialogue. From the absurd notion of lizard people controlling the world to the more insidious falsehoods surrounding climate change denial, these are theories that sow seeds of discord, and divert attention away from genuine societal challenges.

And the self-serving willingness with which some UK politicians are prepared to deploy misinformation became clear back in 2016 when Farage and his followers enthusiastically raised the specter of a fixed vote in the final hours of the Brexit election (remember the fuss about pencils?) right up until the moment they realised they had won. We dodged a bullet that time, but the manipulation of public sentiment through falsehoods can wreak devastating consequences. We have already witnessed a violent mob storming the U.S. Capitol fueled by concocted theories of a stolen election.

By casting doubt on the legitimacy of elections, scientific consensus, and public health measures, conspiracy theorists jeopardise the social contract that binds citizens to their government. Therefore, as we grapple with a deluge of this misinformation, it becomes imperative for individuals, regardless of their political affiliation, to confront and excoriate baseless narratives that threaten the essence of a well-informed society. It is our responsibility to foster an environment where evidence-based discourse can prevail over the corrosive influence of unfounded conspiracies.

Hopefully, the accelerating proliferation of fake content created by Artificial Intelligence will effectively teach a gullible population the requirement and the knowledge of how to identify suspect sources. The silver bullet against conspiracy theorists and their ridiculous ideas will (as always) prove to be education. Clearly, too late for many, but better equipping future generations with critical thinking skills is the obvious antidote to increasing foolishness. A job not only for the education system, but for all of us who choose to think.

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 7 February 2024)

Several of you may recall that upon arrival into the Ystwyth Valley, for a couple of years, I was occupied as an exuberant Community Cricket Coach across mid Wales. This rewarding role took me into scores of Ceredigion and Powys schools, leisure centres, and sports clubs – a job that provided not only fast-track assimilation into the region’s delightful Welsh culture, but also a useful glimpse into the workings of the local education system.

Learned plenty, not least how multifaceted, stressful, and thankless the jobs of teacher and of prif can be in these parts. Forged relationships with staff, pupils, and parents that persist to this day. Effectively salved a difficult episode in my otherwise joyous personal existence, a gig focussed on the wellbeing of children that kept me fit, grounded, and productive. My brief time as ‘Coach’ was a personal lifesaver that will always be thought of as a vocational highlight.

Such a positive experience was why, late last year, I was caught off guard by worrying data indicating a 150% increase in reported bullying at Ceredigion secondary schools – blimey – genuinely thought we were better at protecting our children than this. So I began discussing bullying with families who have school-age children and the upshot of these numerous conversations was that for many parents, these statistics might shock but come as little surprise.

I found almost every family reluctantly tell a scarring story of when at least one of their children were the subject of unchallenged bullying. Even more troubling was that I could not find a single child of colour who has not suffered extended periods of persistent racial abuse not only in local schools, but also while attending local sports clubs. Most distressing was hearing of incidents of racism from teachers and sports coaches. For I remember complaining about a steady stream of racism from a teacher in the late 1970’s, was pleased to see action taken and the abuse stop. Infuriating to hear much the same thing happening in 2024 to some of the non-white children of mid Wales.

But most worrying of all, whether white, Black, or brown, family after family claimed that educational leadership and sports club management regularly downplay complaints of bullying. Children and families expected to accept suffering, rage, and sleepless nights as the result of: a bit of banter; only words; not serious when perpetrated by otherwise ‘good kids’. On occasion, victims and their families have been cast as the villains, themselves coming under scrutiny, and in some cases threatened with sanction for not accepting continuing harassment and abuse.

The shameful reality, as recent events demonstrate, is that in mid Wales, white adults garner considerably more sympathy and enjoy far greater protection from harassment than children. One anti-English note left for a man from Birmingham (in itself, probably not a criminal offence) generates widespread outrage, numerous headlines, and an immediate investigation by Dyfed Powys Police.

The same force handed screenshots taken from a series of overtly racist Whatsapp messages sent to a local school-aged child (certainly a criminal offence), casually dismissed the report as a problem for the school. But hang on, when racist messages were shown to the school, then the local authority, consequential action was taken by neither – so the bullying continues. Persistent inaction by the relevant bodies is the only reason such incidents are presented to the police at all.

One might imagine the recent spike in reported bullying (and I suspect ‘reported’ bullying is the tip of a fast growing bullying iceberg) would suggest that now is the time to get a firm grip on an obviously worsening situation. Yet, it appears that the instinctive reaction to increasing bullying in schools and sports-clubs, especially awkward when racial, sexual orientation, or gender based, is to slip complaints into the bin marked ‘nothing to see here’.

The leadership of our region’s education and sports establishments should be ashamed that they have never effectively dealt with the issue of bullying. Ashamed that children in this region are still having to go into school, onto a sports-field, or open their phones and be subject to repeated abuse. For it only takes a few unchecked individuals to make learning impossible, sport unpleasant, lives a misery for our children. We know this. And bullying without consequences results in more bullying. We know this too.

This is why the families I have spoken with are demanding real, consistent, and significant consequences for bullying and abuse, both for the individuals who are responsible and for the leaders who fail to get a grip of bullying within their particular school or club. Only meaningful consequences change unacceptable behaviour.

So, as a matter of urgency, Ceredigion Schools and Education Department, parents, teachers, prifs, school governors, along with sports-club members and committees must demand audits of their bullying complaint procedures to ensure complaints pathways are well marked, robust and effective, are consequential, inspire confidence, and do not promote a permissive environment where abuse is tolerated.

And if needed, there is plenty of motivation to improve these procedures, motivation provided by legal precedents suggesting that ignoring or suppressing complaints of bullying, especially where protected characteristics are involved, is a clear dereliction of duty of care responsibilities, a costly mistake being paid for by an increasing number of organisations, most notably Yorkshire Cricket Club and the Met Police.

And although it is too late to save the children and families I have spoken to from their distress, in order to change this intolerable situation for future students, subjects of bullying and their parents must always find the courage and energy required to report each and every incident of harassment or abuse, whether faced in person or online. We must never do nothing.

Easier said than done. I know from personal experience how exhausting it is to detect that subtle sigh, to watch the eyes roll, lids droop, how frustrating it is to have one’s complaint belittled and befuddled. Sometimes feels simpler to suck it all up and let the abuse go – to turn the other cheek. Hell no! Those days are long gone.

Each and every incident of bullying, inform the teacher or coach, talk with your whole family, knock politely on the Prif’s door. Be loud and persistent. Still no action? Then contact your Schools and Education Department as well as the Cambrian News. For if we expect our educational and sporting establishments to operate a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying, we, those subject to abuse, those witnessing or being informed of harassment, must also adopt a zero-tolerance stance against bullying.

Finally, I feel well placed to suggest more sport for your children. For expending surplus energy in high-pitched competition – cooperating to win – undoubtedly improves general behaviour. Clearly, cricket is best, but all offerings of supervised sport within our schools and clubs – sport in itself – when well administered, can and should serve as an effective preemptive strike against all forms of bullying. So drag your kids down – they will love it.

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 24 January 2024)

“Multiculturalism is a misguided dogma that allows people to live parallel lives.” This divisive assertion was included in a widely vilified speech uttered overseas by a soon-to-be-sacked Home Secretary desperately seeking approval from a far-right faction of her floundering political party. In this context, such extreme sentiments might be wisely ignored as the irrational death rattle of a fatally wounded political career.

However, what should command our concern is when such facile declarations are swallowed whole then regurgitated onto the opinion pages of this newspaper by the President of the local Conservatives. An unwelcome reflux of nonsensical bile that demonstrates little more than a woeful (perhaps wilful) ignorance of British history. Small-minded at best. Diminishing of British culture without question. At worst, a dog whistle for bigots, emboldening the sort of grotesque prejudice that considers mid Wales out of bounds for people hailing from as nearby as ‘Brummyland’.

Right Field columnist, Patrick Loxdale, recently shared his thinking that “institutionalising difference (promoting multiculturalism) won’t result in integration. We must all be subject to the same law, expect the same rights and fulfil the same obligations.” Sounds legit, but before we tackle what is, in fact, a gratuitous over-simplification, it will be useful to define exactly what we mean by ‘multiculturalism’.

‘Multiculturalism’ is the term used to describe the reality in which various ethnic and cultural groups exist in a single society – a city like Cardiff – a country like Great Britain. When deployed politically, a ‘policy of multiculturalism’ intends to develop strategies and instigate legislation supporting the right of different cultural and ethnic groups to retain distinctive cultural identities. In effect, a policy of multiculturalism aims to reduce the challenges faced by minorities living in a multicultural society by prohibiting discrimination, promoting race equality, and facilitating intercultural dialogue. A vocal cohort of Conservatives assert this as a failed dogma and are against such progressive strategies.

However, a policy of multiculturalism is the sole reason we have the Welsh language protected, taught in our schools, and prominent on our signage – this has not always been so. A policy of multiculturalism is why we no longer see ‘No Irish, No Blacks’ in tenement windows – this has not always been so. A policy of multiculturalism is why it is against the law to engage in antisemitic hate speech – this has not always been so.

But Patrick suggests multiculturalism fails because “ignoring the rights of some to promote the rights of others is plainly wrong”. What tosh. Is it wrong to deny the rights of racist landlords in order to promote the integration of immigrant communities? Is it wrong to deny the rights of employers to sack Jewish or Muslim employees because different cultures observe different holy days? Is it wrong to deny the rights of those who wish to vocalise extreme prejudices in the street?

Patrick’s view is that, “arrogantly dismissing peoples’ legitimate anxieties as some form of “ism” or phobia, is (ironically) deeply intolerant”. The key word here is ‘legitimate’. Thankfully, and only due to policies of multiculturalism, it is no longer legitimate to engage in hate speech or to act out one’s racist instincts and tendencies. Thankfully, a modern liberal democracy understands that in order to persist, a tolerant society must be intolerant of intolerance. As Patrick notes, this feels ironic. So what? The truth is that protecting the rights of cultural minorities and criminalising racial discrimination is not an infringement of anyone’s rights but a necessary step towards creating a tolerant and inclusive society (‘Popper’s Paradox’ is worth looking up).

This is why, since the 1960s, and in order to be ‘intolerant of intolerance’, Britain has officially adopted a policy of multiculturalism by affording some protection to racial minorities. In the wake of much needed migration from the Commonwealth, the British government passed a series of Race Relations Acts that criminalised racial discrimination in areas of society such as employment, public and retail services, housing, and education. Are Patrick and his cohort arguing against such legislation on the grounds of irony, restriction of their rights to be racist, or do they just not understand what a policy of multiculturalism is?

What should feel ironic to Patrick is that long before policies of multiculturalism, Britain was always an exemplar of a multicultural nation. From the early Neolithic influx of the east European Beaker people, Romans, Vikings, et al, each wave of new people brought with them not only their spiritual and material cultures, their tastes and wares, but also the ideas that laid the bedrock for British society. Look around – observe the unlikely but dazzling variety of physical features, languages, cultures, and traditions. To describe this multicultural nation we inhabit as a failed project insults the United Kingdom by disregarding the very foundations of our national identity – not least, ignores the distinct but complementary cultures of Welsh, of Scottish, of Irish, and of the English.

And it should not be forgotten that this long tradition of multiculturalism is the primary reason why we British, when overseas, feel little compulsion to relinquish ‘Britishness’ – famously clustering into flag-waving enclaves – why we show off (often to the point of caricature) an outstanding variety of identities, cultures, and heritages – kilts, daffodils, crusading knights, and shamrocks.

So why do Conservatives feel intimidated or uncomfortable when other cultural groups behave in exactly the same way we do? Why do Conservatives expect people arriving from other nations to abandon their proud cultures when we would never think to abandon ours?

It is clear that professed sceptics of multiculturalism are ignoring the plain truth that the British ability to absorb diverse influences has been a driving force behind our cultural progress. That our ability to draw strength from various populations and perspectives has enabled the British nation to navigate centuries of challenges with resilience and success. That British history shows it is both profitable and prudent to embrace multiculturalism, to cherry pick the best of each influx of new ideas. That without this continuous appetite for multiculturalism, we would not have our pyjamas, Christmas trees, curries, or those tribal tattoos. And that in times of war and crisis, the unity forged through this diversity has proven to be our greatest asset.

These great isles have never operated as a homogenous racial or cultural monolith – famously otherwise. British history is a story of assimilation, adaptation, and progress. And in embracing this swirling medley of British peoples, we do not weaken our national identity, we strengthen it. For it is self-evident our power lies in our diversity – a source of strength fostering creativity, innovation, and excellence that time and time again propels the United Kingdom onto the global stage.

Of course, multiculturalism brings challenges. But it is high time we recognise that few problems are inherent to multiculturalism itself, but most often the product of a narrow mindset in the host community resisting the coexistence of diverse cultures. For those denying our long tradition of cultural mingling and appropriation reflect an intellectual myopia that both holds back our society and denies the very essence of what it means to be British.

So Patrick, don’t be frightened of multiculturalism – it’s been here for ever and is not going away. The reality is, like it or not, multiculturalism plots the entire course of British history and should be celebrated by us all as an integral and productive part of our national journey – a remarkable and technicolour narrative that continues to unwind today.

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 10 January 2024)

This side of the twinkling tinsel season, sparkly LED lights, and luminous jumpers, there is found a golden moment gleaming brighter than the rest – an uplift in spirit that only the turning of the calendar can provide – the untarnished promise of another New Year.

There is something undeniably intoxicating about a blank canvas, drawing us into hopes and invitations to dream. Right now, we have fresh plans to form, floundering plans to revise or sweep away. All our plans whirling in a delicious waltz between what was and what might be. The magic of every New Year lies in its capacity to motivate change.

Beyond ambitions for personal betterment, the New Year also invites us to reassess our community and collective goals. For the best intentions of a society are not so dissimilar from those of an individual, are they? A desire for progress, equity, and wishes for a world that reflects those ideals that, for the rest of the year, we mostly only pay lip service to. So, as we each outline our personal resolutions, let us not forget the larger tapestry of humanity that we are all woven into.

In 2024, a critical lever for change will be our vote. Those in the know predict a General Election at some point this year. And beyond the national stage, the May election for Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) holds immense significance for the safety and well-being of Mid Wales residents.

As the nation prepares for the General Election and the election for the Police and Crime Commissioner, it is vital to remind ourselves that voting is not just a right; it is a powerful tool that shapes the destiny of communities and nations. As the election season unfolds, Mid Wales exemplifies the spirit of democracy – a collective effort to build a future that reflects the values and aspirations of its diverse and vibrant population.

The election for Dyfed Powys PCC is an opportunity for residents to have a say in local law enforcement and criminal justice policies and the chance to choose the public representative who will most effectively collaborate across communities to address local crime concerns and implement effective policies and strategies to ensure the security of every citizen. By participating in the PCC election, Dyfed Powys residents have the power to elect a candidate who aligns with the region’s values and priorities regarding community safety. So, pay attention to what the candidates have to say about how our region should be policed. And vote.

My vote will not be blind and party political. My vote for PCC will be for a candidate with an independent voice more in tune with our community; a candidate that promises police officers will perform far fewer stops and searches on young law-abiding citizens; a candidate with an uncompromising focus on the region’s primary concerns – the increasing scourge of domestic violence and the community-destroying distribution of Class A drugs.

So, in this fleeting moment between the old and the new, where plans collide and dreams converge, there lies the potential for genuine transformation – a chance to transcend the limitations of the past – to forge a path towards a more just tomorrow. By registering and then exercising our right to vote, residents become architects of positive change, safeguarding democracy and building a brighter future for their communities.

The choices made at the ballot box extend beyond immediate policy decisions. They also play a crucial role in determining the trajectory of regional development. Effective elected representatives do have the power to attract investments, initiate infrastructure projects, and promote economic growth. By voting, residents of Mid Wales can actively shape the future of our communities, contributing to sustainable development and improved living standards.

For Mid Wales, which experiences unique challenges often not understood at the national level, participating in elections gives residents the chance to empower local voices and elect representatives who understand the specific needs and concerns of the region. Voting is a means of ensuring that Mid Wales’ interests are at least slightly represented in the halls of power. Local Concerns, Local Solutions.

Beyond our vote, another powerful catalyst for communal change will be personal commitments to social justice. Unfortunately, the fight for social justice is more complicated than buying and wearing a badge, attending an occasional coffee morning, or standing in a crowd during annual days of acknowledgement. The battle against prejudice and discrimination is a year-round responsibility that demands bravery, unwavering attention, and action. Are you willing to try?

For this year, like every year, we will all witness minor and major examples of misogyny, racism, and homophobia. Like a Whack-a-mole ninja, our unbreakable resolution must be to fearlessly bear down on each injustice we encounter; to report, to challenge, never again to be the silent and spineless bystander when bullying and bigotry pops up yet another ugly head.

In the spirit of the New Year, let us resolve to test and retest the foundations and integrity of the establishments and structures we have erected. To vote at every opportunity. To amplify the voices of the marginalised, dismantle systemic inequalities, and cultivate empathy within our communities. To celebrate the strides we have made in the fight for social justice and to rededicate ourselves to the ongoing struggle.

Whether it is advocating for equal opportunities, supporting marginalised communities, or standing up against discrimination, the New Year provides us with the canvas upon which we can paint a more just and compassionate society. Let us make it a Happy New Year for all.

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 20 December 2023)

I was feeling compelled to set straight Patrick Loxdale, again, until I realised this is Christmas week. Tis the season of jolliness and goodwill so the required revising of Patrick’s recent anachronistic assertions on integration, multiculturalism, and tolerance will have to wait. As will his less than obvious train of thought that we are not so awful as the Romans; a troubling and regressive comparison that, at some early stage, invites some drilling into. Anyway, Patrick’s Right Field column has suffered under a bit of a self-induced pile-on over the past few issues – this on top of being chairman of the local and beleaguered Conservatives – much like herding a flock of cats at the best of times – extra tricky task right now, I bet. Best of luck, Patrick, and Merry Christmas.

This is also not the week to challenge the antisocial policies embraced by policing double act, Dafydd Llewelyn and Dr Richard Lewis, our hip-joined and lock-stepped Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable. This is the week to celebrate these two men’s eye-catching achievements in reducing racial disparity in Dyfed Powys Police Force’s use of stop and search from 8 times more likely to 3 times more likely – well above the national average to laudably below. However, this is not the week to unpack these statistics to highlight that the dramatic improvement was achieved not by harassing fewer law-abiding People of Colour, but as the result of a jaw-dropping broadening in aggressive policing across the law-abiding indigenous population (general use of stop and search up by 240%). Not the week to critique such counterproductive policing methods. Nadolig Llawen, Dafydd and Richard.

This is not the moment to point out that Plaid Cymru are still not adequately maintaining their Aberystwyth Pier Street office. Even on the Aber shabby scale, a truly disgusting crap-smeared property that serves as nothing other than a visual reminder to where our town ranks in the ‘Party of Wales’ list of priorities and how inconsequential to Plaid are the many campaigns to clean up our outdoor spaces and shopping streets.

Nor opportune to ventilate views that Plaid Cymru’s Ben Lake MP, our region’s Westminster representative, appears only permitted to bang on about the cost of fuel when what we really need are concerted voices securing the economic investment that will again make West Wales a desirable destination – and not Plaid being a significant contributor to Aberystwyth’s reputation as a dirty old town.

Now is the time to set aside issues this column has raised over the past year. Now is the time to put feet up, lick wounds, to catch up on sleep and calories. As an unapologetic idealist, the highlight of my festive season will be the New Year. The turn of an imaginary page, the right time to wash away the turmoils and failures of 2023, another fresh start, the correct moment to grasp the immediate future and savour the uplift found in compiling a brand new mental calendar filled with plans and resolutions. Got to try to get my excellent novel published. Got to be more active – play more sport. Less cake – more fruit. Got to effect meaningful and positive change.

For a valuable benefit of intimate and low population rural Wales is that an idealist can imagine real and rapid change right here – fundamental changes in politics and policing, in social justice, our environment and community lifestyle – progressive changes that would be inconceivable within other British regions. For we mid-Welsh are notorious for thinking apart and living differently. Our ways and means can and do vary from the mainstream. Our hope rightly springs eternal because ‘it is what it is’ does not necessarily apply to us. Our future in our hands.

I know this is true because I remember arriving in the Cambrian Hills and immediately being struck by how many can-do people inhabit such a sparsely populated area. Such a wide range of practical and intellectual skills available. Willing hands meant real problems were quickly resolved. I recall thinking that the Ystwyth Valley would be the perfect place to occupy in the event of a nuclear war or zombie holocaust. So many capable individuals, so willing to band together during moments of crisis. I had been accustomed to living among self-interested stockbrokers and aspirational advertising executives – not the ideal crowd to be surrounded by at the breakout of WWZ.

So, the next few chilled-out weeks will offer the opportunity to mull over noteworthy issues, to decide which matters to revisit and what other areas of local and national concern might hold our attention over the coming twelve months.

Perhaps issues such as a dysfunctional local democracy in which Ceredigion County Council feel it is wise to use local taxpayers’ hard-earned cash to assign paid staff to lodge lengthy complaints about Cambrian News reporting of local discontent. A shocking and authoritarian turn of events that should register alarm across our county.

Or maybe some examination of whether new leadership of Welsh Labour might lead to at least some policies benefiting these routinely ignored outposts of Wales. Fat chance of that.

So, my sense is that much of my focus during 2024 will be highlighting the need for real revolution in the democracy of mid Wales. As was recently put to me, “the people who represent us must love the area as much as we do as residents”, perfectly capturing the nature of a growing sentiment that we are being continually let down by our elected officials. But let us never forget only we are responsible for putting ineffective individuals into office. And let us not forget that only we get to replace them. 

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda from The Aber Vaults.

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 6 December 2023)

How did I end up in these parts? a query commonly flung across our bar. Divorced, disillusioned, and couldn’t move any further away without getting wet – my rehearsed response. 

This week marks fifteen years since hauling belongings and dented heart from East England to West Wales – the best part of fourteen years spent up among the Pontrhydygroes hills – a year and a bit down in Aber town centre. Fifteen years that sometimes feels like a lifetime but more often the passing of an instant. However, little more illuminates this extensive sweep of time than when tiny infants one instructed in primary school cricket, now knocking six foot, now enveloped with beard, are found Friday evening lounging in Irie’s Bar sipping on a Rum and RedBull. It is clear that beyond a healed heart, much else has moved on over the past decade and a half. 

Never have I lived within one community so long, and watching over little-ones growing up is the most precious pleasure to nestling down. But the truth is this priceless uncle-like experience could have happened wherever I chose to lay my hat. What makes the difference is, much by chance, I settled right here on this delightful sliver of Welsh coast. 

Never has an outsider felt such a sense of belonging – part of a place – fitting like a misplaced jigsaw piece finally slotted into perfect position – duty bound to contribute to the overall picture. I am not the only one. For particularly since the hippy influx of the Seventies, misfits, outsiders, idiosyncratic individuals of all sorts have abandoned one rat-race or another and found sanctuary around these peaceful low-income hills. We are rolling stones forestalled, wrapped in moss by a progressive indigenous population. Together, a mellow melting pot of far-flung experiences and local knowledge that make for the unique, independent-minded, and altruistic society we enjoy. 

A downside is that after this long but fleeting fifteen years, from some angles, both Aberystwyth and I have come to appear increasingly weatherbeaten. Somewhat crumbling and neglected it has been said. But knowing the stories of so many residents and businesses, I understand that beneath Aberystwyth’s creaking and cracking facade there still resides a vital soul replete with ambition for better tomorrows.  

So why, looking around, are we always in such a mess? Why so broke? Why still this dirty old town? Why the talk of downsizing the region’s educational capacity? Why fewer buses and a useless railway service? I could go on and on but you get the point. With so many dutiful and capable people around, why is everything such a shambles?

The unavoidable conclusion is that our impoverished and sparsely populated region is (or always was) an afterthought amid the party politics of Wales and utterly irrelevant to the thinking of those in Westminster. Policies that suit Cardiff and the Home Counties are rarely in the best interests, more often to the detriment of rural and coastal mid Wales. Here, we are not even an afterthought.

An obvious reason is that party politicians are partisan candidates with one eye on Cardiff or Westminster and the other flitting between job security and personal advancement. Professional party-aligned politicians are unlikely and unmotivated to take a clear-eyed position on regional issues and in any case are unable to take any stance departing from metropolitan party lines. In habitually electing candidates from mainstream political parties, mid Wales is left with only political impotence and economic crumbs. A forgotten patch dislocated from the mainstream. A region screaming out for more local independent political representation.

More independent candidates. The problem is that although many good people are willing to expend the considerable time and resources required to pick up the pieces of political failure and ineptitude (for instance, the community effort recently deployed to ensure the appropriate marking of Aberystwyth’s Remembrance Day was not lost amid local government squabbles and failures), few qualified people are willing to take a firm grip on the levers of local power in order to prevent the next round of chaos. 

Qualified? What do you mean? It was Plato who suggested that ‘only those who do not seek power are qualified to hold it’. So, our Councillors, our Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd, even our Police and Crime Commissioners should be reluctant but dutiful residents free to operate outside of metropolitan and party political interests. In other words, your county needs you. 

At a gloomy but critical moment when fewer than four in ten of us were motivated to vote at the last council elections, young and older candidates need to stand up to better represent us. Needs us all to encourage, support, and most importantly, to vote for qualified local residents prepared to stand independently for public office. Ignore mainstream party politicians for they must ignore us here in mid Wales. And remember, we cannot lose a voice we do not have.

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 22 November 2023)

November 11th – the date which marks the end of The Great War. The date around which we come together to remember those who died in that war and subsequent conflicts. A most significant date ingrained into Britain’s sombre consciousness since established in 1919. So let us never forget the complete dog’s breakfast made of Armistice Day 2023.

In previous years it has been customary that the weekend of remembrance provides local and national opportunities to reflect upon and honour the ultimate sacrifice made by individuals, families, and communities from across Britain and around the Commonwealth. A time to remind ourselves that young men and women have, and still do, put their lives on the line to maintain our security and freedoms. An annual occasion to honour veterans still with us and to thank them for their service. If we are lucky, we know at least a few.

And so this last Remembrance Day should have offered another chance to mull over and to teach our children of the cruel dues paid for liberal democracy. Cherished freedoms of speech, thought, expression, long-held rights to criticise and protest do not come cheap. For let us never forget that WWII was not a fight to save Britain, WWII was a fight to save an established British way of life. Doubtless Britain would have continued to exist had the fight been lost, but only as a German dependency. So, let us never forget that the Second World War was a fight to save Britain from the Nazis in particular and to defeat fascism more generally. As such, Remembrance Sunday should continue to signify and reaffirm the long, continuing, and bloody fight against racism and intolerance. 

Not this year. Unfortunately, remembrance activities and events were overshadowed by ineptitude and right-wing violence. At a local level, conversations of remembrance, this year, largely swirled around the failure of Ceredigion County Council to adequately prepare for a date that has been in their diary for over a century. Costs and organisation, this year, foisted upon furious veterans. A humiliation for the region. This year felt like there was more chat around town about that disgraceful state of affairs than there was for the meaning of Remembrance Sunday.

At a national level, like many, I watched shocking but predictable events unfold in London. The Saturday services and the space around the Cenotaph, this year, sullied with violence, nazi salutes, and cries of ‘Sieg Heil’.  Shocking, saddening, but no surprise to most when our government, individuals charged with leading national Remembrance Day services, attempt to co-opt the day as the preserve of the right wing of politics. When British fascists are emboldened by a British Home Secretary and are all but encouraged to bring their hate-filled rhetoric to within yards of solemn proceedings when, for me and many others, there is little more left wing than memorialising the war against Nazis.

But the usual suspects have been tilting at windmills. Suggested that marching for a ceasefire in the Middle East was incompatible with, or the opposite of, marking the end of a conflict and remembering the fallen. And so an exclusion area was set in place around the cenotaph for all those attending the pro-Palestinian march (but apparently not for neo-fascists opposed to liberal democracy). But as was shown, little requires protecting from peace protestors. Least of all, poppy sellers.

I did not venture to London (awful place and far too far away), but had I, like many, it would have presented no moral conflict to pay respects at the Cenotaph before marching for peace in Palestine whilst proudly wearing a poppy. For most, including me, failings in British foreign policy are not conflated with the crucial work of the British Legion.

Of course, the few individuals on the pro-Palestine march who did incite racial hatred with antisemitic vitriol or hate-fuelling imagery should be prosecuted – we have laws for that. By all accounts such unacceptable incidents were few and far between and neither reflected the family-friendly atmosphere nor represented the peaceable views of the overwhelming majority of 300,000 marchers. Those who try to equate hateful perhaps criminal actions by the tiniest fringe of the peace protest with the widespread and day-long pitched battles instigated by far-right “counter protesters” are clutching at the feeblest of straws.

Well, we have fifty weeks left to avoid repeating the shameful mess of 2023. Next year, nationally, Remembrance Day is not only an opportunity to pay respects to the fallen, to thank those who serve, but also to reaffirm the fight against fascism at home and abroad. That the primary reason we have a diverse portfolio of political ideologies in this United Kingdom is because of the sacrifice made by those fighting nationalism and authoritarianism. And locally, it can never again be left to veterans like John Davies to fund and organise appropriate Remembrance Day events.

Footnote: It seems obvious that John Davies should run for office. I imagine John won’t want to, but people who don’t seek public office are exactly the people who should run. Public office requires populating by individuals who can do a job but are not motivated by money, badges, party politics, or power for themselves. John Davies is a perfect example of numerous local men and women who have vast experience volunteering  their skill, time, and effort on behalf of our communities. Individuals who, for free, often at cost to themselves, manage local sports clubs, societies, and charities. Capable individuals motivated for all the right reasons. Run for public office. Get paid. Why not?

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 8 November 2023)

Back in the Spring of 1982, while visiting a friend in the Netherlands, the grim-faced mother of an otherwise cordial Dutch household dropped a day-old copy of The Sun newspaper onto the family breakfast table and asked me to explain why the British thought it appropriate to celebrate the death of 323 young Argentinians. The headline screamed ‘Gotcha’ and referred to the sinking of the light cruiser General Belgrano. Mevrouw van Haag appeared absolutely furious with me, as though I were personally responsible for these casualties. She also expected me to denounce my country. But I was a feisty teenager and although ambivalent about the Falklands War, once overseas, felt duty bound to prop up our besieged flag and defend the indefensible. I cannot remember the excuses I offered but can recall the emotional discomfort provoked from that lengthy and heated exchange. Suddenly, irrationally, unexpectedly, and over cornflakes (for I did not fancy the horse meat) I had become the proxy target for outrage against British military tactics. In an instant, the welcoming atmosphere to which I was so accustomed in Holland was replaced by an alienating far-from-home sense of isolation.

This was neither the first nor last time I have cringed under the spotlight of collective accountability. From infancy, peoples of non-indigenous nationhood, race, or religion get used to being associated and implicated with perceived crimes perpetrated in any corner of the globe by their particular demographic. Routinely presumed to be acting defence counsel cum spokesman on all relating contentions and grievances.

Back to now, and this triple-aspect perch above the Aber Vaults offers an entertaining view of the corner of Queen’s Road and Vaynor Street – you know, by the Spar – that low curved wall that in fine weather is employed by residents as a communal bench. I oversaw their ongoing japes for several months before noticing the large dark plaque placed on the left-hand column supporting this low wall. It was a few more weeks before I took the time to wander across and read of a little mentioned example of collective accountability from the Aberystwyth history book.

Back in 1914, our Aberystwyth University faculty included one Professor Herman Ethé. He was a seventy-year-old lecturer in German and Oriental languages. Herman and his wife had lived here for decades having moved to Aber in 1875. Herman was a German and enjoyed a beer in his garden. Herman’s ebullient European habits did not go unnoticed, for 1914 was a time of temperance in non-conformist Wales. Unfortunately for Herman, 1914 also saw the onset of the First World War thus pitting his homeland against his adopted home. 

At a time before social media, it was refugees arriving in Aberystwyth from Belgium that provided heartbreaking stories of escaping the Kaiser’s vicious army that led to an understandable uptick in anti-German sentiment among residents. Unfortunately, a couple of prominent councillors sensed an opportunity to further their own political ambitions. They rabble roused. Flyers were printed: 

“As a protest against the return of Prof Ethé from Germany to teach in our Welsh national institution we intend to form a procession of workmen and others at one o’clock near Shiloh Chapel.” 

Over 2,000 agitated townsfolk gathered at the chapel where the two councillors then urged the mob to march on Prof Ethé’s home, to give the family 24 hours to leave, or else drive them out. The mob descended on the Ethé residence in Caradog Road – you know, one of those posh little streets behind Bronglais Hospital. A terrified Professor Ethé and his wife left Aberystwyth the next day, never to return. They moved to Bristol. Herman died there just a few years later, reportedly a broken man and in abject poverty. A shameful example of collective accountability that we appear to have learned nothing from.

Right now, for many, intensified conflict in the Middle East provides the excuse to vent existing prejudices resulting in terrifying increases in both antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes across the UK and around the world. Last week, a mob of hundreds gathered at a Russian airport to intercept a flight from Tel Aviv, chanting antisemitic slogans and with an intention to make all disembarking passengers denounce Israel. The week before, a six-year old boy was stabbed to death in Illinois, USA, just for being of Palestinian heritage. In the UK, Jewish schools have been forced to close, synagogues and mosques require extra security. British kids and British worshippers have quickly become soft proxy targets. All extremely ignorant, all very cowardly.

Although we are most likely to witness cowardly mobs gathering on social media these days, unhelpful and simplistic sentiments sometimes spill onto our streets. Recent violent anti-asylum protests at the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli offer distasteful echoes of Professor Ethé’s experience. Fires started, police spat at, a bill of £300,000. As well as an act of egregious victimisation against those fleeing conflict and persecution, this was also an act of community self harm. If it comes to it, will they treat refugees from Gaza or Israel in the same unwelcoming fashion? I hope not. Maybe Llanelli will feel compelled to unveil their own shameful plaque at some point in the future.

One of the aspects of life I cherish is living in left-leaning west Wales. So it is no surprise that I find the majority of Aberystwyth residents distressed and angry with the unjustifiable outrages we are witnessing on our screens. For me, it is now imperative to ensure we do not tolerate or embrace injustice here in our fight against injustice abroad. It is imperative to maintain cool heads and use any influence we have to becalm. To beware the rabble rouser advancing their own interests and never be part of the ignorant mob.

When morally impelled, we march for change and not against people, for we know how revenge ends. Never ever hold innocent individuals responsible for the actions of a state, but also appreciate that it is okay for those we disagree with to be sympathetic to the other cause. For I know from my visit to the Netherlands, from the war in Ukraine, that it is extremely difficult to remain unemotional and nuanced, or even acknowledge the opposing view, when one’s countrymen or friends are under fire. And this reality should be maintained front of mind by those of us fortunate enough to observe current events from the luxury of the periphery. 

(Published  Cambrian News  (print editions) 25 October 2023)

This week it has been particularly tricky to pin down a subject upon which to moralise. Tragedy within Israel and Gaza explodes across all but the most trivial of ideas. Everyone is outraged. The usual suspects present their predictable views. No one seems hopeful. What can one helpfully insert into this unholy conversation?

Good Word columnist, the Baptist pastor Rob James offers us his Christian belief that ‘the day will dawn when the Prince of Peace will return to this sad, divided world’ and assuming this occurs, all will be solved. Even for a doubting Thomas like myself, I find Rob’s spiritual outlook uplifting. Reminiscent of my time living next to a Gospel Church in Manchester. Someone else’s joyous belief system shining uninvited light into my secular understanding of this often dark and confounding planet. Rob’s positive sentiments also remind me of the importance, but then the pitfalls, of humanity’s mishmash of unlikely faiths and bewildering beliefs. 

So, what can we be sure of? It was Rene Descartes (1596–1650) who ventured “Cogito ergo sum”, “I think therefore I am”. From Descartes’ observation the inference is often made that personal existence is only fact we can be certain of; that everything else is a belief. But Rene was unaware of Artificial Intelligence. Arguably, it is now possible (or soon will be) to generate original thought within non-physical worlds. A kind of Matrix. Some claim there is a probability that our reality is an artificial universe. No longer, goes the argument, can personal existence be conclusively proved.

Yet in order to function we hold faith in a fundamental set of beliefs, primarily that we do exist. Family and culture complete an initial set. As our lives develop, more and more belief systems and ideas are presented to us and we each select those we feel are most convincing and then live our lives accordingly. For example, I believe that I am human, I live on a spherical planet Earth, I am currently sat at my writing desk trying to be relevant. If these beliefs are incorrect, for instance, my life and consciousness are in fact generated within the technology of another universe, nothing changes here. For me, this world is real and remains the only show in town.

And our reality changes with evolving understanding. For millennia, it was accepted that our Earth was flat. Priests and scientists all asserted the Earth was disc-like and believed we were at the centre of God’s Universe. Most of us now know better and inhabit a very different reality. So, the lessons from history are to proceed on the basis of what we believe, but to be cautious in our claims, particularly when leaning on ancient and out-of-date sources; that little is certain and everything should be questioned; that when our understanding of reality evolves, so should our beliefs.

Unfortunately it is rarely in the interest of politicians, ideologues, or priests to be cautious in claim or evolving in understanding. These vested interests make a living by claiming rights over an exclusive and intransigent truth. These vested interests speak to us in convenient certainties and are quick to contradict and ridicule one other. These vested interests pretend they have pretty much got the whole thing nailed down already. Are unwilling to abandon previous thinking when their positions are overrun by fresh or contradictory views. They insist on the one model they know. Vested interests exhibit little curiosity, no humility, little humanity, and are routinely proved wrong.Vested interests claiming an unlikely truth should be treated with extreme caution. ‘Truly, whoever is able to make you absurd is able to make you unjust’, said French philosopher Voltaire (1694 – 1778).

So what should we believe in? you ask.  Believe in the likely and the positive, say I. For example, I am adopted and arrived into my adopted Welsh family at the age of 10 days at the end of 1964.  I have no knowledge of my natural family except a few names and a warm letter from my Grandmother giving me the vaguest details of how I came to exist. I have spent considerable time wondering what occurred back then but have no evidence to support any belief that I care to hold. In the absence of evidence why does it matter what I believe? Let me tell you why.

I choose to believe that my natural mother clutched me tight for nine days and that she could barely take her eyes from my tiny tiny form. I believe that she breathed love onto my face and kept me warm. I believe the notion to abandon me was far from her thinking. I believe she cried like no other mother has cried when they came to take me away.  I believe that she regularly thinks of me.  She wonders what I am doing and who I have become. She has hopes for me. She loves me. Still weeps. All likely and all positive.

I could believe that my natural mother did not want me.  When I was born she dismissed me and did not touch me nor look at me.  I could believe that she hated me for causing her family anguish and for the inconvenient pain of my entrance. She remembers me only occasionally and then as a childhood trauma. She hopes that I never embarrass her by making contact. She abandoned both me and any thoughts for my future the moment I was delivered.

Which of these two opposing narratives I choose to believe affects aspects of my life including how I feel about myself and who I am to others.  As our beliefs are so influential, it is logical for the sake of personal well-being, and in absence of contradictory evidence, to believe the positive story. 

Amid current challenging realities, I still need to believe in the best story – that ‘the arc of history is long but bends towards justice’. It is often a depressing and desperate arc, but to a positive end, the step-by-step intention must be to remain hopeful and to leave this world, our society, each place we go, and every person we meet, slightly better than we found them.